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  • Dowell House c1870...a Bed & Breakfast, McKinney, Texas
    Bordeaux Room with its decorative fireplace and romantic whirlpool bath.
    The romantic whirlpool bath tub in the Bordeaux bath.
    Chardonnay Room with its half canopy bed, dripping with white Battenburg lace.
    Dowell House is the perfect place to spend your wedding night!
    Play the grand piano in the guests' parlor!

    • Address 1104 S Tennessee St
      McKinney, TX 75069-6708
      USA
    • Phone+1-972-562-2456
    • EmailContact Innkeeper
    Inn's website

    Romantic and elegant, this historic bed & breakfast, which was used in the original "Benji" movie, is near the quaint town square in McKinney, Texas and is the perfect place to escape from the city. Stay in antique-filled rooms convenient to antique shops, art galleries and the town square which hosts several festivals during the year. Our Bordeaux Room features a decorative fireplace and whirlpool tub for two. Our Chardonnay room is the perfect special place for a wedding night or anniversary, with its private outdoor deck and hot tub. Our rooms are furnished with free wireless internet access, cable TV/VCR's, telephones, CD players, alarm clocks, robes, hairdryers and toiletries.

    Reviews

    Score Breakdown based on 39 Reviews

    4.7 out of 5
     
    • Guest room  5
    • Services  5
    • Value  4
    • Cleanliness  5
    • Dining  5

    Explanation of Our Ratings

      Outstanding
      Exceeded my expectations
      Met my expectations
      Okay, but below average
      Unsatisfactory
    5 out of 5
     

    Thanks for such a wonderful stay!

    March 02, 2013

    We had a wonderful time at this lovely B&B in McKinney, TX. We watched the sun come up in the hot tub on the upstairs deck, followed by a scrumptious breakfast. Every possible need seems to have been thought of. We’ll definitely stay there again next time we’re in the Dallas area.

    5 out of 5
     

    Top Notch!

    February 26, 2013

    Our stay was top notch! There aren't many B & B's that would earn that rating from us. From the moment we arrived we were attended to and made to feel like it was the most special of days. Every detail is thought of in addition to beautiful rooms and amenities. The hot tub on the secluded deck is fabulous! Thank you for a great memory!

    5 out of 5
     

    Charming B and B

    January 18, 2013

    Had a lovely 2 night stay at Dowell House. Throughly enjoyed the company of Fred and Diane. Breakfast was delicious. Only "complaint" was the over abundance of scents throughout the house from a variety of air fresheners,candles and perhaps cleaning supplies.

    4.4 out of 5
     

    Enjoyable Stay

    October 07, 2012

    I just completed my stay and was very pleased. The stay was very quiet and relaxing. It was very nice to escape the city for a night. The hot tub was a tad small, but felt wonderful to take a soak on a crisp night. Breakfast was a french toast souffle, and it was amazing!!


    Location

    Innkeeper Information

    Innkeeper(s)

    The Muellers

    Innkeepers Description:

    Empty-nesters enjoy antiques, historical architecture, genealogy, gardening, old house renovation, vintage clothing, music and antique clocks.

    The innkeepers speak:

    • English

    Resident Pets

    4 Cats , 1 Dog , No pets EVER in guest areas Others

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  • Rooms & Rates

    • Nightly Rate $135 - $155

    Chardonnay Room

    A beautiful, sun-washed room decorated in white Battenburg lace with a half-canopied queen bed. This room has the exclusive use of a wonderful outdoor deck with a hot tub. It's the perfect place to watch the sun come up with your coffee in the morning, or to watch the sunset and share a glass of wine with someone special.

    • Maximum Capacity: 2
    • Bathroom Private Bath
    • Beds 1 Queen

    Contact for Availability Contact

    Bordeaux Room

    A romantic and cozy room decorated in wine and navy that overlooks the large front lawn. This room has mahogany furniture and a low-four-poster bed. The gorgeous, romantic bath has a crystal chandelier, a whirlpool bathtub for two, a CD player/sound system, and a tray of candles in a table fountain. The decorative fireplace also has candles in it. Satellite TV in-room.

    • Maximum Capacity: 3
    • Bathroom Private Bath
    • Beds 1 Queen

    Contact for Availability Contact

    Policy

    Reservation Policy

    • Check In: 4 PM-6 PM    Check Out: By 12 NOON

    • Deposit Amount Required: All reservations must be secured by a debit or credit card. There is a $50 charge for any cancellation.

