When I visited northern Indiana’s Amish country, I stayed at the Murphy Guest House Bed and Breakfast in Bristol. Here is why you should stay there, too.
Editors note: The Murphy Guest House closed for business, as the owner retired and moved out of state.
Friendly welcome
Our hostess, Ann, welcomed us as though we were old friends. When she showed us to our room, we found gorgeous—and delicious—personalized white-chocolate covered strawberries. Throughout our stay, we had lots of great conversation with Ann. She’s also a wealth of information on the area and even set up a dinner for us with an Amish family.
Gorgeous decor
We stayed in Jayme’s room, one of three Murphy Guest House guest rooms, which are all named after Ann’s grandchildren. Ann decorated all of the rooms with her Victorian touch. Each room has a private bath.
The Victorian decor extends throughout the house. The common rooms are especially ornately decorated, yet they are comfortable.
Delicious gourmet breakfasts
Ann starts every breakfast with freshly baked sweet breads like blueberry scones or lavender tea bread. She serves the breads with her signature Devonshire cream and lemon curd. Some of the entrees Ann served during our stay were quiche and stuffed French toast. She even adds a gourmet element to fruit, like roasted plums served with a dollop of yogurt.
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Ann typically serves coffee and juice with breakfast. However, if you’re a tea drinker, she will gladly prepare some for you from her collection of over 50 different tea varieties.
Lush gardens
We found the lush gardens surrounding the Victorian house a relaxing respite after spending a long day touring the area. Asian lilies were blooming while we visited. Ann brought some of the blossoms inside, which sweetly perfumed the common rooms.
Center of tourism attractions
The Murphy Guest House is located in Bristol, Indiana, midway between the popular tourism cities of Shipshewana and Elkhart. It is just yards from the self-guided Heritage Trail, which I highly recommend you follow. The Heritage Trail takes you through seven cities Elkhart and LaGrange Counties. You can visit markets, parks and restaurants along the trail. In the summer, the world’s only Quilt Gardens Trail closely follows the Heritage Trail and blooms with color. Be sure to watch for Amish buggies, which share the local roads.
If you stay at the Murphy Guest House Bed and Breakfast
The Murphy Guest House is located at 112 South Division Street in Bristol, Indiana, just five minutes from the Indiana Toll Road. Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor.
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Disclosures: My visit to Elkhart County was hosted by the Elkhart County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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