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Chicago Pike Inn I’m going to share a dirty little secret with you: When it comes to cleaning, I can be a bit obsessive-compulsive. The demands of a full-time job, freelance assignments, motherhood and home ownership have prevented me from indulging my tendencies as much in recent years. But there are few who appreciate as much as I the gentle scent of lemon Pledge or the graceful lines a vacuum leaves in carpet. Perhaps this will impart the proper gravity when I tell you that I was floored by the Chicago Pike Inn. It gleams. This is no small feat for such a place. The turn-of-the-century mansion has beamed ceilings, a broad wooden staircase with carved spindles, a long built-in buffet, ornate wainscoting and shelves on every wall bearing tasteful ornamentation. There is a small forest in the floors, trim and crown molding alone. Yet not one speck of dust. Believe me, I looked. I rejoiced in the high standards, which extended to all aspects of our stay. The Chicago Pike is a first-rate experience. Don’t let the name fool you. The Chicago Pike Inn is in Coldwater, Michigan, just north of Angola. The impressive yellow structure is impossible to miss on Chicago Street just off Interstate 69. Set back on a large shady lot complete with gazebo, it exemplifies Victorian grace and wealth. The mansion was built in 1903 as the home of Morris Clarke; his wife, Margaret; their sons Charles and Edwin (Ned); and their daughter, Sophia. Clarke, owner of a thriving mercantile in Coldwater, hired Asbury Buckley, the Chicago architect of many homes on Mackinac Island, to design the grand building. A large porch wraps around the front of the house. A portico extends off the side, and a refurbished carriage house in back contains two new Jacuzzi suites. Inside the home, it’s hard to know where to look first. End-cut parquet floors stretch far and wide, through the bright floral library, into the vast reception area and beyond to the dining room with massive wooden table and built-in buffet. Everything is wrapped in cherry wood. Most impressive is the staircase leading up to a landing that stretches across the back of the house. An enormous, multi-panel stained glass window made in Kokomo towers over a long window seat covered with cushions and plump pillows. From there, the staircase splits, ending at a central hall where five large rooms and suites chock-full of tasteful antiques branch off to all sides of the home. Each is lovely in a different way, but the crown jewel upstairs is Miss Sophia’s suite, including a sitting room with period sofa and fireplace and a spacious bedroom with carved walnut bed, a window seat and other antique furnishings. The Clarkes’ room on the first floor is equally beautiful and vast, featuring a lace-covered canopy bed and weighty armoire. Managing the lovely Chicago Pike is a family affair. The inn has been owned and operated by Harold and Jane Schultz since 1988. Their daughter, Becky, is the innkeeper. She greeted us at the door along with her niece, Katie Willard, who had just baked for us a plate of cookies. After settling our bill and showing us to our room, Becky left us to our own devices. We returned downstairs to investigate the restaurant listings in the library, catching Katie diligently scrubbing the reception table. After dinner, we found staffer Margie Brock vacuuming the Oriental rugs throughout the first floor. Clearly it’s more than a wiggle of the nose a la “Bewitched” that makes the Chicago Pike sparkle. (My hopes for an easy answer to domestic perfection were dashed.) We retired for a sound night’s sleep, easy to come by in the comfortable and peaceful inn. Waking up was made less unpleasant by a supply of hot tea and coffee on the antique buffet in the upstairs hall. Breakfast downstairs suited my sweet tooth: Rather than the typical egg casserole, Chef Debbie Badders was successfully experimenting with crepe-like apple pancakes. We also indulged in fresh cinnamon rolls and frosty apricots topped by frozen cream. I skipped the sausage and went straight for the syrup. Everyone dines together on weekends, so we had the pleasure of chatting with a mother and son on their way to visit Hillsdale College. One of the best parts of the bed-and-breakfast experience is meeting such interesting, witty and intelligent fellow travelers, even if just for an hour. They were soon on their way, and we had loafed about soaking up the grandeur as long as we reasonably could, so we returned to our room to pack our bags. As we climbed the stairs, we could hear voices at the end of the hall; already, the women were hard at work stripping sheets and cleaning the bath in the other room. The effort involved in maintaining such a magnificent old structure is no secret. But if cleanliness is next to godliness, this inn is a heavenly choice. This is lake country Coldwater, Michigan, is just 18 miles north of Angola on Interstate 69. Many summer visitors to the Chicago Pike stay after spending the day with friends who have cottages on a lake there or on Coldwater Lake. (Coldwater Lake Marina is a short drive from the inn.) Make a picturesque day on the lake complete by packing a picnic and visiting Satek Winery, just east of I-69 from the Prime Outlet Mall exit in Fremont. The friendly experts in their tasting room, open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, will offer samples and suggestions until you find the perfect bottle to accompany your dinner at a table on their lawn. Water, wine and a wonderful inn – summer doesn’t get much sweeter. The Chicago Pike Inn 215 E. Chicago St. Coldwater, Michigan, 49036 1-800-471-0501 www.chicagopikeinn.com Check-in time: 3 p.m. Check-out time: noon Rates: $100-$195 per night; special weekday rates for business travelers. Satek Winery www.satekwinery.com Coldwater Lake Marina 1-517-238-2777 |
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