    • Cancellations: ALL cancellations made prior to EIGHT days before the reserved date incur a charge of $50. Cancellations received AFTER eight days are subject to full charge for first reserved night.

    • Open All Year Round: Yes


    General Policies

    • Smoking Allowed: Limited

    • Guest Pets Allowed: No

    • Drinking Allowed: Yes

    • Drinking Description: Guests may bring their own wine.

    • Drinks Available: No

    • Children Allowed: Children 12 yrs & over, with parent

    • Suitable For Children: No

    • Childcare Provided: No


    Discount Type

    • Corporate (Sunday - Thursday night) no breakfast
      Percent Off: 20%

    • Length of Stay
      Percent Off: 20% Days Required: 5

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  • Reviews

    Score Breakdown based on 39 Reviews

    4.7 out of 5
     
    • Guest room  5
    • Services  5
    • Value  5
    • Cleanliness  5
    • Dining  5

    Explanation of Our Ratings

      Outstanding
      Exceeded my expectations
      Met my expectations
      Okay, but below average
      Unsatisfactory
    5 out of 5
     

    Thanks for such a wonderful stay!

    March 02, 2013

    We had a wonderful time at this lovely B&B in McKinney, TX. We watched the sun come up in the hot tub on the upstairs deck, followed by a scrumptious breakfast. Every possible need seems to have been thought of. We’ll definitely stay there again next time we’re in the Dallas area.

    5 out of 5
     

    Top Notch!

    February 26, 2013

    Our stay was top notch! There aren't many B & B's that would earn that rating from us. From the moment we arrived we were attended to and made to feel like it was the most special of days. Every detail is thought of in addition to beautiful rooms and amenities. The hot tub on the secluded deck is fabulous! Thank you for a great memory!

    5 out of 5
     

    Charming B and B

    January 18, 2013

    Had a lovely 2 night stay at Dowell House. Throughly enjoyed the company of Fred and Diane. Breakfast was delicious. Only "complaint" was the over abundance of scents throughout the house from a variety of air fresheners,candles and perhaps cleaning supplies.

    4.4 out of 5
     

    Enjoyable Stay

    October 07, 2012

    I just completed my stay and was very pleased. The stay was very quiet and relaxing. It was very nice to escape the city for a night. The hot tub was a tad small, but felt wonderful to take a soak on a crisp night. Breakfast was a french toast souffle, and it was amazing!!

    4.2 out of 5
     

    Overall, a lovely and fascinating B&B.

    July 10, 2012

    We were most impressed with the fact that the house was built in 1870. The owners were obviously very respectful of the history, as they displayed pics of the Dowell family who built the home throughout. It felt as if we'd stepped back in time. Unfortunately, at 10:15p.m., when my friend tried to shower, the water never got hot. She let it run for a full 15 min. Not sure if something was turned off, or what. The next morning, there was hot water within 2 min. Other than that, it was immaculate, and the owners very hospitable.

    5 out of 5
     

    Surprise Stay, Me & Mr. Jones

    June 21, 2012

    I was taken on an outing last week with no clue as to what was planned. All I knew is that we were going to McKinney (one of our favorite places). We passed our normal stops on the square and made our way towards Tennessee St. As he drove, I was admiring the beautiful houses that we passed. When he pulled up to the Dowell House, I thought it was for a photograph (he is a photographer). He then informed me that we would actually be staying the night in it. I was amazed! The lawn is manicured, the exterior is welcoming and the entrance was beautiful. He had reserved the Chardonay room for us. We love to star gaze, so he chose the room for it's private deck and hot tub. Not only were we comfortable in our stay, we were absolutely fascinated with the house. Breakfast the next morning was delicious! We were served baked French Toast with fruit in a cup artfully displayed. We sat at the table with the oher guests and The Mueller's and chatted for a while just learning the history of the house, little facts about it and we exchanged stories. Check out came too quickly. We will definitely be returning to enjoy more nights of star gazing. If you haven't been, you don't know what you're missing. All you need is one night in the Dowell House to leave a lasting impression.

    5 out of 5
     

    Trip down memory lane

    June 10, 2012

    I grew up in McKinney, in fact right across the street, so I took my mom, sister and daughters there to stay right after Mother's Day. It was a very special experience that we will always treasure. The Muellers were very hospitable and welcoming. We really enjoyed the breakfast in the formal dining area, which also is shown in the movie, Benji. They even took a picture of us and reproduced it for each member in our group. McKinney has a lot to offer as far as history, shopping and dining. I would reccomend this as a wonderful destination for anyone.

