Falling for Kilpatrick Manor in Niagara

When I first decided that at long last I was going to have the chance to wander up to Ontario, Canada to get a glimpse of Niagara Falls from "the good side", I spent quite a bit of time looking at websites for hotels located near the Falls. There are plenty of them there and some of them apparently offer some pretty fabulous views but they also come with some pretty fabulous price-tags attached and I really didn't relish the thought of paying close to $300 a night for a basic room at a hotel regardless of the view. However, this being my first trip to Niagara Falls I also didn't want to plunk myself into a generic hotel out on Lundys Lane even though there are plenty to be had there that come with a much more reasonable price-tag attached.

Nope, this was a special trip which meant it called for someplace special to stay which meant skip the hotels and find a nice bed & breakfast to stay at with some history and personality!  That decision led me to BedandBreakfast.com where I was able to look at quite a few different possibilities in the Niagara Falls area and after looking at and rejecting many, many possibilities, I finally chose Kilpatrick Manor.  It's not exactly close to the Falls as it's in the older downtown area of Niagara Falls but that suited me just fine as I really try hard not to be touristy - especially when it comes to going to places that attract tourists like honey attracts bears.

Located in a squirrel-friendly neighborhood, Kilpatrick Manor is just a short walk from unique shops, restaurants, and art galleries in Dowtown Niagara Falls as well as a bus stop where you can hop on-board and head down to the tourist area which is a 5-minute drive or 20-minute walk away.  Close enough to be near all of the attractions yet far enough to be away from all of the crowds.  My kind of location!  And my kind of house, too, as it comes complete with an interesting history.

The house that is now known as Kilpatrick Manor was built in 1891 and most likely stood all on its own in the neighborhood for quite some time before the rest of the neighborhood grew up around it.  In speaking to Kevin, one of the owners and innkeepers, about the history of the house he told me that the original deeds and titles were lost when there was a fire in the nearby Town of Welland at the office where the records were kept.  Two different historians have looked at the house in an effort to ascertain its heritage and based on their assessments, two different theories abound. One is that the house was the original rectory for Saint Patrick's Church, a Roman Catholic Episcopal Church which is located about a block away from Kilpatrick Manor.

In 1892 the school that stands behind the church building itself was built at a cost of $5,00 by the Reverend Dominic Thomas O'Malley who had succeeded to the pastorate as the second Carmelite pastor in the parish in 1889.  Following the construction of the school, Father O'Malley set out to build a church on the grounds and on June 9th, 1895 the cornerstone for what would become Saint Patrick's Church was laid.  Built at a cost of $24,00, the soaring edifice was constructed from red sandstone in the Gothic Revival style with its most prominent features being a very high octagonal spiral and a large rose window on the east gable.  Work on the church was completed just six months later and on December 9th, 1895 the church was opened for public service for the very first time and dedicated to the glory of God.

The current rectory that is located just to the south of Saint Patrick's was built circa 1897-1899 and - with the exception of the windows - looks very similar to Kilpatrick Manor which is seen in the picture below. I'm pretty sure that they are the only two houses of their type in the neighborhood so it's quite possible that the first theory is correct.

The second theory is that the house was constructed for a high-ranking member of the Niagara Parks Commission, a government agency of the Province of Ontario which maintains the Ontario shoreline of the Niagara River. Founded in 1885 and charged with "preserving and enhancing the natural beauty of Niagara Falls and the Niagara River corridor as a public greenspace and environmental heritage", the first Commissioner was Sir Casimir Stanisaus Gzowski who planned the park system known as Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park along the Canadian bank of the river. Knighted by Queen Victoria in 1890 in recognition of his services in the military and engineering fields, Gzowski later went on to serve as acting Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 1896 to 1897.

Now, that's not to say that Gzowski ever lived in the house himself but according to the historian that Kevin spoke to, the flooring in the dining room indicates that the house was built for a high-ranking member of the Niagara Parks Commission so perhaps it could have been the home of a Commissioner or perhaps a Park Superintendent?  As you'll be able to see in a picture a little further down in this post, there are three rows of chestnut wood built into the design of the flooring that apparently were used to signify the rank of the person who lived in the house and that's what the second historian was basing his theory on.  Unfortunately with the loss of the records, no one may never know for sure but wouldn't it be pretty neat if someone were to read this post and know the answer?  Hey, stranger things have happened!

Anyway, enough history - it's time I took you inside the house so you can see what a beautiful job Kevin and his wife Nance have done in turning Kilpatrick Manor into an absolutely gorgeous bed & breakfast.

