Victorian Treasures Worth a Valentine's Visit

(GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan) -- The Victorian Era reflects the years when Queen Victoria's reigned over the United Kingdom and its vast colonial holdings. As a mere 18-year-old girl, Victoria came to the throne in June of 1837 and ruled until her death in 1901. The Victorian era is considered to be the most romantic of times. It was an exciting period when a wide variety of artistic styles, literary schools and social, political and religious movements flourished.

In the early Victorian era, women wore corsets, balloonish sleeves and crinolines. For men, it was stove-pipe pants and cravats -- broad and often frilly neckties. The clean-shaven look of the Regency was out. Mustaches, mutton-chop sideburns, Piccadilly Weepers, full beards and Van Dykes like that worn by Napoleon III were the order of the day.

In West Michigan, Victorian architecture is a prevalent and a visual reminder of the years between the 1830s and the 1870s -- and of the cultural, political, and industrial influences which produced these charming structures. The region is also filled with many Victorian communities.

Victorian B&Bs

• ALLEGAN
The Queen Anne-style Castle in the Country broke ground in 1906 and was completed in 1911 as the summer home of Pennsylvania coal executive John H. Wurtz. He sold it in 1922 to a prominent Chicago dentist, Dr. George Bridgman, who enjoyed it as a weekend get-away. Magnificent craftsmanship inside and out provides guests the opportunity to study the architectural features and design techniques of the late Victorian age. The B&B features four staircases, original brass hardware, Italian-tiled fireplaces, pocket doors, original gas lights and other unique details. Natural quarter-sawn oak woodwork and patterned oak floors are an elegant backdrop to reproduction and family antique furnishings throughout the home. Each of the five guest rooms are exceptionally maintained and romantically decorated. For a more private experience, guests can opt for the Castle Keepers Cottage, tucked away on five acres of lawn and wildflower fields. www.castleinthecountry.com or 888-673-8054

• BAY HARBOR
The Inn at Bay Harbor is a luxurious Victorian-style resort on Little Traverse Bay, just minutes southwest of Petoskey. The Inn at Bay Harbor, a member of the "Preferred Hotels & Resorts," is the centerpiece of Bay Harbor Village, which is set along the water's edge. The Inn features 85 one, two and three-bedroom suites, the Bay Harbor Beach Club, The Spa at the Inn at Bay Harbor, conference facilities and spectacular lake-front dining. The Inn at Bay Harbor affords guests breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and the surrounding coast. www.innatbayharbor.com or 800-462-6963

• COLDWATER

Benedict Doll House B&B, Coldwater

The Benedict Doll House Bed & Breakfast was built in Coldwater between 1898 and 1900 in the ornate Queen Anne style of the late Victorian period. It was the home of Benedict Doll, who immigrated to the U.S. from Bavaria in 1883 at the age of 31. By 1894, he owned Kappler's Brewery, which was later renamed City Brewery. He and his wife raised 11 children in the mansion, which remained in the Doll family for 85 years. Daughters Bertha and Marie opened the Doll House Restaurant in 1927 between the home and an adjacent service station. The property was sold in 1985 and transformed into a charming B&B. It sits on nine acres, offering four distinctively-decorated rooms and lavish breakfasts for its guests. The Benedict Doll House B&B is featured in "The Unofficial Guide to B&Bs and Country Inns in the Great Lakes States." www.benedictdoll.com or 517-279-2821

• FENNVILLE
Kingsley House Bed and Breakfast is a beautifully-restored Victorian Queen Anne mansion. The house was built in 1887 by Harvey Judson Kingsley for his wife and daughter. Kingsley is well known for the introduction of apple trees to the region, and worked closely with Michigan State University. The Kingsley House library holds volumes of his research. Designated a Michigan State Historic Site, the home was restored in 1989 and opened as a B&B the same year. It is just minutes from Lake Michigan and the lakeshore resort towns of Saugatuck, Holland and South Haven. www.kingsleyhouse.com or 269-561-6425

