Felt Manor

It's been a full week since my boyfriend and I stayed at the beautiful Felt Manor House. Suddenly thrown back into the hustle and bustle of working in the loop, Galena is a far cry from downtown Chicago. I really want to extend a warm thank you to the gracious innkeepers at the Felt Manor, both Loren and Dan went above and beyond to make my boyfriend and I as comfortable and at home as possible. We stayed here on both Friday and Saturday nights last weekend and honestly fell more in love with each passing day. The house itself is gorgeous: from the dining room, the media room, the reception room to the luxurious bedrooms upstairs, we were completely taken away. Dan and Loren also prepare breakfast for you at whichever time you choose, or within minutes of you sitting in the dining room. The eggs benedict special are truly...well, special. The meal was definitely tasty, up to par with Chicago's best brunch joints. Dan also makes this heavenly amaretto based fruit dip, which trust me when I say doesn't need fruit at all! The full reception which was later in the afternoon was relaxing too, we helped ourselves to fine local red wine while also enjoying conversations. Cookies, fruits, wine and tea were there for our liking as well as a litany of games, it was the perfect down time before heading into town for dinner. This place is really gorgeous and Dan and Loren really make you feel at home. My boyfriend and I are both 24, and needless to say, this was our first time at a bed and breakfast. We've traveled and done the hotel thing, but this holiday we wanted to try something new and just unwind. I couldn't have planned this weekend any better to be completely honest, it was very hard to leave.

Well, we've just returned from a weekend getaway at the Felt Manor in Galena, IL, and it was outstanding. The house is awesome, the inn keepers are great and very friendly. The breakfasts were outstanding. My wife and I actually visited the Felt Manor over 12 years ago prior to having kids, but since having kids, we never really had a chance to getaway for a weekend. But this year, for our anniversary, we thought 11 years was long enough to not have a trip for ourselves. Our first thought was the Felt Manor. We had such a nice time there 12 years ago, we were hoping the same inn keepers were still running the house and we were delighted to find out they were. The house itself was built in the 1840's and is still charming as ever. It resides about a block up the hill from all the shops. The daily afternoon reception gathering is also a nice way to meet the other guests and talk with the innkeepers. If you're looking for a magnificent and relaxing B&B to stay at while visiting Galena, IL, this place should be at the top of your list.