Rivercene Mansion Bed & Breakfast

enjoyed a weekend with friends here

We returned after 15 years to this BandB and were wonderfully surprised at how much work has been done on the house. It is filled with antiques and very comfortable. The breakfast was excellent! The owners prepared a gluten-free breakfast for my wife, including a loaf of gluten-free bread. They very much exceeded our expectations!

The Rivercene is right off the Katy bike trail. We had ridden over thirty miles on the trail before reaching the Mansion. We were tired and in need of R & R, the Riverscene was just the answer. We hope to get back on the Katy trail and stay at the mansion again. K & R from Minnesota

The new owners of Rivercene have really made a huge improvement with this beautiful mansion. The rooms are gorgeous, the food was delicious, their knowledge and history was phenomenal and to be quite honest, Don and Joe were a pleasure to be around. We will definitely be returning there for another stay! Thank you for a wonderful evening filled with history, drama, and a lot of laughs!!

My husband and I had the best weekend here! We both love history so we really enjoyed this mansion. The owner is very hospitable and gave us an hour and a half tour the first night we were there because we were the only guest. This place is being restored to its original state. The rooms are beautifully and appropriately decorated. There is very neat history in that house! Booneville is right across the bridge and there were lots of fun shops and places to eat. We would highly recommend this place to anyone.

Marc and I had a wonderful time while staying at Rivercene. The house with all of its history was amazing. A person just has to stay themselves to be able to grasp it all. Don is an amazing and very warm person that took excellent care of us!

Joe, the innkeeper, was a super host. He is an incredible cook and is concerned about his guests while in his care. We encountered a snow storm while staying at Rivercene and he made every effort to make our stay as comfortable and pleasant as possible while stranded indoors due to the blizzard and dangerous road conditions outside at the time.

Took my mom for a weekend with the girls for her birthday, and we had a great stay. Donn and Joe were very hospitable, and the breakfast was great! Gave the room 3 stars only because the mattress was firmer than my liking, but I readily admit I'm picky about that. Wonderful weekend overall!

This was my 3rd stay at Rivercene. Larry and Donn are great hosts! They are constantly working to improve and modernize the B&B in ways that keep it as close as possible to its original design and use. I will definitely be back again.

We were pleasently surprised! The house is beautiful and we found the family history & stories of the original owners very interesting. Well worth the stay.

During our bicycle ride along the Katy Trail, we were fortunate enough to have stayed at Rivercene Mansion. It was one of the highlights of our entire trip. It was as if we were staying in a most cared-for museum, but never felt that our surroundings were fussy or in the least bit uncomfortable. The hosts, Donn and Joe, are articulate and interesting historians. They have lovingly restored Rivercene to what would be, I am sure, absolute satisfaction of the original owner and builder. The breakfast rivaled anything we have been served anywhere on our travels (U.S. and Europe). We can full-heartedly recommend Rivercene to anyone who appreciates history, comfort, a good night's sleep, very fine food, and wonderful hosts.

This house was incredibly cool! The really important thing here was my wife absolutely loved the house! The hosts were full of knowledge about the home and its history. Every room was very, very nice as well as super clean. We stayed in the largest suite, located on the third floor and it was incredibly fun. Everyone we met there was very nice, pleasant, helpful and full of great conversation. Would stay here again in a heartbeat and probably will go back as they continue to renovate parts of the home. Although the breakfast was great and tasted delicious, it was the exact same thing three days in a row with the exception of adding sconces on the third day. A little variety for guests making longer stays would be nice.

We really enjoyed our stay at the Rivercene Mansion. The only suggestion we would make is to include robes in the rooms. We missed this touch that most other B & B's have. The house was beautiful and the owners were very helpful. The breakfast was great. Looking forward to going back after the restoration is complete.

A "must stay here" destination that is perfect for Katy Trail cyclists. Rich in history, updated rooms, outstanding food, gracious hosts, very quiet location. In short - PERFECT.

We loved our room and the hosts are wonderful. They totally love the home and know the history. We will be back!