• GRAND HAVEN
Harbor House Inn offers Victorian charm on the waterfront in downtown Grand Haven. Although the inn was built in 1987, its style is true to the Michigan farmhouses of the mid-1800s. Seventeen spacious -- yet cozy -- rooms offer guests a homey and comfortable respite from the hectic pace of the outside world. Sweeping views of the Grand River and Lake Michigan sand dunes add to the Inn's ambiance. www.harborhousegh.com or 800-841-0610

• HASTINGS
In Hastings, named one of the "Best Small Towns in America, " you'll find the Adrounie House Bed and Breakfast. A Michigan historical site, this Queen Anne Victorian features an oak staircase and a sitting room with fireplace. The Adrounie House is also known as "The House of Two Doctors." It was built in 1894 by George W. Lowry, M.D., who also served as mayor of Hastings from 1906-1908. After his death in 1922, Dr. Haroutoune A. Adrounie, a Detroit physician, purchased both the home and Dr. Lowry's practice. Adrounie's wife, Dorothy, lived in the house until her death in 1988. It then sat vacant until 1995, when it was purchased by the current owners and innkeepers. The Adrounie House overlooks the historic Barry County Courthouse. Its six guest rooms are tastefully decorated with Victorian-era antiques and collectibles. www.adrouniehouse.com 800-927-8505

• KALAMAZOO
High on a hill overlooking downtown Kalamazoo, the Henderson Castle Bed & Breakfast offers a perfect mix of solitude and the best view of the city. Set on three acres, this 11,000 square-foot Victorian mansion has 25 rooms and four guest rooms. Walk around the orchard or the vineyard. Sit on the wrap-around porch with a cup of tea or a good book. Enjoy the rooftop hot tub in the moonlight. Or spend some time in the dry sauna and steam room. From May to October, take advantage of limousine service in a 1957 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith. Henderson Castle features Italian marble floors, brass fixtures, antique light fixtures, hand-laid tile and woodwork. Built by wealthy regalia manufacturer Frank Henderson, construction began in 1890 and was finished in 1895. Although Frank died in 1899, his wife lived in the Castle until 1920. Then it sat vacant for several years before being converted to a five-unit apartment building. In 1974, work began to restore the castle to its original grandeur. www.hendersoncastle.com 269-377-1827

• MACKINAC ISLAND
Nestled on historic Market Street, the Cottage Inn of Mackinac Island is a distinctive 11-room B&B, built in 2001 -- but in the Victorian style. Along with modern-day amenities, the Cottage Inn has a flavor and character as unique as its themed guest rooms. Each one reflects the bygone Victorian era and is professionally decorated to reflect the history of Mackinac Island and the Straits area. The inn's third floor features a uniquely-appointed three-room suite with vaulted ceilings and a sitting turret with three stuffed chairs. Others include the Victorian Turret room, the Somewhere in Time room and the Lighthouse Tower room. www.cottageinnofmackinac.com 906-847-4000

The magnificent Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island welcomes guests to a bygone era of old-world hospitality and charm -- horse-drawn carriages, afternoon tea, croquet on an endless lawn, dining to chamber music and dancing the night away. On an island where no automobiles are permitted, nothing intrudes on the serenity and natural beauty surrounding the Grand Hotel, the world's largest summer hotel since 1887. A living, working museum, it was originally financed and built by two railroads and a steamship company to meet the needs of the Victorian traveler. More than 1.5 million feet of Michigan white pine were used to erect the enormous classic revival structure. The Grand Hotel opened its doors with considerable fanfare on July 10, 1887. It has since served as the setting for two major motion pictures -- the 1947 Esther Williams film, "This Time For Keeps"; and the 1980 film, "Somewhere in Time," starring Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeves. Each year, the hotel hosts several themed weekends ranging from big bands to "Somewhere in Time." www.grandhotel.com 800-33-GRAND.

