PHILADELPHIA, PA, May 22, 2000 – Agnes Ogletree was ready to go it alone after marketing other people’s hotels for 15 years. "I wanted to create something more intimate, more personal than a big hotel," she says. "Great things are happening in Philadelphia, and I wanted to be part of it." Ogletree opened the Rittenhouse B&B in 1999, and the 10-room property, just off the city’s fashionable Rittenhouse Square, has all the elegance of a European inn.

Here Ogletree displays artifacts of more than a decade of European travel, as well as art on consignment by local artists. With nightly rates from $179-$299, the Rittenhouse B&B provides top-notch amenities: a CD library; terry robes and slippers; VCR’s in all rooms; phones in the bath; and the pièce-de-résistance, a pillow closet where guests can select their own.

People who prefer the intimacy of bed-and-breakfasts will find over 150 B&Bs throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region. Choices in the city and countryside include elegant townhouses, historically certified homes, charming Victorian inns, quaint cottages, high-rise apartments and country estates, says Mary Alice Hamilton, a partner in A Bed & Breakfast Connection of Philadelphia.

The main reason increasing numbers of travelers are seeking B&Bs is the particular local flavor guests can enjoy. According to Hamilton, even convention attendees are selecting B&Bs these days, and an increasing number of people are booking through the Internet.

The following B&Bs, among many others, await the traveler, in the region:

Gaskill House: A private residence since 1828, this home has been restored and furnished to reflect the graciousness of the early 19^th Century. Located in the heart of Philadelphia's Society Hill, this B&B is listed with the National Registry of Historic Homes. The narrow tree-lined street and private city garden insulate guests from noise and traffic. Two large, elegantly furnished rooms each have a private bath and working fireplace. Rate: $135 to $155.

Fitzwater B&B: Built in 1874 for Jonathan May, a sea captain, this bed and breakfast is located in the heart of historic Queen Village, the oldest area of Philadelphia. Comfortable and interesting rooms echo 19^th century Italy, England, France and, of course, Philadelphia. All rooms have unique furnishings, private baths and lovely views. It’s a short walk to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Penn's Landing, South Street and Antique Row. Rate: $95 to $105.

Ibrah House: Built in 1740 by a wealthy Englishman, this historically certified home in Society Hill is furnished with antiques collected from all over the world. Unique furniture, oriental rugs, and interesting art can be found throughout. The air-conditioned bedrooms have double beds and private baths. Rate: $90.

Lafayette Guest House: Built in 1732, this home in Chestnut Hill has five guest rooms, each with cable television, radio and modem. Guests may use the spacious living room and the 24-hour kitchen, stocked with juice, milk, soda and springwater. Rate: $89 to $159.

Rittenhouse B&B: This one-time carriage house now boasts a lobby with marble floors and original paintings. It’s a fine European-style accommodation with the amenities of a five-star hotel. Guestrooms feature beautiful fabrics and neo classic furniture. Expect to be pampered with personalized concierge services and nightly turndown. Gourmet buffet breakfast is offered. Rate: $179 to $299.

Ten Eleven Clinton: Located a short walk from the Historic Pennsylvania Hospital and a short walk from Society Hill and Washington Square West. Rate: $135-220

University City Victorian: Built in 1889, this Queen Anne Victorian home is a quiet retreat ten minutes away from the hustle and bustle of University City. A wrap-around porch welcomes guests inside to a grand entry hall, first floor living rooms, a large dining room, and five guest rooms, including a Victorian Christmas bedroom decorated year-round. Rate: $85-115.

Coddington House: Built in 1730, it offers a majestic view of a 300-acre farm in Valley Forge, an 18-hole golf course across the street, Internet access, a swimming pool and a hot tub. With only two guest rooms, the home offers a comfortable environment for a discerning business traveler or romantic getaway. Rate: $200-250.

English Regency: Featured on house tours, this home is situated on one-and-a-half acres in an elegant, quiet, wooded area, and is furnished with antiques, art and oriental rugs. Guestrooms include a graceful canopied bed. The home is conveniently located near King of Prussia, Radnor and Bryn Mawr. Rate: $90.