The owners have made the visit memorable in terms of the History for which they are passionate over and the facilities and meal preparations which are both excellent! Work is still underway of the Mansion but the owners still provide everything you could want at this time of transition! We enjoyed our visit so much that we are the first ones on the list for the historical ball to be held one year from the New Years Eve! The original owners always would always return from New Orleans for New Years to conduct a ball and the owners have planned to celebrate next year with a recreation of the event! We wish the owners great success and know that with their dedicated work and love for the history of the home the final results will be more than outstanding to see and experience!

Pros: From the moment we stepped through the front door, we were wowed by the warm fires and carefully appointed, period-rich rooms. The relatively new owners could not have been more friendly and solicitous of our comfort. They are interested in the history of the house and give detailed tours that are enhanced by the fact that the mansion is full of property that was given to them by the original family. The spacious room we stayed in (Margaret's) was (up a gorgeous staircase) on the second floor. The room was perfectly clean with high ceilings, a gas fire, and antique furniture, including a four-poster bed. Some B&Bs we've stayed in have noise issues; this had none. In fact, if I hadn't passed any "neighbors," I'd have thought we were the only guests. (The mansion was actually booked up that night.) Just when we thought we couldn't be more pleased, we attended breakfast. (Breakfast times are accommodated individually.) We were welcomed into the formal dining room, set with china, served homemade sweet rolls and egg souffle. Juice. Fruit bowl. It far exceeded our expectations. Ask the entrepreneur owners about their vision for the future. From renovations to activities, their plans are spot on. Bottom line: I would definitely stay there again. Cons: You have to wind along a short gravel road through some kind of construction plant to find the mansion. (However, you can't see the plant from the mansion.) The exterior--both grounds and building--need (and are scheduled for) repair. (We arrived too early to check in, and almost drove back home judging by the exterior.) The bathroom was obviously built in what was once a small closet. While it wasn't a show-stopper for me, the shower was an insert (I would have expected stone tile), and the bathroom was too small for the sink, which is tastefully installed in a corner of the bedroom just outside the bathroom. More important to me was that everything was pristine.

Very clean,Staff over accomadating, Service excellent,Breakfast better than anticipated ,The Mansion well preserved

Rivercene is a wonderful gem. Beautiful house, great spot, excellent food and service. We will be back! Highly recommended.

Wonderful breakfast and service!! The mansion adds charm with a fun scooby doo feel from the appearance. Rivercene is rich in history that's fascinating for history buffs and non history buffs. The hosts are very knowledgeable in the history and things to do in the area. Very friendly and fun stories, just ask them to share their knowledge. We had a wonderful weekend and wouldn't hesitate to stay again.

This is a great value if you are coming to Columbia from the west side (Kansas City) because it's on the way back home, but means you can have a little getaway after a football game.

Pulling up to the mansion after a 29 mile bike ride was an awesome site to see. Looks just like the pictures, could be in any of my mystery novels I read. The inside is beautiful, the owners are working so hard to keep it to the period. The room was very comfortable, clean and decorated beautifully. We learned so much history from Donn, Joe fed us an exceptionally wonderful breakfast. Couldn't have asked for a better stay. Will definitely go back to see more updates and maybe even roll up our sleeves and help out. Definitely going back for Christmas to see it all decorated and lit up. Thank you Donn and Joe!

We enjoyed every moment...the foyer was a beautiful first impression of the Mansion...Breakfast was amazing...We would stay again...

Recently, my granddaughter and I stayed overnight at the Rivercene Mansion Bed and Breakfast. What delightful experience! The beds were so comfortable and the room was beautiful and well appointed. Everything we needed was available, even snacks! The breakfast was delicious and way more than we could eat. I also very much enjoyed the tour of the home and hearing and reading about the history. I will definitely plan on staying there again when I'm in the area!