    4.4 out of 5
     

    Wonderful place to stay!

    June 05, 2012

    We stayed in the Bordeaux room for our wedding night. It was a wonderful experience! Diane and Fred go above and beyond to make their guests' stay pleasant. They took a picture of us at breakfast at printed it out for us then and there, while later emailing us a copy so that we could share it with friends and family. They also let us use their phone in the morning since neither of us had our cell phones with us. Breakfast was a fruit plate, then a jalapeno cornbread sausage and egg country quiche cooked in individual ramekins. It was very good! Though talk about the Fat Mamma's French Toast that was served the day before made our mouths water! The pictures of the room do not do it justice. The room is much warmer in person, with dimmers on most if not all of the lights, and candles by the bathtub and in the fireplace. The jacuzzi was very relaxing and fit two people pretty easily. The one downside was that one of us had to check in personally that afternoon. Although this would not be a problem for normal couples, it did add more stress to an already stressful day. Staying at the Dowell House B&B was a lovely and, more importantly, relaxing experience. We would definitely do it again!


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  • Location Type

    • Airport

    • Small town

    • Suburban

    • Village

    City - Dallas Texas

    • Distance to city: 15 miles

    • Directions to property:
      Thirty minutes North of Dallas on US 75, exit 40a East to Town Square, South on Tennessee 1 mile to corner of Tennessee & Graham streets. Detailed driving directions from your location to ours provided with confirmation of reservation.

    Airport

    • Dallas, TX (DFW-Dallas-Fort Worth) 40 miles

    • Directions to property:
      Take the North Exit of DFW airport; connecting to State Highway 121; continue about 35 miles to US 75; North on US 75 to exit 40A to McKinney Town Square. We are 11 blocks south of the Town Square.


    Area Attractions

    • Amusement Park

    • Antique Shopping

    • Aquarium

    • Art Galleries

    • Concert venue

    • Gourmet/Fine Dining

    • Historical interests

    • Lake

    • Live Music

    • Movie Theater

    • Museum

    • Nature area

    • The BEST shopping you'll ever find!

    • Texas Rangers Baseball

    • Dallas Stars Hockey

    • Dallas Cowboys football

    • Dallas Mavericks Basketball

    • Texas State Fair

    • Outlet Stores

    • Performing Theater

    • Picnic area

    • Religious Services

    • Rodeo

    • Vineyard

    • Winery

    • Zoo

    • Bicycle riding trails

    • Bird watching

    • Boating

    • Fishing

    • Golfing

    • Hiking trails

    • Horseshoes

    • Mountain Bike trails

    • Antiques, quaint small town square, historic homes

    • Third Monday Flea Market

    • Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary

    • McKinney Performing Arts Center

    • Allen Outlet Mall, Stonebrier Mall minutes away

    • Fabulous restaurants, art galleries, movies

    • Sailing

    • Shopping

    • Sight-seeing

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  • Amenities

    Type:

    • Bed and Breakfast

    Property highlights

    • Close to Dallas/Plano

    • Close to shopping

    • Comfortable accommodations in a historic setting

    • Filming location for the original "Benji" movie

    • Quiet elegance and privacy

    • The PERFECT stay for wedding night or anniversary!

    • Antiques/decor

    • Business travel

    • Christian Travel

    • Economical rates

    • Gourmet food

    • Honeymoons

    • Luxury

    • Peaceful getaway

    • Romantic escape

    On-site

    • Fax Machine

    • Piano

    Guest room(s)

    • Air conditioning

    • Alarm clock

    • Amenities Basket

    • Bath robes

    • Board games

    • CD player

    • Ceiling fans

    • Coffee/Tea facilities

    • In-room internet

    • Desk

    • Fireplace

    • Hairdryer

    • Hot tub/whirlpool tub

    • Internet Service

    • Ironing Board

    • Radio

    • Satellite/Cable TV

    • TV

    • Telephone

    • VCR

    • Videos

    • Wi-Fi

    Other

    • Hot tubs

    • whirlpool tubs

    • jacuzzis

    • private outdoor deck

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  • Breakfast

    • Type: Full

    • Time Served: 9:00 AM

    • Serving Location: Dining Room

    Complimentary Perks

    • Non-alcoholic Beverages

    • Wine/Cheese Plate

    Signature Dish

    Fat Momma's Last Night French Toast
    French Toast beyond any you've experienced! This is real comfort food for special occasions-leave your diet at home!

    Additional food services

    • Complimentary snacks and bottled water

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Explore Dowell House c1870

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