By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune contributor
Boone County is filled with hidden gems that often go unnoticed by locals.
Many Northern Kentuckians who pass by the Willis Graves Bed and Breakfast Inn in Burlington, for example, might not know that they are driving past one of the nation’s premier B and Bs. Located on North Jefferson Street, just a short distance from the Boone County Fairgrounds, Willis Graves was named one of the top 10 B and Bs in the country by bedandbreakfast.com in 2013.
Owners Bob and Nancy Swartzel were among those who drove by the Willis Graves home frequently on their way to the Burlington Antique Show at the fairgrounds without really noticing it. Then, in 1991, a “For Sale” sign in the yard caught their attention and they decided to take a closer look. Since that day, their lives have not been the same.
“We didn’t buy with the intention of doing a bed and breakfast,” Bob Swartzel said. “We ran an antique shop in (one) room just to get some money to cover expenses.”
Bob is from Kettering, Ohio, and Nancy was born in Cincinnati. They lived in Cincinnati for a time, but moved to Edgewood after their children were born. Bob was a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at St. Elizabeth and retired a few years ago. Nancy worked in retail but was primarily a homemaker. The couple had been upgrading the main house, which was built in the 1830s with the help of Nancy’s parents, Bob and Jean Brames, for nearly four years but it still needed work.
“We were spending all of our time going to auctions and trying to find things to replace what we had sold and decided it was just too much,” Bob Swartzel said.
They listed the property for sale, but there were no takers and that’s when they decided to try a bed and breakfast. Nancy’s parents lived in the home at that time and became the innkeepers. The home is steeped in Boone County history and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Willis Graves was a prominent political figure who served as Boone County clerk in the 1800s. He built the federal brick home that would later become a bed and breakfast bearing his name in the 1830s. Features on the main house include Flemish bond brickwork and federal style mantels. The bed and breakfast started with just the Graves Suite in 1995, but was so popular an addition was built, which Nancy’s parents moved into. That allowed the other rooms in the main house, Thomas’ Room and Catharine’s Room, named for the Graves children, to be converted to accommodate guests. The Swartzels moved in and took over as innkeepers from Nancy’s parents in 2001.
Jean Brames is now 87 years old, but still does the inn’s laundry. Nancy hangs the sheets on a clothes line behind the main house. About ten years after buying the property, the couple found out that an 1850s-era log cabin in the path of a north-south runway at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport was available. They purchased the cabin, which once belonged to local farmer William C. Rouse, for $1 and dismantled. The 216 poplar logs were dismantled, transported to the Willis Graves home and reassembled on site.
Bob called on his knowledge of antiques to acquire pieces for the cabin during the restoration process. When the cabin was finished in 2004, he had assembled the collection that fills its rooms today. The William Rouse Suite and William Rouse Retreat were instantly a hit and increased the number of accommodations at the inn to five. The antique pieces in all of the rooms and suites are complemented by modern amenities, including high-speed internet, espresso machines, and cable-equipped, flat-screen televisions. Each suite features a gas fireplace. The bathrooms all have whirlpools, with double whirlpools and steam showers in the suites.
Unlike some bed and breakfast owners, who plan an itinerary and offer full meals throughout the day for guests, the Swartzels allow visitors to choose their own entertainment.
“We will offer recommendations and the (nearby) Tousey House Tavern menu is on every bed,” Nancy Swartzel said.
Breakfast is served every morning in a dining room that features several smaller tables to allow guests some privacy. House specialties include crème brulee, French toast, and lemon waffles with blackberries.
One of the advantages of being located close to Cincinnati is that there are plenty of things for guests to do year round. The Swartzels also tout nearby attractions such as the historic Dinsmore Homestead and the town of Rabbit Hash. The inn relies heavily on repeat business and draws guests from throughout the country and around the world. When guests from another country visit, their national flag is displayed alongside the American flag on the property.
The nearly two-century old home might soon have a new owner for the first time in more than 20 years.
The Swartzels recently decided to put the Willis Graves Bed and Breakfast Inn on the market. They have listed with a Virginia-based company that markets bed and breakfasts and also does consulting work and provides educational courses for potential buyers. They were hesitant initially because they have put so much work into the property, but expect it will take two or three years for the business to sell, so they are not going anywhere for awhile.
“We’ve been in business for 20 years, and that’s a long time to be an innkeeper,” Nancy Swartzel said. “We have a really amazing space of our own, and we love it here, but since Bob retired a few years ago and our kids have moved to different places, we decided it was time.”
Room rates at the inn range from $110 for Catharine’s Room on weeknights to $235 a night for the suites on weekends and holidays.
For more information, or to make reservations at the inn, click here, or call (888) 226-5096.