Rivercene Mansion is a beautiful, historic home to spend some time. The rooms are pleasant. after staying in hotels for 8 nights, this B&B was very welcome. Joe and Don are friendly, helpful hosts who go out of their way to make sure you are comfortable. Joe makes an amazing breakfast! Should my travels bring me back to Boonville, Mo or the area - I will be excited to stay again and see the progress they are making on the outdoor renovations of this impressive house. - Michelle

The owners are very friendly and it is an awesome mansion. The history of the mansion is amazing and the owners are so knowledgeable about the people who built it. It is fascinating to hear all the stories of the family. They are doing a lot of renovating, which will only make the experience better. The breakfast was delicious. We enjoyed our stay so much that we intend to return in the near future.

This mansion deserves to be saved. Staying there makes this possible. We are going to have our family reunion and thanksgiving gathering at the Rivercene. Rates are quite comparable to regular hotels and thus should be considered even for non regular B&B'ers just traveling through. Only good place to eat dinner in Boonville is at Glenn's so make sure they are open if you need dinner.

My husband and I rode our bikes on the KATY trail to the Rivercene. We had a difficult time finding it, so Joe met us and we followed him to the inn. It is a bit tricky, but worth it. It truly is a spectacular mansion with tons of history. Service was great, Innkeepers were very accommodating. The rooms are generous, bed comfy and clean. Breakfast was delicious. It consisted of pastries, big bowl of fruit and "Joe's Special", which you are going to have to try! Glen's Cafe, is just a quick walk over the bridge (pedestrian lane/bike lane) into Boonville. It was fantastic. We were not sure how this trip was going to turn out, but were so pleased with everything.

We spent a memorable weekend exploring the rich history of Rivercene Mansion. The breakfast of homemade cinnemon rolls, orange rolls and eggs florentine and fresh fruit was delicious. The home abounds with antiques of the Civil War era which gives the feel of a time gone by. We would definitely stay here again.

The new owners have a great love for this mansion and all its history. You certainly get caught up in their enthusiasm and innovative ideas for the future of this B&B! A delightful place and delightful owners. We will return.

Loved the tour and hearing the history of the mansion. The grounds/gardens were beautiful. I'd love to attend a garden party there sometime. Joe's breakfast was absolutely delicious!!! I thoroughly enjoyed (and appreciated) the hospitality of the innkeepers. I look forward to a return visit with family and friends.

Our stay at Riverceve was wonderful. This mansion which was built in the 1860s is a treasure. The owners have done a lot of restoration and have more planned. The food was excellent.

There were 6 of us riding the KATY Trail with Boonville as our second stop. Rivercene was the perfect conclusion to a very hot day on the trail. Donn, the owner, met us at the door and invited us into the cool parlour to give us our room keys. He and his business partner have owned Rivercene for just a year though it's been a dream of Donn's to own Rivercene since he was a child. They are both working to restore Rivercene to its original splendour. Our rooms were spacious, comfortable, and had all the comforts of home. We were within walking distance of the fine Boonville restaurants for dinner. Our morning breakfast was outstanding!! We sat around a huge custom made dining table with high back chairs in Rivercene's dining room and drank fresh brewed coffee and tea, ate fresh fruit, cinnamon rolls and an amazing egg dish. It was a perfect start to our third day on the trail.

Being vegetarian was not a problem for Joe - provided delicious meals. Highly recommended!

Donn and Joe were fabulous hosts. We loved Donn's passion of sharing the history of this wonderful place. This was my husbands and my first true bed and breakfast experience. The value was respectful to our budget and the experience was one to bring us back!

Comfortable room, but the stairs to the third floor are very steep! Wonderful breakfast. We were there on a Monday night and the local restaurants in town were all closed, leaving us to fast food or a poor Chinese buffet.

There were 5 in our party& we were treated with great kindness & service. We were amazed how Donn & Joe catered to our individual needs from breakfast to the card in our room with personal ph # if we needed to reach them ,to help with the luggage, & the tour of the house totaly awesome.Sometimes it is hard to save money back to treat yourselves to a nice weekend & we appreciatted the fact that they took personal care to give us our money's worth, plus taking time to share the history of the house WOW -!

Lot's of history, beautiful house, and the BEST breakfast I've had in a long time!!! Thanks!!!