Winters B&B: Built in 1881 by Stephen Paxson Darlington, this gracious bed and breakfast is an elegant Victorian mansion. The foyer is filled with period antiques, featuring solid oak wainscoting. The house also boasts a library, wrap-around porch and ten unique fireplaces. Some rooms include, marble showers, Jacuzzis and private balconies. Rate: $125-$155.

The Mansion Inn: This informal Victorian inn encompasses all the amenities for a luxurious stay in Bucks County. The inn has romantic suites, fireplaces, canopy beds, a swimming pool, a whirlpool and guests enjoy a full service gourmet breakfast. Rate: $195-$285.

Overbrook Farms B&B: Built in 1896, this 17-room home is a late-Victorian showpiece. A huge fish tank serves as the base of the kitchen counter. Four fireplaces and an abundance of oak woodwork add to the charm, and a lovely garden frames the backyard swimming pool. The Barnes Museum and St. Joseph's University are both a short walk away. Rate: $90 to $100.

The Pond Guesthouse: This renovated Pennsylvania fieldstone farmhouse, with its open beam ceilings and random width floors, dates back to the early 1730s and was part of the Underground

Railroad. Each bedroom, with its own theme has private bath, cable color TV, and central air-conditioning. The guesthouse is located near Brandywine Valley, West Chester University and Amish country. Rate: $75 to $85.

Stone Farmhouse: This circa 1704 Chester County solid fieldstone farmhouse sits on 20 acres of rolling farmland. Special amenities include a pool, a hot tub, and three rooms with a fireplace. The farmhouse is located just minutes from the Brandywine Valley and a half-hour’s drive from Valley Forge, Lancaster, Philadelphia, and Wilmington. Rate: $125 to $165.

Tranquil Haven B&B: Antique and modern furnishings blend to decorate this home, located in a peaceful, wooded neighborhood in Wayne, on Philadelphia’s fashionable Main Line. Guests in the four rooms may use the cable television in the sitting room, the laundry facilities or the in-

ground, Olympic-sized swimming pool. Weather permitting, visitors enjoy gourmet breakfast on the screened patio overlooking the garden. Rate: $50 to $65.

Triple Creeks B&B: The private-entrance suite in this B&B has a queen-sized Murphy bed, kitchenette, television, VCR and computer. Relax in the solarium or the Jacuzzi. On cool evenings, enjoy the fireplace. In warm weather, watch the goldfish from a private deck or roam the property’s seven verdant acres. Full breakfast is served in the Irish tradition. Rate: $125.

Victorian Elegance: European and American craftsmen fashioned this 22-room Victorian mansion in 1897. The mansion features marble and alabaster floors, stained glass, fireplaces and a winding chestnut staircase. It is located just 12 miles west of Valley Forge and King of Prussia. Rate: $90 to $140.

B&B INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS

For more information on lodging in the Greater Philadelphia Region please visit www.gophila.com/accommodations/.

For more details on reservations for Gaskill House, German Schoolhouse B&B, English Regency, Fitzwater B&B, Ibrah House, Long Lane B&B, Rittenhouse B&B, Overbrook Farms B&B, The Pond Guesthouse, Triple Creeks B&B, and Victorian Elegance, contact:

Mary Alice Hamilton

A Bed & Breakfast Connection of Philadelphia

Box 21

Devon, Pennsylvania 19333

Phone: (610) 687-3565 or (800) 448-3619

e-mail: bnb@bnbphiladelphia.com

website:www.bnbphiladelphia.com

For more details on and reservations for Gaskill House, German Schoolhouse B&B, English Regency, Long Lane B&B, Rittenhouse B&B, Overbrook Farms B&B, The Pond Guesthouse, Lafayette Guest House, Stone Farmhouse, Tranquil Haven B&B, Triple Creeks B&B, and Victorian Elegance, contact:

Carolyn Williams

Association of Bed & Breakfasts in Philadelphia, Valley Forge, Brandywine

P.O. Box 562

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 19401-0562

Phone: (610) 783-7838 or (800) 344-0123

Fax: (610) 783-7787

e-mail: pa@bnbassociation.com

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation is a non-profit organization dedicated to generating awareness of and visitation to Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties. For more information about travel to Philadelphia visit www.gophila.com or call (888) GO-PHILA.

###

Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit the photo gallery of www.gophila.com/pressroom.

Both were taken by photographer Bob Krist in 1999 for GPTMC.

Back to News Release List