Enjoy Valentine's Day with a Weekend Getaway
By ROCHELLE A. SHENK   

   Chase away the midwinter blues and/or celebrate Valentine’s Day with that special someone with a stay at one of the area’s B&Bs. Whether your desire is for romance, culture and tourism, history, shopping, or simply to kick back and relax, there’s an area B&B for you.
    Located minutes away from Hershey, the Inn at Westwynd Farm is on a 32-acre working horse farm owned by Frank and Carolyn Troxell, who moved to the farm and built the house in 1980.
    “We stayed at a B&B for our 10th anniversary and loved it,” Carolyn Troxell says. She retired as a bank marketing director in 2000, and the couple discussed opening their own home and farm as a B&B. “We love to entertain, and I love to cook and garden,” she says. They added onto the house and welcomed their first guest in 2002.
    The inn’s setting is picturesque—it sits in the middle of the farm with a patio, koi pond, and a waterfall near the house and a view of the farm pond in the distance.
    “We’re easy to get to since we’re not far from Route 81, and we’re close to the attractions in Hershey. But, we have a quiet, tranquil setting,” Troxell says.
    There are 10 guest rooms, each with a private bath, and the rooms are named for the horses and a Great Dane that have been a part of the Troxells’ life. Nine of the rooms have fireplaces and king-sized beds, and five also feature whirlpool tubs. Plush bathrobes and linens and an amenities basket with carefully selected soaps, shampoo, bath salts, and lip balm add to the pampered feeling.
Guests are welcome to stroll through the gardens and visit the barn, where they can help Frank Troxell feed the horses, goats, and alpacas. Or they can explore the area.
    “Even in February, there’s still a lot to do in Central Pennsylvania—February in Hershey is ‘Chocolate-Covered February’ with a variety of special events and activities,” Carolyn Troxell says.
    For those who want to kick back and relax, there’s a lot to do at the inn. Troxell can arrange for a private massage, or guests may want to curl up and relax in the common areas that include a library and living room with fireplace.
A three-course gourmet hot breakfast is served in the great room with its cathedral ceiling. Troxell will prepare special items for those with special dietary needs. There’s also always a sweet treat to be found in the dining room during the day.
    “We like to make people feel pampered,” she says.
    Guests at Blair Mountain, Dillsburg, will also feel pampered and close to nature.
    “The setting in the woods is beautiful. It’s quiet and off the beaten path, but we’re only 10 minutes from highways like Route 74,” says innkeeper Tracie Yergo. She adds that in January and February, most of the guests are skiers who come to tackle the slopes at Ski Roundtop, which is less than 4 miles away.
    Blair Mountain also offers the charm and warmth of a restored 1760s stone farmhouse (renovated in 1994). The kitchen features the original wide-plank flooring and hand-hewn beams.
    “I want to make people feel they’re at their grandmother’s house. We have lists of restaurants, brochures for area attractions, and if, by chance, I’m off doing an errand, guests can reach me on my cell phone,” Yergo explains.
    Blair Mountain can accommodate 10 guests in four rooms, all with a private bath.
    “People love the wood floors and the thick walls. There’s a view of the woods, barn, or landscaping from nearly every window, and the patios have great views of the landscaping and woods,” Yergo comments.
    For a romantic getaway, you may want to book Laura’s Dream Suite, which features a sitting area, a king-sized bed, an in-suite large bath with a two-person jacuzzi, a large walk-in shower, and a double sink area.
A special basket of amenities (cheeses, muffins, chocolates, sparkling water) that you choose to surprise that special someone, a dozen roses, or hand-dipped, chocolate-covered strawberries may be added to any room.
    Other getaway packages include dinner for two at a local tavern, a tray of sweets, breakfast in the room, and an extended checkout. How delightfully dreamy!
    Breakfast fare includes a range of specialties that include both hearty, country-style dishes and lighter items such as fruit. For Valentine’s Day, Yergo serves a special menu that may include strawberries with a shortbread cookie and whipped cream, sweet potato pancakes, and special quiches.
    History combines with a more sub-urban setting at the E.J. Bowman House, Neffsville. It is named after the house’s original owner, Dr. Edmund J. Bowman, a Neffsville physician and surgeon who built the Italianate Victorian home in the 1860s.
    Alice and E.Y. Murphey purchased the property, restored it, and opened it as a B&B in 2000. It’s furnished with a number of antiques. The Murpheys pay tribute to the home’s history not only in the name, but also with 13 murals in the entry hall and along the formal staircase that were done by the Lancaster Mural Company.
    “We go out of our way to make sure that every guest has a great time here and that it’s a unique visit for each person,” Alice Murphey says.
    E.J. Bowman House is along route 501 and not far from Route 30 and Route 283. Murphey says that guests come to enjoy the Amish experience as well as to relax or celebrate a special occasion. There are four rooms on the second floor along with a third-floor suite; each room has a fireplace and private bath with heated tile floor.
    “It’s nice to get out of a shower on a cold night or morning and step onto a warm floor,” she comments.
    The third-floor suite features three rooms and a luxurious bathroom with a whirlpool. A private balcony overlooks the pond and English-style gardens, which are lush with plantings for all seasons. There’s also a refrigerator and coffeemaker in the suite. Each room is appointed with spa robes that feature the B&B’s name, pleasantly scented goat’s milk soap that makes the skin feel really soft, and linens that are known as “comfy sheets.”
    “Many of our guests like them so much that they ask to buy a set to take home. Details matter to us—in addition to the usual amenities such as shampoo in the bathroom, we also provide lotion and lint removers in the bedroom,” Murphey says.
    An area on the first floor features a refrigerator and microwave and is stocked with snacks, such as cookies and pretzels. The gourmet breakfast is made using fresh, local ingredients, and afternoon treats are also offered.
    “In February every meal has chocolate—there may be chocolate crepes, chocolate-dipped strawberries,” Murphey explains.
    There’s also a special romance package that features a dozen roses, chocolates, sparkling cider, and a CD of romantic music for the CD player in the room.
    February, with its tradition of romance, is the perfect time for a getaway weekend to a local B&B with that special someone. And, there’s a regional B&B that will provide just the right setting.