A Tudor Treasure

Upon Arrival

What I have to share with you is very special to me. Something to be cherished for a lifetime. I hope that through this story, you will find the joy that I had experiencing it. This past spring, my Aunt Suzie, Sister Hannah, Cousin Chloe and I planned a birthday getaway trip for my sweet mom, Shannon. As we searched for a getaway house, we knew that we wanted it to be special and full of beauty for her fiftieth birthday surprise. That is when my Aunt Suzie sent me the O’Neil House Bed & Breakfast on the internet. As soon as Suzie sent me the website and I looked through the pictures, I knew that this Tudor Treasure was a place my mom would love. Apparently Aunt Suzie’s friend stayed there and recommended it to us. So, we booked our stay through the O’Neil Mansion in Akron, Ohio.

Little did we know what an enchanting adventure we had awaiting us. It was beautiful. Now, let me share with you how the trip began.

Tea Time

Early Saturday morning on April 15th, we loaded up our bags into my Aunt Suzie’s van and we took off, all wearing outfits of pink and floral. We all knew where we were heading except for my mom. As we drove through the countryside, we admired the beauty of the day. Every now and then my mom would ask in a curious tone, “Where could we be going? We are in the middle of nowhere?” That made things interesting! Then, we approached our destination, and there it was, the Dragonfly Tea Room. My mom said, “I have always wanted to come here” with a very joyful tone.

It was a very quaint tea room with lots of adorable tea pots and cups arranged along shelves on the walls. There were many women laughing and enjoying their talk amongst themselves. There we had our homemade cake that Hannah and I had baked for my mom the day before. It was a lemon berry cake, a recipe that we make every year for my mom’s birthday. We had lunch together and drank lot’s of tea. Our favorite tea we shared there was called Grandma’s Garden, It was full of dried herbs and the aroma and flavor was delicious. We all had a wonderful time and laughed a whole lot! Once we were finished at the tea room, it was time to take off for the big surprise!

Grand Entrance

From the time we left the tea room until the moment we arrived to the house, we had a blast. We laughed and sang our favorite songs together. My mom had no clue where we were taking her, and that made it even more exciting for the rest of us. We couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when we arrived to the mansion. When we were driving through Akron around five minutes before we arrived, we came upon the most beautiful homes. They were all so neat. One after another were remarkably beautiful. Most of them were Tudor style houses with tall steeples, arched doors, covered in bricks and half timbered frames. The homes were very well kept with beautiful cottage-style landscaping. The tulips were all in bloom and it was all like a dream.

Then all at once, we made it! We looked to our right, and there it was. The most grand and breathtaking home of them all. Such an amazing sight it was. My mom wasn’t the only one gasping at its beauty. I had never imagined it would be that large in size. Hannah, Chloe and I were all in the back of the van laughing at our aunt and my mom’s ooooohs and aaaaahhhhs.

Meeting Gayle

When we entered the doors of the O’Neil House, we were amazed. The architecture and historic feel was just one of a kind. Truly a Tudor treasure! I felt like I was in a classic movie. The woman of the house, Gayle greeted us very happily. She was an older woman with a sweet smile and short grey hair. She told us that she owns the house and does all the labor herself. What a remarkable woman. To manage that grand old house all by herself. Gayle shared many stories and historical facts about the Mansion with us. I loved listening to her talk. As she talked, anyone could tell that she was a very wise and knowledgeable woman. After a while, she led us up the stairs to our rooms.

A Room with a View

As Gayle led us to our rooms, we all were amazed at the size of the house. The hall that the led us through seemed as if it never ended. Everything was very lovely and inviting. The home had beautiful antiques everywhere I looked. In one of the little rooms on our hall, I remember seeing a very old dress on display. It was very small and dainty, most likely from the early 1900’s. Such a beauty it was.

Our rooms were so charming. There were three rooms, all decorated in their own unique style. My favorite part about the room I stayed in was the view out of the window. I was able to see the gardens. Everything was green and lush. Gayle’s little garden pond was in view and it made it all very picturesque.

Memories

It wasn’t only the beautiful setting and spring flowers that made the stay at this Tudor treasure memorable, it was the laughter and relationships that were made there. Everything was an adventure. From spending time in the gardens to eating pizza at midnight. Getting to know Gayle was an absolute pleasure. She made our stay so pleasant. On Sunday morning, we were all so excited for our breakfast. Who wouldn’t be excited for breakfast while staying at a bed & breakfast? We gathered together in the breakfast room and Gayle served us the loveliest breakfast. This was one of my favorite parts of our trip. Our girls trip was full of joy and laughs. Never will I forget or could I forget my enchanting stay at this Tudor Treasure!

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