Shakespeare Chateau B&B could inspire the scribe himself
I feel like I’m becoming a bed and breakfast inn aficionado. We recently stayed at our third B&B in the past year – the Shakespeare Chateau in St. Joseph, Missouri.
As with the others, we had an enjoyable stay.
The Shakespeare Chateau Inn and Gardens is located along St. Joe’s famed “Millionaires’ Row,” near downtown. This is the area where the city’s wealthiest residents loved in the early days. The home was built by Nathan P. and Elmarine Ogden.
Today, the home is owned by Isobel, who bought it 2012 and operates as the innkeeper. Her love for the chateau is obvious, as she takes guests on tours. She explains what the house looked like previously and discusses the renovations she had to make to bring the chateau to life.
The dining room basically had to be gutted because of water damage. She used designs that would make the room appear as closely as possible to its original appearance.
The parlor is home to a fantastic stained glass display featuring the Greek Goddess Athena.
The mansion has 47 stained glass windows. It may be one of the largest collections of stained glass windows in a private home.
The stairway has great artwork.
The stairs’ landing has an exquisite stained glass display.
Our room was very nice. We stayed in the “Twelfth Night” suite. Each suite is named after a William Shakespeare play.
The room was decorated with era-appropriate accessories. We had a fireplace that was adorned with a painting over it, as well as floral decoration.
The bed was quite comfortable. That came in handy after a very busy day. The fact that you were comfortable as soon as you lay down, contributed to a great night’s rest.
A complimentary gourmet breakfast is served in the dining room. Baked French toast, sausage and a bowl of fresh fruit awaited us.
We were fortunate to share breakfast with three couples from the Kansas City metro area. It was great getting to know everyone. We each learned about the others’ reasons for visiting St. Joe and staying at the Shakespeare. Two couples were there for anniversary celebrations and the third for a weekend getaway.
It was a bit humorous that most of us had plans to visit the Glore Psychiatric Museum over the weekend. We learned about some other attractions to check out in St. Joe, as well as Kansas City. We were also able to advise the others on places to check out, including Il Lazzarone Pizzeria and Foster’s Martini Bar.
The Shakespeare Chateau will be high on our list for potential anniversary celebrations in the future. But, don’t wait for a special occasion; it would be a fun place to stay whenever in the area. We recommend the bed and breakfast for a great stay.
A side note: should you leave something important in your room by chance, such as a pair of glasses, you may receive a call from Isobel. We were fortunate we weren’t halfway to Omaha when someone realized she left glasses in the room (I’m not saying it was you, Lisa).
Disclaimer: Thanks to the St. Joseph Visitors Bureau and the Shakespeare Chateau for the complimentary stay. However, all opinions and views are ours