The Bedford Village Inn is no stranger to fame.  First, the inn’s “Walls of Fame” exhibit the awards and accolades that have been amassed over the years.  Here’s a brief (again, brief) rundown:  a recipient of AAA Four Diamond Awards for 23 consecutive years, 11 Awards of Excellence from Distinctive Restaurants of North America, and 17 annual Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence (while dining at the inn’s restaurant, patrons can choose from approximately 700 wine selections. Recently, the Boston Globe’s Travel and Leisure Magazine voted the restaurant as having the “Best Brunch in New England.”

“We were voted best romantic country inn in the New Hampshire Magazine reader polls for the last umpteenth million years it seems like,” adds proprietor Jack Carnevale who has owned the inn in Bedford, New Hampshire, for about 18 years along with his wife Andrea and son Jon. 

Approximately 50 miles north of Boston and five miles from the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, above the main road of the city, fame has walked along these “Walls of Fame” too.  For the past 16 years, during the course of the presidential primaries, the inn is reserved solely for the network anchors.  Every four years during the primaries, the inn’s yellow façade is a familiar backdrop in televisionland.  During the last primary, NBC anchorman Tom Brokaw broadcasted the news from an outdoor glass studio that faced the inn.  Additionally, during his last campaign tour, President George Bush stayed in the Woodbury Cottage, which is part of the complex.

How does the site of a working Federal-style farmhouse built in 1810 earn its claim to fame?  Behind the thoughtful planning and unequaled commitment to the hospitality business, the cincher was a multi-million dollar restoration in 1996.  The original residence is now a nationally acclaimed four-diamond restaurant specializing in exquisite New England regional cuisine.  A blast from the past: one of the dining rooms is said to have a friendly ghost!

Fourteen luxury guest suites are housed in the original barn where each room appears more photogenic than the next.  Any wedding, special event or business function is enhanced in the three-story setting of the Great Hall crowned by the original twin silos.  The wedding numbers alone explain the popularity of the Great Hall:  about 125 weddings are held there a year!  Accommodating groups up to 220, chandeliers that are suspended between pumpkin beams, which span the vaulting arch, and an oversized bay window overlooking the ever-changing seasonal gardens (near the miles of stonewalls) are just some of the dramatic features of the Great Hall.

Just steps away from the Great Hall, the Milk Room is the common area where everything, from the plush Oriental carpets scattered on an oak floor, thick overhead beams, fireplace, warm-tone fabrics and seasonal flower baskets, derives an uncommonly good atmosphere.  Guests mingle here over the morning’s complimentary coffee, tea and pastries, late afternoon tea and assorted pastries and evening wine and cheese receptions.  Of course, any time of day is the ideal time to lounge by the hearth and exchange intimate tales with your lover.

Couples will find plenty of opportunities for personal time.  “There’s not a heck of a lot to do around here in terms of activities.  We don’t have a workout facility or spa, but it seems as though couples love to come to the Bedford Village Inn,” Jack explains.

 The suites ranging from a spacious 508 square-foot luxury suite to a 1,050 square-foot two-bedroom sprawl (the cottage extends 3,400 square feet totaling eight rooms, three bedrooms with living room, dining room and kitchen) set such a precedent that couples will not rush to leave them. 

The amenities in the deftly styled accommodations are as abundant as the space.  For example, just to skim the surface: king four-poster beds, plasma high-definition television with DVD entertainment system, complimentary hi-speed wireless Internet access, marble bath with whirlpool bathtub and so on.  One more extra:  turndown service with the famous Bedford Village Inn’s baked cookies. 

“We have a lot of locals that stay over a night or two, even though they might live around the corner, but to them it’s getting away from the kids and the hustle and bustle of everyday life into a state of peace and serenity,” Jack says.

Throw in some thought-out packages to heighten the experience, and you can understand why the inn is so successful at wooing couples.  Talking about the engagement package, Jack says, “We’ve got a relationship with the jeweler in town, and when the gentleman is proposing to the potential fiancé, that takes place in the alcove.  And they end up possibly staying over for the night and having the romantic dinner and then we bring out the ring with dessert or whenever the gentleman would like us to bring out the ring.”

Jack says that he receives “glowing reports” from the exit polls.  “In this day and age when there’s so many cookie-cutter hotels out there, we feel like we have a real hybrid here in this area.”

Superlative place.  Superior service.  Excellent food.  Fabulous location.  Resident ghost.  Fame just comes natural.

 

New Hampshire - Merrimack Valley, Bedford

The Bedford Village Inn

Lodging Type: Boutique Hotel

Accolades: Open Table Diners Choice Awards 2009

Location: USA, USA

Guest Rooms: 8; Suites:  

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Sunday Brunch, Afternoon Wine Reception, Afternoon hors d'oeuvres

Cuisine: New England Contemporary Regional Cuisine
Facilities: Full Service Restaurant, Wedding Facilities, Meeting Facilities, Internet Access, Fireplaces, Jacuzzis

On Premise: Restaurant, gardens, gazebo, gift shop, Woodbury Cottage.
Nearby: America's Stonehenge, Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tours, Canterbury Shaker Village Historical Museum, Charmingfare Farm (Hayrides and Sleigh Rides), Christa McAuliffe Planetarium, The Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester Institute of Art, NH Audubon Society, NH Philharmonic Orchestra, NH Symphony Orchestra, The Palace Theatre, Salzburg Square (European Shops), Stonyfield Farm (Tours and yogurt making). Please see our web site for links to the above attractions.

Phone: (603) 472-2001, Toll Free: (800) 852-1166

Web: www.bedfordvillageinn.com

Email: jackc@bedfordvillageinn.com

Address: 2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, NH, 03110 United States

Wedding Facilities: Elegant Great Hall soars three stories and serves as the heart of The Bedford Village Inn facility. Chandeliers are suspended between pumpkin beams which span the vaulting arch. Custom orientals and New England hospitality add to the warmth to create a delightful space to entertain a group of up to 220.
Meeting Facilities: Great Hall also serves as a wonderful meeting space with various seating configurations for groups up to 220. Our Wheeler Board Room is perfect for a private meeting up to 16 ppl. Several of our private dining rooms can accommodate groups from 10-60ppl.
On Premise: Restaurant, gardens, gazebo, gift shop, Woodbury Cottage.
Nearby: America's Stonehenge, Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tours, Canterbury Shaker Village Historical Museum, Charmingfare Farm (Hayrides and Sleigh Rides), Christa McAuliffe Planetarium, The Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester Institute of Art, NH Audubon Society, NH Philharmonic Orchestra, NH Symphony Orchestra, The Palace Theatre, Salzburg Square (European Shops), Stonyfield Farm (Tours and yogurt making). Please see our web site for links to the above attractions.

About the Author: Stacy Lytwyn Maxwell

© 2007 By McKenzie Communications/Stacy Lytwyn Maxwell