Lamplight Inn B&B is country luxury at its best
By Joanne Lehman
On a sunny day, innkeeper Larry Wilgus says you can see for 10 miles. Guests at The Lamplight Inn Bed & Breakfast often hurry back to the inn before sunset so they can sit on the generous wrap-around porch in the wicker rockers. This is what it's all about - watching the sun set over the hills and valleys dotted with picturesque farmland so typical of Ohio Amish country.
Lamplight Inn is known as the home of the "The Singing Innkeeper." Wilgus enjoys keeping romance in the air for his guests by providing a daily dose of show tunes he plays and sings for them on the Baldwin baby grand, where the sound travels from the hardwood floor to the second floor hallway. "We come from a theater background," said Wilgus. He and his wife, Helen, are Akron natives who directed and produced the annual Christmas Music Spectacular at Akron Civic Theater - a two-hour holiday show for 23 years.
Wilgus delights guests at Lamplight Inn with his mellow baritone voice by setting the mood for a day of togetherness. As guests, who may be on their second, third, fourth, or endless honeymoon, emerge from their luxurious rooms into the inn's breakfast room, they'll more often than not hear their host playing favorites such as Nat King Cole's "When I Fall in Love." Another favorite is "Unforgettable." For an anniversary, guests are serenaded with Gershwin's "Our Love is Here to Stay."
The innkeeper's showmanship doesn't stop with music. As groundskeeper, he enjoys keeping a lively display of plants in full bloom - specifically 1,300 tulips planted at the Lamplight Inn entrance. Next spring he plans to up the ante - when he hopes to have in excess of 57,000 tulips in bloom. A sign in downtown Berlin directs visitors to the floral show at this beautiful B&B, located off the beaten path but within walking distance of the area's many interesting shops on Main Street.
Wilgus and Helen, his wife of 33 years, have owned The Lamplight Inn B&B since 2006. They continue to add their touch of class to the immaculately maintained facility. The couple purchased the inn from previous owners, who built the home specifically for use as a bed and breakfast establishment. This ensures plenty of parking, private entrances, and separate living quarters for the innkeepers. Since purchasing the facility, the owners have upgraded the seven rooms with their own choices of exquisite luxury furnishings, interior design elements, and accessories. The inn earned Best B&B in the 2007-2008 Discover NE Ohio magazine.
Each of the Lamplight Inn's elegant rooms feature a different country Victorian style décor, guaranteed to delight, with a multitude of romantic charms. Helen's eye for artful interior design lends a different look to each room. The inn includes four deluxe king rooms with private entrances and luxury baths that include both a step-in shower and Jacuzzi tub. Other amenities include fireplaces, ceiling fans, bathroom chandeliers, satellite TV, and DVD players. Country View, a standard queen room on the first floor, and a hillside suite on the walk-out level complete the offerings of this immaculately kept lodging establishment. All guests share the living and dining rooms.
Larry Wilgus not only entertains with music, he also likes to share the things he and Helen have learned about Amish culture as they've settled into their adopted village of Berlin. At breakfast, he's likely to entertain guests by telling a story about local happenings or quoting a paragraph or two from local Amish newspapers - keeping the focus on news of the simple sort - folksy weather reports and livestock tips, for instance.
In as much as the gentleman innkeeper's forte is music, entertainment, and grounds keeping, Helen Wilgus takes charge of breakfast along with interior decor. When a pair of guests booked an entire week's stay, Helen didn't want them to have a breakfast re-run. Therefore, she came up with a plan she's kept ever since. Each day of the week now features a different breakfast menu. Full breakfasts, cooked in the inn's kitchen, are served at 8:30 a.m. in the comfortable breakfast room.
Guests who want to keep their own schedule can choose the Hillside Suite, where they'll enjoy a continental breakfast in their room or on their private patio. Either way, guests will enjoy their stay at one of Amish Country's most lovely and entertaining B&B's.
The Lamplight Inn is close to many attractions and is within walking distance of downtown Berlin. It is located at 5676 Township Road 362, P.O. Box 334, Berlin 44610. For rates, call 866-500-1122 or go to www.thelamplightinn.com.
