Ahern's Belle of the Bends

We had a great visit here - it was one of the best we have visited! We stayed in the Josephine Room, very large and very comfortable. Mary was a great hostess and the breakfasts were wonderful! The trains did not affect us as we had the air-conditioning on so no windows were opened. We would definitely consider staying here again! Wendy and Rick Beaumont

We enjoyed a wonderful visit at this B&B. Our innkeeper, Mary, is very personable and quite knowledgeable about Vicksburg and the surrounding area. This B&B is beautifully appointed and very comfortable with large rooms, high ceilings, and all the comforts you would expect in an Antebellum home. Breakfasts were outstanding and beautifully served on an elegant table. There is only one caveat - there is an occasional train that comes through nearby, however, we didn't find it a problem. We would definitely consider staying here again should we return to visit the area.

Great place to stay. A real step into the past, with great Southern hospitality from the perfect hosts

My wife and I stayed at this GREAT B&B for three days and I can tell you we will be back!! We arrived about 7:30pm on are 1st day we had no problems checking and parking is gated I can tell you having stayed in many B&B's over the years this is a great benefit. Mary showed us around the house and them to are room. The room and the house was one of the most well keep and true to the period that I have been in. The breakfast was to die for we always had hot coffee every morning, fresh fruit, eggs, fresh biscuits with gravy or jam and many other items to tease the palate. I only wished that we lived closer so we could stay at this GREAT B&B MORE OFTEN.

Amazing hospitality, delicious food and outstanding accomodation. We loved our one night stay and only wished we could have stayed longer. The room was beautifully appointed (as was the whole house) and the balcony in particular had a lovely view down to the Mississippi and was so nice to sit out there with a coffee first thing. Would definitely recommend.

A magnificently and stately B & B. The room was spacious and elegant. Mary's breakfasts were extraordinary and served in grand style. A thoroughly enjoyable and pleasant stay.

And so it was when my wife and I meandered our way thru the town of Vicksburg, that we first caught a glimpse of the Belle. No snow on the ground, mind you, but that was the only thing that otherwise would have made the Belle picture-postcard perfect! The overlarge rooms and period furniture reminded us of years gone by and a time when the day wasn't rushed to the max. Thank you Mary and Dan for a wonderful stay, we look forward to the opportunity to do it again. Business may have led us to Vicksburg, but it was the Hand of God that sent us your way!

If you are looking for a laid back, historic stay, this is the place for you! This beautiful, post-bellum B&B is in a perfect location and has exceptional service. It also has it's own gift shop with one of kind items to remember your stay. Our family had a lovely time and would highly recommend it!

This home is a lovely place to stay but the owner/hostess is what made our overnight stay so enjoyable. She made us feel like family. We are teachers so we gave this wonderful place an A+.

House and rooms are beautiful. However, the property is 200 feet from the railroad tracks and a large freight train comes by every 2 hours. Great porch for sitting out and relaxing.

[Resource Id: innkeeperresponse, Set: reviews]
We work so hard to offer all of our guests a wonderful stay in our magnificient home but we have learned over the last 7 years of innkeeping that we cannot meet the expectations of everyone. Certain things we have no control over and although this home has been here for over 134 years, the railroad tracks have been here longer than that. We inform all of our guests about the trains however, we have no control about the time the train passes by and for 99% of our guests... they understand. We have been ranked Vicksburg's number one bed and breakfast for 5 consecutive years- our status is a result of hard work, genuinely caring for our guests and accentuating all of the positive attributes of our home that we DO have control of.

The house and hosts were very nice. We had a lovely breakfast. The house is right next to the train tracks, however, and there were several loud train events between 12 and 3 a.m. There were also barking dogs in the neighboring yard, which lasted over a half an hour (also in the very early a.m.) So, all in all not a very restful stay for us. We were also sad to see that Vicksburg appears to be struggling to stay afloat in this economic slide with so many empty buildings in various states of decay.

[Resource Id: innkeeperresponse, Set: reviews]
We work so hard to offer all of our guests a wonderful stay in our magnificient home but we have learned over the last 7 years of innkeeping that we cannot meet the expectations of everyone. Certain things we have no control over- namely, trains that travel though all of Vicksburg, Dogs that occasionally bark and the current economic climate in this country. I would like the guest who wrote this review to offer his or her solutions to these situations and we will be more than happy to institute them. 99% of our guests truly enjoy their stay with us. We have been ranked Vicksburg's number one bed and breakfast for 5 consecutive years- our status is a result of hard work, and genuinely caring for our guests.

Girl trip with aunt from PA. Great friendly house from innkeepers to guests. Wonderful breakfast each day with Mary joining us at the table which we throughly enjoyed. Offered tips on "day in Vicksburg". We took her up on suggestions and had a wonderful day. Grounds are lovely and the porch swings are awesome. Will be headed back for another stay with my husband.

