This is a lovely bed and breakfast right in the heart of the downtown center of Pontiac! It is…read moreabundantly clear the owners really paid attention to detail in converting the home to the inn. The entire second floor has the four rooms available to guests and they have several with their own baths. We were the only guests that night, so it was super quiet! The first floor is where the yummy breakfast is served and Sharon goes all out with so many choices on what you can eat! Her waffles with fresh fruit were out of this world and the presentation makes you feel like a queen. I would defnitely recommend staying here to pamper yourself - even if just on a trip home or on your way to somewhere else instead of a destination getaway. Stop at the Route 66 Museum a block away, check out the old cars that come into town all the time and sit on the porch and wish you could live in such a friendly and peaceful place!!

I want to go back now! Tricia and all the ladies were fabulous. With all they had going on this…read moreweekend they still made us feel like we were home. The food was wonderful and the home was welcoming. If you are looking for a quaint place to stay and a peaceful town to visit and explore this is your stop. There are several restaurants within walking distance also. I would recommend this B& B !

Just was here for a work event. The out building we were in was too warm. One of us had to open the…read morewindow. Cloth towels are used for hand drying at the bathroom & they were all used up before the event was over. A puny breakfast display was put out with room temp water & tasteless coffee. Lunch was nothing great either. Luke warm soup - about 1/4 cup-served. I ordered a sandwich that came with about 5 chips on the side. Nothing great about this place, but Im sure in Plano area options are limited. The owners just need to step it up.

Old, fairly falling apart location. Threatened to tow one of our guests who parked in the publicly…read moreaccessible parking spaces in front of the house which was not signed "no parking". Would not recommend

First impression: WOW! How many times can you say to your friends and family that you stayed in a…read moregrain bin? It's incredible how transformed it is inside! Marcia is a wonderful hostess. Very flexible, welcoming and great conversationalist! She called to make sure we arrived all right since we were getting in late, and gave us plenty of breakfast options for the morning. It was gorgeous to see the moon out the window in the bedroom loft and be away from the city lights. We even woke up to birds happily chirping right outside our window, too! The silo is quite roomy, perfect for quiet getaways away from the noise of modern day life. There are modern amenities like a TV, but why bother when you can enjoy snuggling around the ironcast fireplace? We will definitely be recommending this once in a life time experience to all Starved Rock/outdoor adventurers!

One day, I was abducted. No need to be sorry for me; I had…read moreactually been warned in advance by an "anonymous" letter which was signed "The Bridal Shower Gang". My friends had indeed decided to take me away from my groom-to-be for a weekend to be just-us-girls together. They set their choice on a rustic retreat, far from the city and all the book-induced headaches that we all shared as students/instructors at U of C. So after a little ride in Mimi's old faithful we arrive in the outskirts of Ottowa and park in front of a silo. The weather is really grey, a cold wind is blowing and we are welcome by Marcia, the lady of the house. Emmanuelle quickly leaves us behind to go say hi to Mary-go-round, the local mare while we patiently listen to Marcia explaining all the high and lows of the area. If you don't know where to go, what to do or what to eat - she's definitely your woman and an endless well of information............ The premises are nice but not fancy. The silo we stayed in was newly renovated and it showed - there's a neat mezzanine with a queen size bed and a couple pieces of furniture, a adorable bathroom and a lot of kitchen amenities (microwave, fridge, a burner, glasses, etc.) and a wood-burning stove - which was much appreciated in this cold November weekend! There's also an AC unit for the summer months. Overall it's a cool place to hang out - but you have not to mind sleeping in the bathroom or on a bench under the window....if it sounds weird, it's because it is! I also have to mention the dozen or so of dead flies by the upstairs window...I didn't mind them but I would understand if some people don't enjoy their company that much. If you decide to go pay a visit to Marcia, the silo is your best bet. The little house where my other friends stayed didn't sound too appetizing, and even rural charm has its limits: the three of them had to share the bed because the couches were covered with mouse excrement.... and it really looked worn out, like an old hunting hut which hasn't known the loving touch of a woman for years. Almost everything was forgotten though the next morning around breakfast which was plentiful, satisfying and filled with the purrs of Simba, the most adorable and social cat we had ever seen..... It is 10 minutes away from Starved Rock State Park and it really makes you forget the hustling and bustling of the city. And Miss Illinois slept there!!! If THAT is not an argument!!!

Beautifully cared for b'n'b with all the charm of days gone by and wonderful breakfast, super…read morefriendly staff

We arrived at 5:30 PM and were greeted immediately at the door. The gentleman who met us (Brian),…read moregave us a full tour of the historic house and grounds - and even played the piano for us! We enjoyed snacks and drinks right outside our room. We sat out on the covered porch on the side of the house and enjoyed the setting sun. In the morning, we were treated to a gourmet breakfast. We stayed in the Carl Vrooman suite; had 3 rooms. One was "standard", with a comfortable bed, the second was a sitting room with Carl's desk and a couch; then a separate bath with clawfoot tub. Everything was very "period". It was quiet, clean, and easy access to restaurants in Bloomington. We bounced a dinner idea off Brian and he heartily agreed - and it was great! Left at 9:00 the next morning, refreshed and happy.