• MUSKEGON
The newly-built Shoreline Inn in Muskegon offers "The Victorian Suite" for the enjoyment of its guests. Reflecting the most romantic of eras, the suite features a four-poster, carved king bed and a matching armoire. With approximately 900 square feet, the suite's living room showcases a sofa with carved legs and front piece, side chairs, a table, two dining chairs, a fireplace and a complete kitchen. Both rooms overlook Muskegon Lake with a marina front terrace. www.shorelineinn.com 231-722-4448

• PETOSKEY/BAY VIEW
Located on the shore of Lake Michigan's Little Traverse Bay, Stafford's Bay View Inn was built in 1886 and is fully restored to its Victorian elegance. The Inn boasts 31 individually- appointed, stylized Victorian bed chambers. Each has a private bath. Suites feature bayside balconies, in-room fireplaces and whirlpool tubs. Stafford's celebrates a Victorian Christmas with a two-night holiday package including Christmas Eve reception, holiday gifts from Santa and its famous Christmas Day buffet. Other theme packages are offered throughout the year. Stafford's, located just north of Petoskey's historic Gaslight District, is one of only two historic inns in Bay View open year round. www.staffords.com 800-258-1886

The historic Terrace Inn was built in 1911 by W. J. DeVol, a prosperous banker from northern Indiana. Soon after its completion, summer vacationers from Detroit, Chicago and southern Michigan began arriving by train and steamship to stay at the Inn and enjoy the Bay View Chautauqua programs. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1987, today the Terrace Inn offers guests a unique vantage point from which to experience Bay View from the inside. Enjoy theme weekends throughout the year including a Victorian Weekend, June 6-8. The Terrace Inn is noted for its "Northern Michigan Buffet" dinners, which include Chicken Hemingway, Upper Peninsula-style beef pasties, oven-broiled whitefish and more, available every Saturday evening. www.theterraceinn.com 800-530-9898

• SAUGATUCK
The Twin Gables Inn Bed and Breakfast in Saugatuck is a state registered historic building with a checkered past. Samuel Clipson and his wife, Susan, came to Saugatuck around 1862 and opened the village's first brewery. Clipson originally constructed the building in 1865 as an ice house in which to store his finished beer. Between 1869 and 1922, the building was a tannery, a stove factory, a shingle manufacturing plant, a planing mill and as residence. In 1922, an entrepreneur on the vaudeville circuit converted the former ice house into the Twin Gables Hotel, which operated under that name until 1968. It has operated as the Twin Gables Inn B&B since the mid 1980s. Several guest rooms feature in-room fireplaces. The B&B offers regular themed weekends through a partnership with other area properties, collectively known as Grand Escape Inns. www.twingablesinn.com 800-231-2185

Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast promises Victorian-style elegance in a wooded setting. Hardwood floors, leaded-glass windows and a wrap-around porch add to its ambience. All guest rooms are complete with antiques, cozy wing chairs, Jacuzzis and fireplaces. One of two suites reflects the serenity of the north woods by replicating a log cabin interior. It includes a stone-mantle gas fireplace that can be viewed from either the two-person Jacuzzi or the bedroom. The second suite features the same amenities but is decorated with a late 19th century flair. In another room, a hand-painted mural transforms the room into a canopied tree loft, complemented by a gas fireplace. www.sherwoodforestbandb.com 800-838-1246

• SOUTH HAVEN
Listed as the first and only AAA Four Diamond Award-winning bed & breakfast establishment in Michigan, the Carriage House at the Harbor is located in the Lake Michigan lakeshore community of South Haven. Each of the inn's 11 rooms feature antiques and Amish furniture. And each is named after a style of horse-drawn carriage, like Dorsey, White Chapel and Concord. www.carriagehouseharbor.com 269-639-2161

The Sand Castle Inn in is an historic Lake Michigan resort hotel. Operated as The Shamrock Hotel in the 1920s, this Queen Anne Victorian is completely restored, marrying modern conveniences and amenities with traditional Victorian charm. During the restoration, workers found love letters, newspapers, coins and other items buried in the walls. They are now on display in the designer living room. The huge white wicker front porch is unchanged. Guests still relax there, overlooking the lawns and ancient trees of the park across the street. Six of the nine guest rooms feature gas fireplaces. The Inn is only a block from Lake Michigan beaches and sunsets and three blocks from downtown shopping and dining. www.thesandcastleinn.com 269-639-1110