A very interesting house. The veranda that wraps around the second floor is worth the stay on its on. Mary was very accomadating and a very good cook. I left there feeling like a had stayed at a friends house for the weekend.

Lovely house and very friendly hosts. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay, and would stay again if we're in the city again.

Lovely historic B&B. We stayed in the Azalea Suite and enjoyed it very much. I especially enjoyed the soap--I think it was magnolia scented--really nice. Breakfast was beautifully served. My husband enjoyed it more than I did, though there was plenty of coffee which made me happy. Mary made an excellent suggestion about where to go for dinner. She was very helpful and friendly. Enjoyed the home tour and visit from the ghost.

The Belle's innkeepers, Mary and Dan, make guests feel like royalty -- yet like family. Their love for this remarkable home is obvious, their culinary talent is apparent, and their sharing of Vicksburg history is engaging. We shared early morning coffee with other guests on the veranda, traded restaurant reviews over a delicious breakfast (while admiring the china and crystal), and left wishing we'd booked a 2nd day at the Belle of the Bends.

Dan and Mary were the most gracious and accommodating hosts. Their love of their home and appreciation of their guests is apparant in the fine touches we experienced in our room, around the home and grounds, and during breakfast. This inn deserves every bit of the 'best B&B in Vicksburg' rating.

Beautiful property and rooms but the breakfast was way under par. Breakfast at a B&B like this should be something special. Nothing special here and a major disappointment. A "can I get you some more coffee" would have been nice but coffee was get up and get your own.

[Resource Id: innkeeperresponse, Set: reviews]
Although we work very hard to please our guests in all ways, there are a select few who we simply cannot please. When our guests check in, we walk them through the house and explain various things to them. One of these things is our coffee service. We have a large coffee pot in our dining room on an antique server along with cups, sugar, creamer, sweetner etc. We explain that coffee is available by 7 am every morning and invite them to serve themselves. We never thought this was an unacceptable way to offer coffee to our guests as many are early risers and want to get a cup of coffee and then go sit on our verandahs and enjoy the beauty of our home and gardens. We have never told our guests that we get their coffee for them once they sit at the breakfast table. I think this guest assumed that that was the protocol whereas I assumed that this guest was as capable of getting their own coffee at the breakfast table in the same manner that they got their coffee prior to sitting down for breakfast. This guest had only to ask and and I would have been more than happy to wait on them. We have been serving delicious homemade breakfasts for many years and for someone to call our breakfasts "under par" well, I can only say that we know, as well as the thousands of guests who have stayed with us, that breakfasts here are delicious, bountiful and served in a beautiful setting. Mary Ahern Lee owner

By far, this is the best B&B I've ever stayed in. Mary and her husband are EXCELLENT hosts.

We spent a weekend in this fabulous B&B. It was exactley as descibed. The accomodations were very comfortable, clean, and furnished to the period of the home. The breakfast was more than plentiful set in a beautiful formal dinning room. The breakfast was very relaxed and good conversation was the norm. Mary and Dan (the owners) made you feel more like a family member rather than a guest. At our request, they were able to make dinner reservations for us and get advanced tickets the the Vicksburg Historiacal Park. They were very accomidating in making our stay a memorable one. I would highly recommend this B&B.

We stayed there on our trip through the Great South. Coming from Europe we experienced what one might have in mind after having seen "Gone with the wind". The rooms were just perfect to the last detail. Dan and Mary have done an excellent excellent excellent job in bringing life into the house. Breakfast just as you earlier dreamed about. And: As Europeans we got to know the country and people way better than any travel guide can tell only in those 90 min breakfast we had with other the guests. Yet, the train close by wakes you up early in the morning but still has some aura of the history you are about to experience. Anytime again! We will send our friends to there! Building character big time!

This was a beautiful, well-maintained bed & breakfast. The service was superb and so was the food. We would highly recommend this inn.

My husband & I stayed here Sept. 23-25, 2007. It is a lovely home with an interesting history. Mary is a delightful person, great cook, and historian. She puts personal touches--homemade cookies & chocolate covered strawberries on your bed at night. Lovely table setting and food presentation for breakfast--you feel like royalty! We did a package deal, so included in our room cost were free tickets to Vicksburg Military Park, Confederate Museum, $40 coupon for dinner at Cedar Grove Restaurant (it was delicious dinner), and $10 to use in her gift shop. This is our 7th B&B and it was by far the best room, hosts, and food we have had. All the normal amenities of a hotel, but so much more personable with large rooms, comfortable bed, bath robes, videos/books/games available. We are retired so were traveling during school year and not at a busy time of year, so we had the place to ourselves. That made the experience even better because we received extra special attention from Mary. If we ever return to Vicksburg, we definitely will stay at Belle of the Bends.

Dan and Mary are the benchmark for all the other innkeepers out there. They know the true meaning of hospitality. Great room, beautiful home, excellent food, thoughtful "extra" touches, and wonderful hosts. Make sure you go out of your way for this Great Experience!!!