Bed & Breakfasts Offer Unique Getaways
at Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, MO --Visitors to Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks have a wide array of lodging choices available, from hotels and motels to campgrounds and condos, houses and houseboats, full-service and family-owned resorts – plus, eight distinctive bed and breakfast inns.  The B&Bs themselves offer a wonderful variety, perched atop a lakeside bluff, nestled in the woods or next to a perfectly manicured golf fairway.

   As Mother Nature paints the Ozarks hillsides with the rich colors of autumn, a relaxing stay at a Lake of the Ozarks bed and breakfast could be the perfect getaway for a romantic weekend, girls’ shopping trip, a golf outing or any other reason.

   In Linn Creek, Joe and Bennie Hanebrink own and manage the 3B’s B&B.  The name stands for Bayview Bed and Breakfast, Joe explains, since the inn overlooks the seventh hole at Bay View Golf Course.

   “Tiger Woods could hit a drive over the trees to the Lake from our house,” Joe says, “but we’re not so close to the Lake that boat traffic noise is a problem.”

   Originally from Kansas City, the Hanebrinks have owned 3B’s for eight years.  Joe worked for AT&T and Bennie was a caterer.  “We had been coming to the Lake of the Ozarks for 25 years, so we were familiar with the area.  It seemed like a good transition between early retirement and Social Security,” Joe says.

   The B&B offers three spacious, comfortable suites: the Blue Heron, the Bear’s Den and the Sweet Spot.  Each has a fireplace and private bath with a whirlpool tub.  Joe notes guests also have access to the inn’s hot tub, comfortable game room and Bay View’s swimming pool.  Walking and biking trails offer scenic views of the Lake and countryside.

   And then there are the breakfasts.  Thanks to Bennie’s catering background, 3B’s guests can look forward to Hungry Bear Omelets, Belgian waffles with fresh strawberries, baked pears, rich quiches, and sausage and egg casseroles.  Breakfast is served in the dining room, on the sun deck or patio, or in guests’ rooms.

   A large percentage of 3B’s business is repeat customers, like Mary Jo and Ron Misner of Kansas City. They and another couple return to 3B’s every year for the Labor Day holiday.  Mary Jo explains how they chose 3B’s: “We wanted to find a different place, and we searched the countryside to find a B&B the guys would enjoy.”  They appreciate the private entry to two suites with a large common room in-between.  The men play golf while the ladies enjoy shopping, going out to lunch and relaxing at a spa.  “When we return we always find a little treat waiting for us like fresh baked cookies, snacks and drinks,” Mary Jo says.

   The Misners also like 3B’s location, just 15 minutes from popular Lake activities.  “It’s handy and off the road where it’s quiet but close enough to entertainment and anything else we might want or need,” Mary Jo says.  “The deck where we enjoy our wonderful breakfasts backs up to a small pond.  The hummingbirds are everywhere and we like watching them at the numerous feeders around the deck.”

   Above all, Mary Jo says, “At 3B’s we are treated like friends and not just business guests. Joe and Bennie always have the hot tub ready for us when we arrive.  Each year they give us a rundown on the new restaurants and shops in town and they never hesitate to make recommendations and we love that.  We always look forward to returning.”

   In-season rates at 3B’s are $109-$129 per room, with special rates for golf packages, off-season, seniors, military, groups and more.

   No two bed-and-breakfasts are alike, and the Inn at Harbour Ridge in Osage Beach is another unique choice.  At this comfy inn, built specifically as a B&B, Sue and Ron Westenhaver have created an environment bursting with whimsy and romance. “It’s a fun atmosphere,” says Sue, a former banker; Ron is a builder/developer.  “I’m passionate about wanting people to have a good time. There’s enough stress in the world so this is the place to come and kick back.”

   Opened in 2000, the Inn at Harbour Ridge features four playfully decorated guest rooms: Happily Ever After, Uncle Bill’s Place, Captain's Quarters and Love Nest -- and the adjacent big red barn is actually a private cottage called A Roll In The Hay.  The theme is “country nautical,” Sue says.  Guest rooms include fireplaces and “twosome tubby” whirlpools in each private bath.  The inn also features an indoor hot tub, private decks or patios, plus down the hill on the Lake are a boat dock complete with a paddle boat and a swim deck.  The beautiful grounds feature flower beds and goldfish pond with a waterfall, reflecting Sue’s creativity and credentials as a Master Gardener.  It’s a peaceful country setting, just minutes from Lake attractions.

   In just a few years, Harbour Ridge already has won several prestigious awards.  It recently was named one of the top 10 B&Bs in the U.S. by www.bedandbreakfast.com and has been selected as one of the Best B&Bs at the Lake in the Lake Sun-Leader readers’ poll the past several years.  Missouri Life magazine named it one of the state’s best wedding destinations.  And BnBFinder.com named it a Best Undiscovered Inn for Romance in 2007 and a Top 10 Guest-Rated Inn in 2006.  And among numerous awards from Arrington’s Bed & Breakfast Journal, the Inn at Harbour Ridge has won top honors for Best Breakfast in the Midwest.

   That’s no surprise considering Sue’s breakfasts are as highly regarded as her hospitality.  Her signature dishes include baked pears in red wine sauce with a hint of honey and cinnamon, topped with fresh mint and whipped cream, and double-layered French toast with a whipping cream custard base. “There’s nothing healthy about it,” Sue notes.  She’s also famous for her Apple-Y Ever After muffins.  Many dishes feature fresh herbs from Sue’s garden, and she always makes sure the ladies enjoy home-grown flowers on their plates and in their rooms.