After parking your car in the space provided to the back of the house, guests walk up the pathway towards the front door -

To the right of the main entrance is a nice little patio area where guests are welcome to take their morning coffee or relax and enjoy the peace of the neighborhood in the evenings. 

Entering the main foyer, there's a telephone for guest use as well as a comfy bench where the morning paper can be found awaiting guests who wish to be kept abreast of the news of the world during their stay. 

The real treat begins though when you walk through the double doors and into the house itself! 

Walking down the hallway just a bit one comes upon the dining room to the right where breakfast is served at 8:30 a.m.

Remember the floor design I mentioned above?  You can get a good look at it in the picture above.  The three stripes of chestnut run around the entire room which is huge and tastefully furnished and decorated. 

With four bedrooms in the house, each room gets its own table where guests are treated to an absolutely fantastic breakfast - more of which I will tell you about further in the post.  I should warn you though that if you're hungry now, you're going to be more so once we get to that part of the post! 

Leaving the dining room and the promise of a delicious breakfast behind, guests ascend a beautiful staircase to find their rooms on the second floor of the house.

At the top of the stairs and to the left is the smallest room in Kilpatrick Manor, the McKinnon Room.  It and the Hunniford Room are named for Kevin's family while the other two rooms - the Taylor and the Chrysler - are named for Nance's side of the family.  Kevin jokingly told me that he may have gotten the two smaller bedrooms but it all evened out as Kilpatrick Manor itself is named for his family.  Seems fair enough! 

The McKinnon Room has a queen-size bed that has a phenomenal leather headboard and canopy that is fit for royalty. 

At the foot of the bed is a sitting area in front of a flat-screen TV atop an electric fireplace where guests can enjoy a DVD while sipping a glass of wine if they so choose. 

Due to the smaller size, it was hard to get a really good picture of the bathroom but it has a roomy shower with frosted contoured glass doors and a rainfall shower-head as well as all of the amenities that you might need including sinfully soft towels that wrap you in complete luxury.   

To the front of the house and to the right was the room that I had chosen for my stay - the Hunniford Room. 

The first thing you notice about the Hunniford Room is the carved wooden king-size bed that calls out for you to climb up and just lie down for awhile.  As a matter of fact, I did just that shortly after my arrival and next thing I knew I was waking up from a very refreshing nap when I hadn't meant to take one at all but simply try the bed out a little!

Next to the bed is a wooden armoire where inside one can find a collection of CDs as well as terry robes for relaxing in.  The window to the right belongs to the bathroom.

There was a comfortable seating area with a Victorian-style fireplace and flat-screen TV with DVD player - neither of which I used as there just wasn't time to watch TV with all I had to see and do while I was in Niagara Falls!

Speaking of Niagara Falls, the Neptune shower with four body jets in the Hunniford's bathroom even has mood lighting to simulate the illumination of Niagara Falls!  In retrospect I should have taken a picture of that feature but you'll just have to take my word for it that it's a pretty neat little feature.  Another neat feature is the endless hot water that works wonders in soothing one's aching muscles after traipsing around looking at all the sights of the Niagara area.  It was a little tricky learning how to turn the water on but once I did it was fabulous and I didn't feel like quite as much of an idiot about that after talking to a couple more guests on Saturday morning who had the same problem - whew! 

Like the other en suite bathrooms in Kilpatrick Manor, the bathroom in the Hunniford Room features marble tiles on the floor that extend up the walls and a lovely vintage-look sink.

Across the hallway from the Hunniford Room is the Chrysler Room with one of the biggest king-size beds I have ever seen! 

Honestly, the picture does just not do it justice!  It was all I could do to keep from playing Goldilocks and trying out this bed, too, but I managed to restrain myself and only admire it longingly from a distance. There was no way I was going to be able to sneak it out of the house and into my car to bring it back to the States with me so there was no sense in trying it out even though it was very tempting!

The seating area in the Chrysler Room provides two comfy leather chairs in front of an electric fireplace near a window to the bathroom.

Speaking of the bathroom, the Chrysler Room has one that boasts a two-person air-massage Jacuzzi tub.  Guests using the tub that sits beneath a beautiful chandelier have a view of the fireplace through the aforementioned window.

Heading back down the hallway and towards the back of the house, guests will find the most recently completed and largest room at Kilpatrick Manor - the Taylor Room.

