The main house of this property in Pine Island, N.Y., was built in 1855 as part of a dairy farm and kept in the same family for 130 years, before former high school sweethearts Andrea and Kevin Colman started running it as a bed-and breakfast about 13 years ago.
There are three rooms in the main house and two in a guest cottage, all with private baths. But the main draw here, in Glenwood House Bed & Breakfast and Cottage Suites, is the location and the hosts.
Andrea, an artist, is featured in Cindy Perman’s book New York Curiosities, and Kevin traded in his homemade airplane to become a stock-car driver. Five children in their blended family have helped run the place, including daughters Katrina, Anna and Elizabeth and sons Ryan and Luca.
The Colmans welcome all kinds of guests, including putting out the welcome mat for kids and pets. First-time B&Bers, as well as those who prefer their privacy, are sure to find safe haven too.
“There’s as much or as little as our guests want to do. I’m good at sensing whether they want to be left alone or they want to be engaged. For those who fear they might be stuck talking to strangers—it’s not like that at all. We do serve breakfast in the rooms, so they don’t have to mix with other guests. But we have others that have made friends here and keep in touch with each other,” says Andrea.
For those who do like some good conversation and insight, the well-traveled Andrea is prepared. She maintains good relationships with all the best nearby restaurants.
“We have a lot of great restaurants in Warwick and Culinary Institute chefs in the area. I have menus from these places and sit down with my guests they arrive, find out what they like, and pull out the ones that suit them,” Andrea says.
She also can help plan a day of outdoor fun. There are three wineries nearby, a drive-in theater, the opportunity for hot-air balloon rides and plenty of orchards and farmstands in this farming community.
“The Appalachian Trail, Wawayanda State Park and the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge are all close and offer various terrains and ecosystems to explore,” she says. “And we have local hidden lakes that we send people to, but we have very secret trail maps and we make them swear they won’t share the maps with anybody.”
Innkeepers: Andrea and Kevin Colman and family
Breakfast: Daughter Anne does a lot of the cooking and also does a lot of canning. Expect homemade comfort fare such as baked apples, French toast with homemade raspberry sauce, pumpkin pancakes with homemade roasted pecan syrup and homemade cider doughnuts from a local store
Rooms: Rates range from $110 to $350 depending on the season and room. A favorite is one of the cottage suites that features an English hunt atmosphere with cathedral ceilings and fireplace. In the main house, ask for the Misty Valley Suite, which overlooks the valley and faces the sunrise in the mornings.
Seasons: Glenwood has snowshoes on hand for guests in winter; summer also is a good time to enjoy the property’s sauna, large hot tubs and pool with two waterfalls. “It’s a wonderful way for our guests to have a home in the country, without having to pay a mortgage or worry about the boiler breaking,” says Andrea.
Glenwood House B&B and Cottage Suites
InnKeepers” Andrea and Kevin Colman
Pine Island, N.Y.
845-258-5066
www.glenwoodhouse.com
