We found a fabulous B&B in a small Illinois town called Galena. It was like finding "home". We love the Felt Manor! The views from the Felt are wonderful, the ambiance is fantastic as the rooms are all decorated in 1870's decor - ornate and posh - you can almost see the ladies and gentlemen of the era sitting in the front parlor enjoying an afternoon tea - or a cool refreshing mint julep on the front porch! The Felt Manor is situated high up on the town, and overlooks the main street(s) of the town. The steps leading up to The Felt Manor are charming, but you can access the Manor from High Street in the back - which will be easier.
The Felt Manor provides wonderful service in the evening with a tour of the rooms and a good history lesson of the house and the Galena area. Dan (the owner) leads you on your tour, and also cooks a magnificent breakfast for you in the morning at the time of your choosing - we had Eggs Benedict - which was cooked to perfection! The Felt Manor has a seating area for breakfast, much like a restaurant, which is different for a B&B. It was actually nice to have a dedicated seating area, and breakfast that fit your schedule.
The quarters are very "in the era" but the amenities are all modern. Almost every room has it's own en suite bathroom and air conditioning. The beds are extremely comfortable! The rooms are of different themes - we stayed in the "Susan" room - with beautiful colors and appointments. The views from the Susan room were fantastic, especially at sunrise. Oh, and there is even free Wi-Fi if you want to get caught up with the office or surf the web and update your blog!
Our stay was definitely enjoyable, and we would come here again. We give The Felt Manor 5 stars! If you are going for a drive through Illinois, make a point to stay at The Felt Manor.