The central focal point of the room is once again an enormously large and luxurious looking king-size bed similar to the one in the Chrysler Room.  Once again I was tempted to try it out and once again I practiced great restraint!

Like all beds at Kilpatrick Manor, the bed in the Chrysler Room features soft Egyptian cotton sheets, luxurious bedding, and lots and lots of pillows.

There's a large sitting area with a carved wooden fireplace, comfy leather chairs, and local artwork adorning the walls. 

The two chandeliers next to the bed dangle from the ceiling over hand-painted glass tables and there's a mirrored armoire in the corner containing robes and other guest amenities.

The huge bathroom has a very large antique-style sink ... 

A large glass shower with six hydro-massage jets ...

And a two-person Jacuzzi soaker tub to ease those aching muscles guests may have.   

Back out in the hallway, there is a very large antique American wardrobe that Kevin said he acquired at an auction for a great price but wow, did they have a time of it getting the heavy piece up the stairs!  The wardrobe contains extra blankets and towels, DVDs, coffee mugs and wineglasses as well as a small refrigerator should guests have something they'd like to keep chilled during their stay.  

In each room, there is a book with all sorts of information about the inn )including the password for the free wi-fi) as well as suggestions in the local area. Each guest also gets a set of keys - one key for your room and another key for the front door to the house. 

Nance also adds a personal touch with some of her fresh-cut flowers that brighten each room.

If you're wondering how it was that I was able to get pictures of all the rooms, as it turned out I had the whole house to myself the very first night that I was there so I was able to take pictures of all the rooms without disturbing any other guests.  That also meant that I was going to be eating breakfast all by myself the next morning but I figured that would afford me the chance to spend some time talking to Kevin who just happens to be Kilpatrick Manor's Chef. 

I didn't get back from taking pictures of the Falls area until after midnight so was exhausted when I finally climbed into bed for the night but when I awoke at 7:00 the next morning I was more rested than I had been in a very long time.  It occurred to me that I hadn't woken up even once during the night which is very odd for me and as a result I felt great when I got up.  That wasn't a one-night phenomena either as the same thing happened my second night in the house. Since coming home and waking up numerous times during the night to adjust positions, look at the clock, etc. I have really, really missed that bed in the Hunniford Room! Should Kevin and Nance ever decide they want to get rid of it I would be more than happy to make the drive to Ontario to get it - seriously!

Following a ridiculously long and luxurious shower, I made my way down the stairs to the dining room where I found a place set for me along with coffee on the table in the center of the room.  The coffee service is set up at 8:00 a.m. and guests are more than welcome to come down and help themselves to a cup or two before breakfast if they so desire.  If coffee isn't your cup of tea, Kevin is more than happy to offer you a variety of different teas for your enjoyment instead. I should also mention that if you're not a "go down and eat breakfast with strangers" kind of person, that Kevin will prepare a Continental Breakfast that he delivers to your room at 9:30 a.m. if you so desire. You just have to fill out a slip the night before and slide it under the kitchen door then go to bed and wait for your breakfast to be delivered. My personal thought, though, is get thee down to the dining room as true edible delights await you there!

Kevin and I talked for quite a bit about a good number of topics before he presented me with a beautifully arranged fruit platter complete with a delicious muffin and yogurt.  Now I may get this wrong but I believe that the yogurt was flavored with coriander and dill to make a savory yogurt.  The dill I remember for sure but I could be wrong on the coriander. Regardless of what was in it, it was delicious! 

While I gnoshed on the fruit and other goodies and enjoyed several cups of coffee, Kevin retired to the kitchen to prepare one of his special breakfasts for me. In some of the reviews that I had read about Kilpatrick Manor, guests had mentioned Kevin's Breakfast Ravioli so I knew I just had to try it even though I could have opted for a "Full On Fry" which Kevin said hailed from his father's Irish roots.  A "Full On Fry" is basically your standard full breakfast - bacon, eggs, toast, potatoes - that sort of thing.  Even though that sounded good, I wanted to try the extraordinary and that's about the best way to describe Kevin's Breakfast Ravioli - extraordinarily good! 

 So just what is a Breakfast Ravioli you may ask? Kevin takes fresh pasta that he makes himself and rolls it very, very thin before filling it with bacon, scrambled eggs, and hard cheese. After cooking, the ravioli is topped with a fresh tomato sauce that has a very light taste and when put together the whole dish is fantastically delicious!  I honestly felt bad that I couldn't eat the whole serving but I can say that it held me over until almost 3:00 that afternoon before I finally got around to eating lunch.  Just looking at the picture while I'm typing this makes me want to get in the car and drive back up to Niagara Falls so I can be there in time for breakfast - which I could do if I left right now!  