Now this is the way a bed and breakfast should be. Relaxed and cozy and spotless. The host and her…read morehusband interact with the guest during breakfast and they are a pair of the loveliest people you could ever want to meet. I have not enjoyed a more intriguing conversation any where. And its all about being real and acceptance and trying to see the world as someone else's eyes who is from some place totally opposite of your own.

Attended the Friday Night Valentines Day Dinner at Sylvia's Irish Inn. A beautiful Bed and…read moreBreakfast. A beautiful home. The atmosphere was very nice for dinner with a talented violinist for background accompaniment. The food was absolutely delicious. And I got to see an old co-worker, employee and friend. Thanks Ernie and Sylvia for a wonderful evening, for the extra piece of Cheesecake and Flowers for Kathleen.

My stay at The Paper Doll House in Sycamore was utterly Amazing. I could stay there forever!!…read more From the moment you walk in the door, you feel like you are at home. The house is incredibly beautiful and so clean. The food is like eating at a 5 star restaurant. I was blown away. If you want to be pampered, eat amazing food and enjoy some girl time - This is the place you need to be. PERIOD!!

The Paper Doll House was adorable, super organized and the food was beyond excellent. MaryKim…read moreanticipated everything we would need for a relaxing weekend. The crafting area gave us enough space for all of our things (and you know that us scrap bookers have paper in every shade and tons of stuff with us). The meals were so delicious. The desserts were better than any bakery could make! I would highly recommend this hidden gem!

Two night stay while in the area recently. Host was helpful and accommodating. This is a local…read morehotel that has been nicely restored. Rooms (we rented three of their four) were comfortable and quaintly decorated with various local themes. There were room for us to gather and visit in the upstairs television nook and the downstairs parlor. Breakfasts were fresh and delicious both days and we enjoyed our stay.

I stayed here to work in the Village of Forrest IL. The closest standard hotels were in Chenoa or…read morePontiac IL. To stay at Holiday Inn would require additional 50 minutes of drive time. This location only accepts cash or check, no credit cards. I stayed at this property for 2 days. It was very clean and organized. It is a historical building that has been remodeled and to accommodate tourists and business people but to also keep the building historic. The property is owned and operated by the Forrest Historical Society. The preservation of this building was completed by the previous village president who has passed on. His legacy and contribution to this property is on display here. The building is across from the mini railroad track. It was not open while I was there. There is also a hat museum next door. Visitatin is by appointment only. Look for Jerry's Hat Museum of Facebook for more information. WIFI is available and works well. There is an individual bathroom for each of the rooms. Beth took very good care of us while we were there. I chose to cook my own breakfast the first day and there was plenty available to cook. The 2nd day, Beth came at 6:30 in the morning to cook for myself and the other guest (who was from Switzerland). All of food was fresh and excellent. She prepped oatmeal with blueberries and then served with a choice of more blueberries in a sauce or syrup. The coffee choice was above average and would be equivalent to Starbucks. She also served chopped fruit which was fresh, not from a can. There is one TV in the building in a common area but did not turn it on. There is a bar within walking distance but they serve no food. You can get your own beer at the Caseys (within 1/10th of a mile) and use the refrigerator in the kitchen. Restaurants in the area are limited. There is a family restaurant (Eagle's Nest) that has excellent ground beef tacos. Their peak business is during lunch. They are not so busy in the evening. Another choice the Cow Catcher but they close when on vacation, etc. Call before relying on going to eat at this location. You can cook in the hotel kitchen if you wish. But if you don't want to cook at all, then go to either of the restaurants in Forrest or drive to Fairbury which is 7 miles away. Don't drink much as there are local police that patrol the area. Be very careful with this. The whole place is very clean and maintained. They historical society takes a lot of pride on this building. If I had one criticism, it would be there could be more electrical outlets. But the building was built when electricity was used for lights only. I would not want to see them modify this. Just consider that if you pack in 10 devices that need to be charged, you cannot charge them all at once. This was a very good stay and exceeded my expectations.

My boyfriend and I have made our B&B getaways a tradition over the past 9+ years of our…read morerelationship, and we are always on the hunt for just the right spot to recharge and spend quality time together. As the summer season wrapped up on Labor Day weekend, I am so glad I found Thyme for Bed on bedandbreakfast.com when looking for getaways not-too-far from our Chicago home. Bill and Crystal are the new innkeepers at this unique and cozy B&B in the middle of cornfields and far enough away from the city lights that you feel like your in your own little bubbled respite. And when I say bubble, I mean literally, the giant concrete sphere makes that feeling a bit of a unbelievable reality. Upon arrival, Crystal gave us the grand tour of the one-of-a-kind dome, and we got the inside scoop on lots of details about the structure itself. And while we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in the Pheasant Room, we can't wait to go back to enjoy a stay in the Santa Fe-esque "In Your Dreams" Master Suite. The beautiful gem-walled walk-in shower power base bed, and huge jacuzzi was more than enough to convince us. :-) Of course, the down-to-earth hospitality of Bill and Crystal were the icing on the cake. We left feeling like a part of the family, and with bellies full of homemade yogurt parfait, delicious fresh peach topped french toast tartlet, and cinnamon scones lingering in our taste buds.