Yelton Manor Bed & Breakfast offers a three-story Victorian mansion built around 1890 as well as a guest house built in 1993 in the Victorian style. Open year around, each of its 11 guest rooms has a private bath. Special features include two parlors with fireplaces, two porches, a cozy den, a lake view "widow's watch" and a library. Guests who prefer greater privacy may enjoy the Guest House, which features a wicker porch, parlor and the private nooks for which Yelton Manor is known. Each room in the manor is named after an historic South Haven resort, celebrating the memories of old-time resorting. Each of the six guest rooms is furnished as an independent romantic escape and appointed with fine antiques. The upper-level suites have lake views and two have balconies. www.yeltonmanor.com or 269-637-5220

• TRAVERSE CITY
On US-31 just north of Traverse City, discover an 1883 Victorian-style farmhouse known as the Country Hermitage Bed & Breakfast. Located on a 250-acre working cherry farm, the B&B commands a sweeping view of East Grand Traverse Bay. Inside, wood trim has been lovingly restored to its original beauty. The B&B is situated in an idyllic country setting, but is close to the area's premier golf courses and just 10 minutes from downtown shopping. Country Hermitage offers romance packages as well as packages for golfers and fly fisherman and baking get-away weekends. www.countryhermitage.com 231-938-5930

You'll find accommodations with turn-of-the-century ambience inside the tallest building in downtown Traverse City. Park Place Hotel features 140 guest rooms with modern conveniences and Victorian furnishings, hardwood headboards and grand armoires. Exclusive to the ninth floor, spacious suites offer open-air balconies and bay windows with breathtaking views of West Grand Traverse Bay. Built by Henry D. Campbell on park land purchased from the city in 1873, it started as the Campbell House Hotel. Five years later, lumber barons J. Perry Hannah and A. Tracy Lay bought and upgraded the property to levels of opulence and service equal to the era's world-class hotels. Appropriately, they re-named it Park Place. In 1930, completion of a 10-story tower made it Traverse City's tallest building. Atop the tower, a 25,000 watt symbolized its far-reaching hospitality. Today, a designated Michigan State Historic Site, Park Place enters its second century under innovative new ownership, managed by Regency Hotel Management . www.park-place-hotel.com 800-748-0133

• UNION CITY
Welcome to the world that is A Victorian Villa -- an inn celebrated both for its elegant overnight accommodations and its seven-course champagne and wine dinners. The Villa is located in the 19th century river-side village of Union City, on an acre of peacefully-landscaped Victorian gardens and grounds. It was originally the residence of Dr. and Mrs. William P. and Caroline E. Hurd. Completed in 1876 for the princely sum of $12,000, the home was originally designed and built as a one-family retirement residence. In 1978, the now dilapidated old mansion, divided into low-income apartments, was purchased by the Gibsons. Completely restored, it opened in January of 1982 as the third B&B Inn in Michigan and only the sixth in the entire Midwest. The Villa is retrofitted with 10 authentically-detailed bed chambers and suites. Seven are in the main house and three are in the carriage house. An on-premise antique shop, 19th Century Lighting Co., features the largest inventory of restored antique Victorian parlor and chamber lighting in the Midwest. Also enjoy Victoria's Gourmet Restaurant, a 42 seat, full-service non-smoking restaurant. www.avictorianvilla.com 800-34-VILLA

For regional travel information, contact WMTA toll free at 800-442-2084 or log on to www.wmta.org. Founded in 1917, WMTA is the oldest continually-operating tourist association in the nation. Representing 41 counties from the Michigan-Indiana state line north to Mackinac Island and covering the entire west half of the Lower Peninsula, WMTA is dedicated to proving that "Nobody Knows West Michigan Like We Do!"