People often do things in hotels that they would never do in their own homes, such as sleep soundly, watch Marley and Me, or let the kids drink as much shampoo as they want. Let loose with today's Groupon: for $45, you get a one-night stay in the Rose Room or Wine Room (a $90 value) at The Briar Rose Bed and Breakfast, located in Reedsville.
A tourist home originally built in 1887, The Briar Rose Bed and Breakfast melds old-timey charm with modern conveniences. After check-in, lovebirds can stroll hand in hand through grounds swathed in greenery or gently rock back and forth on the front porch swing, whispering sweet video-game cheat codes in each other's ears. Or, they can shed their fluffy complimentary bathrobes and slip into the outdoor hot tub's soothing swirl, where they can multi-task by bringing bags of frozen peas and corn to a rolling boil. Audiovisual ardents can retire to the Rose or Wine Room to watch Dish TV or one of the inn's more than 2,000 movies while enjoying complimentary sips of coffee, cocoa, and hot tea (available upon request).
After rising from their double mattress the next morning, sleepyheads can scrub up with seasonal shaped soaps in the Rose and Wine Rooms' shared bathroom. Then, they'll jump-start their jaws on a home-cooked breakfast such as blueberry belgian waffles, strawberry-cream-cheese-stuffed crêpes, or muffins sculpted out of pure butter. Approximately a 25-minute drive from Penn State, The Briar Rose can be a base camp for daytime excursions to football games and a variety of other attractions, including antiques shops, state parks, and a blade of grass touched by Elvis himself in 1959.
The Briar Rose Bed and Breakfast
The Briar Rose Bed and Breakfast took its name from an iconic fairy-tale princess famously known by her other alias, Sleeping Beauty. It’s a fitting name, as the cozy bed and breakfast stands far-removed from the hustle and bustle of major cities, nestled in the idyllic mountains of central Pennsylvania.
Though the home has been around since 1887, it wasn’t until 2006 that it became a bed and breakfast under the direction of new owners Jim and Lisa Everetts. Over the course of four grueling years, they transformed the old-fashioned rooms into homey retreats with Dish TV and plush robes and added a sprawling backyard garden with a hot tub and outdoor seating. The romantic suite, known as the Gazebo room, emanates the charm of a festive town park, boasting a jacuzzi surrounded by a pavilion-like frame, a queen-size sleigh bed, and an old-timey Dixieland band that plays on demand. Throughout the year, the Briar Rose's team of décor-elves skip through the rooms, adding festive flair for each holiday and adding to the already-charming ambience. During each stay, guests enjoy hearty breakfasts and can use a refrigerator and microwave in the shared game room.
