LEXINGTON MINUTEMAN
Bed & breakfast treats customers as if they were at home
BY ARIEL COHEN
SPECIAL TO THE MINUTEMAN
Set back from Follen Road by a dense cluster of bushes and flowers sits a quiet, private home that smells faintly of sugar cookies and almonds, and has a classic and inviting New England atmosphere.
Morgan's Rest -- that quiet home -- is a new bed and breakfast that opened last spring in East Lexington.
Alexandra Bartsch, owner of Morgan's Rest B&B, puts the final touches on the dining room table of her establishment on Follen Road. Staff photos by Holly Schmidt
Alexandra Bartsch, the owner of Morgan's Rest, said she likes to treat guests "as if they were staying in a private club or a home. We offer elegant and comfortable surroundings, good food, and attention to detail."
Bartsch said she offers clean, comfortable surroundings to her guests, along with personal attention and assistance with travel plans. Provided to guests are bathrobes, fresh flowers and complimentary soaps to all guests. The rooms area appointed with antique furniture and there are warm comforters on all the beds for the winter. In all of the guest rooms, Morgan's Rest provides small stereos and VCR's. In the upstairs public area there are videos and books for the guests to borrow, and a small library of books that guests are allowed to take home with them. Downstairs, the guests have access to the piano in the living room and the hot tub in the spa room.
Morgan's Rest has three rooms: The Pool Room, the largest guest room in the house, which "features a king-size bed, cathedral ceiling, six skylights, a championship pool table, direct and indirect lighting, air conditioning, full private bath, and morning to evening sunlight" said Bartsch. According to Bartsch, the Pool Room is the most popular room at Morgan's Rest.
Bartsch described the Sunset Room as being "furnished in Victorian mahogany, complete with private bath and views over the trees and towns west of Lexington," with a window . facing the west, allowing guests in the room to view the sunset. According to Bartsch, the Follen Hill room has "twin spool beds, a spacious sitting area, private bath, and views north and east through the trees." The room also has "morning sun that comes through skylights," in the morning. Bartsch runs a smoke free household, and asks that smokers go outdoors.
Alexandra Bartsch sits in one of the three rooms in Morgan's Rest B&B
Currently Morgan's Rest offers what Bartsch referred to as a "continental plus" breakfast with muffins, croissants, fresh fruit, orange juice and fresh coffee, but she is planning to serve a "traditional breakfast" in the spring with hot food and "items that are available by choice, enhanced by homemade gourmet treats such as strawberry crepes, heart-shaped apple pancakes, quiche, French bread, sausage and egg casserole, and croissants." There is also "French roast coffee, tea, and juice to provide a nice start to the morning" said Bartsch. In the upstairs pantry area, complete with a fridge, there are chilled and warm beverages. Bartsch has also collected menus from local restaurants for guests.
The house now occupied by Morgan's Rest has been owned by Bartsch's family since 1970. Her parents, the Fishers, lived in the house until last December, when they sold the house to Bartsch. Bartsch, her husband, Jonathan, and their daughter used only a portion of the downstairs of the house so they decided to turn the upstairs into a bed and breakfast. Morgan's Rest opened last April.
In addition to the economic benefits of running a bed and breakfast, Bartsch said they have met some very interesting people, including many European travelers. Although the private area of the house is separated from the bed and breakfast by a door, Bartsch and her family enjoy interacting with the guests. The family also owns a dog and several fish.
Despite the bad economy, Morgan's Rest has had plenty of business, said Bartsch. Although the winters are slower than the summers, the holidays bring in business. In the spring and summer, many of the reservations are made by tourists, but Bartsch hopes that the new addition of high-speed Internet in the guest rooms will attract more business travelers.
For more information on Morgan's Rest, visit morgansrest.com. Morgan's Rest is located at 205 Follen Road, Lexington, Massachusetts.