Valentine’s Day idea:
 A taste of England

Sweethearts can experience a taste of England this year for Valentine’s Day – no passports needed.

English-style rooms are now available to rent at the newly opened Longview Bed and Breakfast, nestled in the New Virginia countryside. The bed and breakfast is owned by Don and Donna Hardin of Miss Spenser’s Special Teas. Miss Spenser’s is named for the Hardins’ daughter Spenser.

In addition to the B&B, Miss Spenser’s Special Teas tearoom will hold a special tea in honor of Valentine’s Day, Spenser will be serenading guests with love songs on a harp. The tea party will include a four course tea meal and will begin at 11 a.m. Feb. 11. Reservations must be made for all tea events. Call 641-342-1547 for reservations.

The B&B was opened at the end of January and has already hosted three guests since opening, said Donna. The plan was to open Feb. 1, however, when word got out about the B&B, calls began coming in, she said. There have already been reservations made for May from guests coming from Oregon.

Construction of the B&B began about a year ago. However, the dream of having a B&B goes back even further.

“It’s been a lifelong dream of my mom’s,” said Spenser. “I grew up hearing my mom talk about wanting a bed and breakfast.”

The bed and breakfast now sits where a cornfield once was. The tearoom, which sits adjacent to the B&B, was Don’s garage before its conversion. With its flowered wallpaper and English decor, it’s hard to tell it was once a garage.

“People don’t even know it now,” said Spenser.

The tea room specializes in serving tea “the British way.” The love for England and tea inspired the decor in the rooms and include tea cups and tea pots, paintings and older cherry and mahogany furnishings.

Guests can choose from more than 100 movies, to rent during their stay at the B&B – many are BBC films.

Inside the rooms

The bed and breakfast has two rooms available for rent – the upstairs English country suite has three rooms and the downstairs English-cottage garden room has one room. Both have gas fireplaces.

The curtains on the windows were hand sewn by Spenser.

The garden room is decorated with a garden theme with “refreshing shades of green.” The room is smaller than the upstairs and has a wrought iron antique reproduction bed with an old-fashioned quilt, which help inspire some of the decor for the room. This room has a view of the countryside and overlooks the English-cottage garden, which Spenser will be planting this spring. Spenser is a certified master gardener.

The English-country suite is decorated in warm hues and mahogany furnishings. The suite includes a sunny bedroom with dormered ceilings. The sunroom includes a coffee/tea bar, mini refrigerator and

microwave, along with table and chairs and wicker couch located near a large window, which showcases the countryside.

“It took our breath away when we came up here and saw the long view,” said Donna. “You can see

forever.”

Both rooms have king-size beds with triple sheets, a selection of games, private bath, flat screen TV and full breakfast served at 8 a.m. in the tearoom.

“We want this to be relaxing – get away from their busy lifestyles,” said Donna. “I’ve always loved hospitalities, it’s a natural thing for me.”

Teatime with treats will be served upon arrival of guests between 3 and 5 p.m. Harvest dinners may be arranged at an extra cost with 48 hours notice.

For more information visit www.missspensersspecialteas.com.