   Loyal Harbour Ridge customers include Bob and Linda Bollinger from Kansas City, Kan., who discovered the inn four years ago and are planning their tenth visit.  “Ron and Sue are so hospitable and they make us feel so comfortable,” Linda says. “We own a business and going to the Inn at Harbour Ridge is a great way to get away and relax.”  At the Lake, Linda and Bob like to go to the 110-store Osage Beach Premium Outlets and play mini golf, but they also enjoy taking long walks around the inn’s immaculate grounds.  “And Sue’s breakfasts are always outstanding,” Linda adds.  “She likes to try new things and they always turn out wonderful.”

   In-season rates at the Inn at Harbour Ridge are $139-$199.  Specials include Shop Til Ya Drop and Girlfriend Getaways, plus golf packages and more.

   Another newer Lake-area B&B is Bass & Baskets in Lake Ozark, so named because owner Ed Franko is an avid bass fisherman, and his wife Deb is an avid collector of Longaberger baskets. The lovingly decorated inn reflects both passions, featuring old fishing lures and rods and even an old bass boat suspended from the ceiling, plus a bounty of baskets.

   In their previous lives in St. Louis, Ed managed Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants and Deb taught school for 25 years.  During a vacation to Dresden, Ohio, to the Longaberger headquarters, the couple stayed in a B&B for the first time.  “It served a dinky little breakfast but we liked the concept,” Deb recalls.  Back home, they came up with the name and stumbled upon the perfect property at the Lake.  “Things just happened in a way that meant it was time for a change,” Deb says.

   Bass & Baskets features four themed guest rooms: North Woods lodge, Victorian romance, all-American red-white-and-blue, and a blooming garden.  Each room has a fireplace, whirlpool tub and a deck overlooking the Lake.  Deb has filled the inn with antiques and family heirlooms including her mother’s wedding dress.  “All the family items in the décor stir up happy memories,” Deb says.  “We also did a lot of the work here ourselves, and when people discover that they appreciate it, because they know there’s a part of us in everything here.”

   One big plus, Deb says, is the inn is just 20 steps from the Lake.  “Comfortable common areas have big couches that look out on the Lake and wildlife,” she says.  “It’s so relaxing, and that’s our goal: for people to leave here feeling happy and relaxed.”  Of course, with “Bass” in its name, many of the B&B’s guests also take advantage of Ed’s offer to go fishing in his bass boat.

   Deb’s fabulous breakfasts start out with fresh fruit and big muffins or home-made breads, followed by a generous slice of ham with eggs and a croissant stuffed with potatoes and broccoli, or French Toast stuffed with fresh strawberries with blueberries on top, or some other delicious entree.  “We always have fresh baked cookies, too,” Deb says.  “We want people to feel like they’re not going away hungry!”  That attitude and her culinary skills have led to numerous awards including being named one of the top Bed & Breakfasts at the Lake for 2007.  Arrington’s Bed &Breakfast Journal has named Bass & Baskets Best Breakfast at the Lake, Best B&B to Visit Again and Again, and Best to Recommend to Others.

   “We have a huge repeat and referral business and that's so rewarding,” Deb says.  “Recently, newlyweds checked out on a Monday and we got a call on Wednesday from people they dined with on Tuesday.  They booked the whole house.”

   Linda Ostmann and her husband Gary of St. Charles, Mo., also are Bass & Baskets fans.  Linda discovered the B&B when her group of 12 ladies came to the Lake for a shopping weekend.  “We all fell in love with Bass & Baskets and with Deb and Ed,” she says. That was in February, 2003.  Since then, the shopping group has returned every year at the same time, and Linda and Gary also stay at Bass & Baskets every September with several other couples for a golfing weekend.

   “When you first walk into Bass & Baskets you can smell freshly baked cookies,” Linda says. “The breakfasts are wonderful, beautifully displayed and delicious and there’s always plenty of it.  In all our stays, I don't think we have had the same breakfast twice.”

   Linda also loves the look of the inn.  “It’s beautifully decorated and each room is so unique.  There’s a wonderful gathering area to play games, show off our shopping bargains or just watch TV together or talk.  It’s also very peaceful to sit on the dock or one of the many decks.  After staying there so often,” Linda adds, “it feels like our home away from home.”

   And it’s not just grownups who love Bass & Baskets.  Frequent guest Ron Seymour of Red Bud, Ill., says, “Each year when we make our vacation plans, our children and grandchild (age 16) always say the same thing, ‘we don’t want to go anywhere but Bass & Baskets!’”  Ron adds, “We’re thankful that we were referred there by friends who are very selective about their accommodations.  We knew if it pleased them it would please us and it has worked out that way.”

   Bass & Baskets’ in-season rates are $129-$149, with military and other discounts available.  

   Five other cozy and comfortable bed-and-breakfast inns serve guests year-round at the Lake of the Ozarks: Buck Creek B&B, Laurie; Castleview B&B, Camdenton; Cliff House Inn, Osage Beach; Gardenhouse B&B, Rocky Mount; and Ginger Point B&B, Lake Ozark.  Each is distinctive in its own way, offering exceptional customer service – and a great breakfast.

   For more information about Lake-area bed-and-breakfasts and other lodging options, as well as dining, shopping, attractions, activities and events, call the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau at 800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253) or visit www.funlake.com.