Woodenheart Inn (published in Fall of 2006)

The difference between a nice place to stay and an exceptional one is in the details. John and Judy Hurlburt, owners of Woodenheart Inn, understand that difference. The tranquil setting begins as you walk up the path leading to the log cabin home. Just a couple hundred feet off of Route 42 at the northern edge of Sister Bay, the only thing you hear is the crunch of gravel under your shoes and the water fountains placed throughout the extensive and gorgeous floral landscape.

The view from the inside of the Woodenheart is just as welcoming. Past the check-in desk, there is a large great room. Guests are served a generous breakfast there every morning at 8:30. First-time guests are surprised at the array of fresh fruit, egg dishes, heart shaped scones and pastries that they have to choose from. John said that some of their return guests laugh and say that their B & B is closer to a “bed and brunch” as most of them will skip over lunch out of necessity. Judy prepares all the morning meals herself from scratch, often times using herbs from John’s homegrown herb garden on the back patio. If guests aren’t tempted down the stairs by the wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen, then they are certainly drawn by the tunes being played by John on the piano. Much nicer than the harsh tone of an alarm clock, guests can instead hear Morning Has Broken or Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’ played by their host, who clearly has a sense of humor.

Each of the five rooms of the inn has its own theme. There is the Apple Room, the Cherry Room, Minnie’s Room, the Heart Room and the Garden Room. All rooms have a private bath and a queen-sized bed, except for the Garden Room which has a king-sized bed that can also be converted into two twin beds. The Garden Room also features a private entrance and patio. The Garden Room and Minnie’s Room are located on the first floor of the inn, while the others are on the second floor. Also on the second floor is another cozy area where guests can curl up on the couch or play games at the game table. This loft area opens to a patio and to yet another fantastic view of the gardens. All of the rooms and common areas are further enhanced by wireless Internet access.

Guests can also relax on the full deck in back or in the attached gazebo. Just beyond the deck is a small walking path where guests can stroll along; most of them take the time to search for rocks to add to Woodenheart’s idea of a guest book. Guests leave signed rocks behind with little messages for John and Judy. They have now amassed a collection totaling in the hundreds. The rocks range in shape and size, though the guests can get pretty competitive about finding heart shaped rocks.

Prior to owning the Woodenheart for the past five years, John and Judy owned an inn in Georgia, where they had planned to eventually retire. They were drawn back to the Midwest to be closer to family and to Door County as it was one of their own favorite places to visit. Every once in a while Judy admits to saying, “Y’all come back now,” yet she still prefers to be living here in her native Wisconsin. No matter what the accent, the sentiment is still the same. And people do keep coming back again and again. For example, Dave and Marilyn from Cedar Rapids, Iowa sign the same rock year after year. In 2003, they wrote, “Thanks for opening your home and hearts.” They added the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 on their subsequent visits and also wrote, “We really feel like family and we will be back.”

John and Judy are proud of their record of repeat visitors. John explained, “We really like spending time with our guests. For the most part, they are our social life. It’s not surprising that they become friends.” Sometimes their friends want to catch up; sometimes they want to relax on their own. John and Judy can sense what their guests are looking for and anticipate their needs, the most important attributes of an innkeeper.

Woodenheart Inn, 11086 Highway 42, Sister Bay, WI, (920) 854-9097, www.woodenheart.com