Donn and Joe were excellent hosts. The breakfasts were wonderful that Joe prepared. We stayed for my birthday weekend and they made it special for us. We are excited for the remodeling they plan to do in the next few years and will definitely be back.

A great place to stay while visiting the wineries along the river. Friendly owners, good food, and a comfortable room which felt like stepping back into history in the 150+ year old mansion.

We really enjoyed our stay at Rivercene! Don and Joe are excellent hosts, and Lisa & Joe provided excellent breakfasts. The fresh fruit and cinnamon pecan rolls were divine and the egg souffles and casseroles were delicious. To expand on the service rating, I would add that Joe and Don were very attentive. The one recommendation I would like to offer is that they increase the number of wash cloths available. We did not ask for extra, but probably will when we return. We definitely want to stay there again, and look forward to following the progress of the restoration that they plan to do. Thanks for a wonderful and relaxing stay. It was also great that our room connected to that of our family. Thanks again to Joe, Don, & Lisa!

We had been looking for an excuse to stay here for more than a year, when the opportunity arose this fall break. We decided to spend an autumn day on the Katy trail, and the Frencene provided the perfect destination. All the available rooms have been freshly repainted, and work continues on the restoration of the outside to 1860s splendor. We had a great time talking with Lisa, Joe and Donn regarding their efforts since purchasing the place in Jan 2011. Our only regret was not being able to spend two nights! Worth a destination as well as proximity to Lewis and Clark sites and the Katy trail are a tremendous plus. We look forward to another visity

The hosts were great and the house has a lot of history. We were pleasantly surprised by the accommodations and it was a great breakfast.

We had a wonderful weekend at Rivercene. The owners are very friendly and on a first name basis with all of the guests. They even provided a decadent birthday cake upon request! Breakfast was fantastic. My only complaint was poor water pressure on the third floor. Other than that, it was a perfect place to stay.

Our hosts were more than accommodating, and the meals were exceptional. The history tours and future plans are fascinating, and I can't wait to visit here again. My only suggestion might be to upgrade the mattresses. :o) Scot, Sturgeon, MO

Wonderful accommodations in an amazing historical setting. Excellent hosts and world-class breakfast.

used rivercene for a night during our katy ride a most pleasurable surprise set in cornfields (you ridee through an industrial area just before) great history of the area and missouri river are presented by the hosts, they adjusted our breakfast well for heart healthy options. great rooms with extensive detail, will plan to visit again as they are continuing to improve the mansion

The mansion is beautiful and when all the plans are completed..wow..what an asset to the area. Don makes the history come alive and his excitement is contagious. The room was clean and a pleasant suprise. The breatfast was good and well thought out. The house was fabulous on the inside. Good host and a great place to stay. The road in needs more signs but worth the little extra effort to find. Would recommend it to anyone.

The Rivercene Mansion is beautiful and we had a wonderful time there. I think they would get more business if they had a better entrance from the road. The only drawback was the room was a little warm even with the AC going but the weather outside was extremely hot. The service prior to and during our stay was excellent. The hosts were willing to do anything to make our stay better and they did, and it was much appreciated. Thanks for the fantastic time, we plan on going back.

The website does not do this home justice. Our room was recently updated and nothing like the picture, it was very nice. If you love history and an elegant experience you will love your stay here. We have every intention of coming back to see the changes the owners have in store for this home.

This home was absolutely beautiful and the newer owners are very knowledgeable about it and working to restore it even more. The breakfast was yum - make sure to have one of their homemade cinnamon rolls! (We were a little uncertain where to turn so make sure you turn at the first right after going over the bridge.)

My husband and myself spent the 1st night of our Honeymoon at Rivercene. We were married in Boonville and needed a place to stay over night. Rivercene was perfect! The service was great, everyone was so nice. We stayed in The Nile and it was beautiful. It was a large room and we loved the bathroom with its 2 person tube. Also we had roses that the B&B gave us as a gift! It was so great we plan to go back next year!

