Bed, breakfast & beyond

Category + food Bed, breakfast & beyond By Gina Pepper Looking for a way to marry five-star accommodation with five-star food? These three
epicurean inns in Atlantic Canada are taking bed-and-breakfast to a gourmet level.
Fishers Loft Inn, Port Rexton, Newfoundland and Labrador Palate pleaser:
The dramatic seascapes and rocky headlands surrounding the Fishers Loft Inn were the perfect
backdrop for the 2001 movie The Shipping News, starring Kevin Spacey and Julianne Moore. And
this charming B&Bs food is as impressive as its setting. Dinner might begin with roast chicken
served with a honey mustard glaze and vegetable paella and end with homemade blueberry pie with
farmhouse cream. For breakfast, nibble on the freshly baked cornbread and partridge berry muffins,
and have the staff pack you a picnic lunch (a sandwich on straight-from-the-oven bread, fruit and a
homemade date square) for your walk along the nearby Skerwink Trail, a renowned hike that winds
its way along windswept cliffs and coves.
Bed byte:
Each room has water views, down-filled duvets, custom wooden furniture made by a local artisan
and binoculars for spotting the odd iceberg or humpback whale on the oceans horizon. Just the
thing for those who like the feeling of being at sea but prefer spending the night on solid ground.
DesBarres Manor Inn, Guysborough, Nova Scotia Palate pleaser:
Experience a contemporary twist on Atlantic Canadian cuisine at this historic and luxurious inn, built
in 1837 on six acres of land. A classic dish like carrot bisque is enlivened with vanilla honey, and a
zingy mint-and-sage-crusted North Atlantic halibut is accompanied by lemon-thyme risotto and
asparagus with warm roasted red pepper vinaigrette. All this can be paired with one of the more
than 80 wines on offer. In the morning, an equally tempting breakfast awaits; the only problem is
deciding whether to choose banana bread French toast with maple syrup or apple and cheddar
crepes with whipped honey.
Bed byte:
The stylishly appointed rooms are big city chic meets country charm and comfort, complete with
deluxe Caswell-Massey toiletries, 600 thread-count sheets, antique wooden furniture and original
artwork by local artists.


Gowrie House Country Inn, Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia Palate pleaser:
Nestled on the eastern tip of Nova Scotias spectacular Cape Breton Island, where emerald green
rolling hills lead to stony outcrops that hug the sea, the Gowrie House exudes a sumptuous, old-
world ambience that feels like stepping into the past. In the elegant dining room, which features a
display of fine 19th-century English porcelain, indulge in a four-course dinner of seared pork
tenderloin with peach and sweet pepper relish and the houses signature desert: hazelnut-meringue
torte. Buffet-style country breakfasts (think homemade preserves and farm-fresh eggs) are served
in the sun-drenched breakfast room.
Bed byte:
The spacious rooms and common areas are decorated with local contemporary as well as 19th-
century art and Victorian and Regency furniture and antiques. Rooms with whirlpool bath and
fireplace are available upon request. Going back in time never felt so swish.
Getting here Fishers Loft Inn, Port Rexton, Newfoundland and Labrador, 1-877-464-3240, fishersloft.com DesBarres Manor Inn, 90 Church St., Guysborough, Nova Scotia, 1-902-533-2099, desbarresmanor.com Gowrie House Country Inn, 840 Shore Rd., Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, 1-800-372-1115, gowriehouse.com Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism, 1-800-563-6353, newfoundlandandlabradortourism.com Nova Scotia Tourism, 1-800-565-0000, novascotia.com Gina Pepper is an incurable romantic. Her favorite part of the bed-and-breakfast experience is the
breakfast.

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