I am so glad I was able to find Thyme for Bed on Booking! Crystal and Bill were the loveliest…read morehosts- we arrived much later than our check in time as we were in town for a Notre Dame football game. They stayed up until we arrived at 10pm and we chatted with the lovely couple for almost an hour after that- just about life! They were so friendly and easy to talk to, and if we had not been so tired we would have loved to continue talking to them over coffer. We learned a lot of interesting facts about the Dome and that it is the probably the safest place in case of any natural disaster or fire. Our stay was short (just one night) but we would love to come back just to have a more relaxing stay and enjoy the beautiful outdoors around the Dome as well. The room was certainly a fun design and everything was super clean. There was coffee, tea, water, and snacks at the ready right outside our room upstairs, available at any time. We had to wake up and leave pretty early (7AM) the next morning to catch our flight from Chicago and Bill & Crystal both woke up early to see us off. They also made us coffee and orange scones (which were delicious) for the road. We really appreciated their closeness and openness- definitely a must see place and a great B&B. We hope to be back! This is not necessarily a negative but there was ALOT of furniture everywhere. I can see some people not liking this because it does feel as if you are literally in someone else's home- but I thought it made it a little more authentic. The more you got to know the owners, the more fitting it felt.

Beautiful and peaceful retreat. The cabin we rented was dog friendly ($25 additional fee per dog),…read morewhich is perfect because the point of our getaway was to spend time with our corgi and to take her hiking. Check-in was at 4. It was self check-in and super easy. The cabin was clean, and everything was in order. The office was closed by the time we got unloaded so we didn't go. It is open for guests to borrow movies or puzzles or purchase firewood. We met one of the owners the following day. Very friendly and lovely lady! I forgot my hair dryer and she lent me one. There were trees surrounding the cabin area, a swing on the front porch, a grill and picnic table in the backyard, and there is a 2-person jetted tub along with a shower stall inside. It had such a comfortable feel to it. Full kitchen and a table for 4, a small TV and a blu-ray player, and a comfortable full sized bed. The couch was a futon, so if you need another bed, it's ready to go! There was enough space to set up our large crate for our dog. We stayed at the Zonta cabin. Overall, I had such an enjoyable time. Nothing beats waking up early in the morning to some fresh, cool air, the trees swaying gently and a nice stroll with the doggo away from traffic and car horns honking and people hurrying to get to places. I got a lot of peaceful reading time done, about 4 hours' worth of hiking in 2 days, and worked on some puzzles we borrowed from the office. I absolutely recommend this cabin resort for a relaxing getaway!

My friend and I spent two nights recently in one of the smaller cabins, looking for a peaceful,…read morecountry-oriented break from the big city. I'm very happy to report that Kishauwau's cabin fit the bill nicely. Kishauwau is what I've been describing as a cabin development. There are about 15-16 cabins in an area that backs up to the Vermillion River. In fact, the ravines behind some of the cabins are very steep. Anyone with small children will have to keep a close eye on the kids every minute they're out back. The scenery is spectacular, but oh boy, you don't want anyone sliding down that ravine. Our cabin had all the basics we needed -- a double bed, a fold-out futon couch, a big bathtub with a separate shower, and a kitchen stocked with plates, silverware, pots and pans, dishwashing liquid, and more. Every cabin has a outdoor fire ring, a grill, a porch swing, chairs, and a picnic table. The larger cabins had several chairs and tables. We had a TV with a DVD player -- you can borrow DVDs from the plentiful supply in the office building. NO INTERNET! If you can't live without access to instragram, you will be out of luck. So, be sure to plan ahead for ways to entertain yourself. I should also mention that the cabin was spotlessly clean when we arrived. The grounds are neat and well-maintained. The office has simple supplies for sale such as toothpaste, shampoo, etc., along with some snacks and drinks. There is also a small gift shop. I've already recommended Kishauwau to two friends here in Chicago. I'm very happy to recommend it to you, too.

So relaxing and peaceful! Very nice setting amongst farms and small towns. Come to get away from…read morethe hustle of life, breathe deep, enjoy amazing food and play a game of lawn chess.

My friends and I rented out Christina's entire bed and breakfast for a wedding we were attending…read morenearby. House in the Country was the perfect place to stay. The rooms were incredibly comfortable and the breakfast was delicious. It really felt like we were staying with family. She was attentive and thoughtful and provided everything we needed and more.