Each year I book a different B&B for our anniversary. Rivercene is by far the best B&B thus far and we plan and making a second trip there. The house itself is an amazaing structure, and the owners are very personable and helpful. I would highly recommend this B&B for any getaway occasion. The Williamsens

Stayed a day over the 4th of July weekend, we had a great time, the staff is friendly and go overboard to see that our stay was great, this is our 3rd stay and far from our last, they are under new ownership and you can already tell, improvements are being done daily.

We were most impressed with the owners. When we checked in we were given a tour of the entire mansion with an amazing amount of history about the original owner, his family and his life as a river boat captain. The owners are in the process of doing a huge renovation of the mansion and we can't wait to see it in its finished state.

Riverene is the subject of much anticipated remodeling of this historic but aging mansion. It is full of interesting furnishings and charm. The owners are very enthusiastic about returning the mansion to it's original grandeur. In the meantime it is comfortable, with large rooms, wonderful views from the windows, easy bicycle access to the Katy trail. peaceful setting, very nice breakfast, and gratifying hospitality.

The room was large and nicely decorated. The jacuzzi was just the thing after a day of cycling on the Katy Trail.

My wife & I are vegetarians and the Meals were Great. Thanks

Great hosts, very willing to discuss the mansion's interesting history.

We spent 2 nights in the Twilight room...very spacious and well-appointed. The bathroom was great and everything was immaculate!! The breakfasts were absolutely delicious and more than we could eat! The history of Rivercene is fascinating and the two hosts really brought the place to life with their information. This is an ongoing project and we definitely plan to go back and see what has been done!!

The new owners are awesome. They were very attentive to their guests. I love the ambience of the house. They took us on a tour and shared the history of the house. The breakfast was unbelievable. I highly recommend this bed and breakfast.

This place was amazing! It was a beautifull mansion. We loved the service, we loved the history, we loved the breakfast, and we loved our hostesses. The were very friendly and made us feel very welcomed. We will be coming back.

our room was nice but was over priced especially since there was no TV. The hot water heater was not big enough to fill the hot tub up half way with hot water, so we took a luke warm bath.

We went with another couple for birthday/anniversary celebration. Can't wait to see the updates and changes next year. Loved everything about it. The guys are so excited for thier plans and ideas they shared with us.

Guys were good and food was great. The house needs over all general cleaning and repair. Better signage.

Wonderful stay, great breakfast, when you want it, very nice staff, place was clean out of the way but very near the KATY Bike Trail, staff was knowledgeable, and very helpful, would stay there again

My husband and I stayed here for our 2 year anniversary and it was just perfect! We stayed in the Scarlett O'Hara suite and the room was splendid! It had a huge bed, balcony to go out onto, a heart-shaped bath with jets, and many other treats! We met the new owner that had just bought it and he was just fantastic! They serve you breakfast the next morning and give you a chance to socialize with the other guests. I couldn't have asked for a better night!

This was my first experience staying in a B&B. Had a little trouble locating the inn due partly to the map I printed off of google. Good thing it was still daylight or we would probably have gotten way off track. We were a little stunned when we pulled up due to the amount of work that needs to be done to the outside of the mansion, but the inside was beautiful. It was full of beautiful wood, chandeliers, and antiques. Couldn't have chosen a better place to stay for my grandmother who loves to tour old homes. Loved our inkeepers who spent a lot of time answering our questions about the history of the home as well as gave us a tour all unoccupied spaces & rooms in the mansion. The also told us all about their plans for the home and how they plan to restore it. We can't wait to go back and see what they have done!

Nice old house. Needs repair both in and out. Hard to find from the highway.

This B&B is under contract to be sold to a new couple. I feel the new couple can not get here soon enough. Seems to me the house needs a lot of work. The innkeeper the weekend we stayed did not seem to have it together. I think perhaps it was the owner down from St. Louis and the regular 'staff' were not there. We stayed on the 3rd floor, very steep stairs to get up there and incredibly HOT in the hallway and our room. It took 12 hours to get the room cooled off. Breakfast on both days seemed the same with nothing special. 1st day was a egg/ham baked omelet, fruit and canned cinnamon rolls. Second breakfast was omelet with ham and cheese, fruit and a coffecake. Over all not impressed and would not recommend to others.