With common sense prevailing though, I guess I'll continue writing and tell you about my breakfast on the second day that I was at Kilpatrick Manor when it wasn't just myself there for breakfast but three other couples as evidenced by the fact that all of the tables were prettily set for breakfast when I came downstairs. 

Joining me in the dining room that morning was a young couple from New Jersey as well as another young man and his girlfriend from Buffalo, New York who had brought his parents to the bed & breakfast as their combined Mother's and Father's Day presents.  What a great idea!

Just like the morning before, Kevin presented us with artistically arrayed fruit platters containing yogurt and muffins - this time delicious oatmeal and raisin muffins and a creamy vanilla yogurt.  When I pulled out the Nikon to snap a quick picture, Mom from Buffalo said that was a great idea and pulled out her camera for a picture also.  Whew!  Someone who didn't think I was crazy for taking pictures of my food! 

Kevin went over the breakfast choices for the day to everyone explaining that all of the food was made "fresh to order" which meant it took a little longer to prepare but he wanted to be sure that no one had any allergies and had their food prepared to their liking.  Once again guests could choose from a Full On Fry or the day's special which was Eggs Florentine served over a puff pasty with breakfast potatoes.  Guess what my choice was? 

Knowing that Kevin has been a chef for over 20 years, I really couldn't pass up the chance to try something different and I knew that if the Eggs Florentine were half as good as his Breakfast Ravioli I was going to be in for another treat.  And I was.  The eggs were poached to perfection, the spinach was fresh and tasty, the sauce was delicious, and the puff pastry was light and airy.  As I've said before, I'm no food critic so I'm not good at describing how things taste but trust me when I say there was next to nothing left on my plate when it went back to the kitchen this time!  Several of the other guests had ordered the Full On Fry but I caught them looking longingly at other guests' Eggs Florentine probably wishing they'd ordered that instead! I bet if given a second chance, they'd have ordered differently even though their standard breakfast looked quite tasty. 

During the course of breakfast I had to laugh when some of the other guests asked me for recommendations of where to go while they were at Niagara Falls but I guess they figured I'd been there one day already so I must have some idea of what to see and do.  Considering I'd had my own private tour guides on Friday, I was able to pass along some suggestions which I'll be happy to pass along to readers here in other posts coming up in the next few days. I'm no Niagara Falls expert by any stretch of the imagination but perhaps after another trip or two I could at least do a reasonably good job of faking it!

Though I didn't have the chance to have quite as nice of a conversation with Kevin that morning as I did the first being that there were a lot more of us there and it took him longer to prepare food and such, he still took the time to chat with us and tell a few stories; he's a very personable guy and talking with him made the breakfast experience even that much more enjoyable.

Kevin told us about some of the work that he and Nance have put into the house turning it into the beautiful bed & breakfast that it has become though he said that if you were to ask him back in 2002 when they first bought the house if they would have still been working on it in 2011 he would have laughed and said "no!" but that's exactly what happened.  Having just recently put the final touches on the Taylor Room they've now completed all of the rooms six years after opening with just the Chrysler Room back in December of 2005.  It may have taken them nine years to finish all of the rooms but those nine years were not at all wasted and the large amount of blood, sweat, tears, and love that they both put into the house really shines through. It truly is a beautiful home and there is just no way for a guest not to feel comfortable there.

I've got to say that for my very first time in Niagara Falls and experiencing a Canadian Bed & Breakfast, I really don't think that I could have chosen a better place to stay.  Kilpatrick Manor is located in a very nice section of the city close enough and yet far enough away from the Falls, the house has maintained its historic feel in spite of modern fire and building codes, and the innkeepers are both very gracious people who obviously have pride of ownership in what they have created as they've added their own personal little touches along the way. Add on the fact that Kevin can cook like no one's business (as my old Gram B would have said) and I just can't imagine wanting to stay anywhere else!

Should you ever find yourself on the "good side" of the Falls and needing a place to stay away from the maddening crowds where you'll be treated grandly then I highly suggest you book yourself a room at Kilpatrick Manor. Oh, and if Kevin offers you the Breakfast Ravioli, by all means get it and then feel free to come back here and tell me how very right I was!

SmugMug Gallery Link for additional pictures.