Published: November 29, 2008 11:42 pm         

Vintage Inn Bed and Breakfast in Alva sets big grand opening

Vintage Inn Bed and Breakfast in Alva is gearing up for its big grand opening 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Dec. 7 .

Sisters and owners of Vintage Inn, Lori Kraft and Sherri Garroutte, have been decorating for the Christmas-themed grand opening for more than six weeks.

“Don’t miss a once-in-a-lifetime Victorian Christmas,” said Kraft.

The grand opening will provide a time for visitors to get a tour of the home for $7. Part of the proceeds from tour tickets are going to Northwest Domestic Crisis Services in Alva.

The grand opening also will include Northwestern Okla-homa State University choirs.

“The Northwest-ern vocal department will be out here singing for the grand opening,” said Lori.

Refreshments will be served during the tours.

“There is a lot of pride,” said Kraft. “We have worked very hard.”

If anyone is unable to make the grand opening, Vintage Inn will be open for tours 2 to 7 p.m. every Sunday in December and through the second Sunday in January.

“It is a house that needs to be shared with everyone,” said Kraft.

Vintage Inn is a three-story, 6,300 square foot Victorian home built by George Crowell in 1906.

Legend has it Crowell wanted to build the biggest house in Alva, so when he constructed the house in 1906 he succeeded — for about a year — until another man built a slightly larger house on the west side of town.

Crowell brought in an Italian artist, who was charged with scrolling in gold leaf on the walls and ceilings on the first floor and up the stairs. All the wood and the tile roofing for the house was shipped in from Kansas. Crowell also had several chandeliers shipped in from Europe. Crowell took copper from a bank in Kansas and installed it in two of the rooms.

The home still displays many of the original beauty Crowell installed, including the scrolling, woodwork, tile roofing, European chandeliers and copper ceiling.

The home also boasts hand-carved, Corinthian columns and the original lead-cut crystal entryway.

Vintage Inn tours will give guests the opportunity to view the beauty of the home and the amenities available for guests to enjoy. There are four guest rooms on the second floor and one on the third.

“Each room has its own theme,” said Kraft.

The rooms on the second floor are the Vintage Inn Master Suite, Candlelight Room, English Rose Room and Cappuc-cino Room.

The third floor is one private suite, called the Washington Room.

Vintage Inn Master Suite is described as the most regal room in the bed and breakfast. The suite has a Victorian king- sized bed, a private sitting room with a fireplace and is decorated in burgundy and gold.

Candlelight Room has a queen-sized French Rococo bed in Queen Ann blues and creams. The room also has a fireplace.

“English Rose” Room is a green-striped room with a king- sized bed and an adjoining private bathroom with an antique claw tub.

Cappuccino Room is decorated in light chocolate. The room has an 1875 Victorian full-sized bed with a nine foot headboard and a dresser with white marble.

Washington Room has an antique full-sized brass bed with an adjoining sitting room with a couch and high-back wing chairs.

All of the rooms have fine linens on the beds.

“All of the sheets are luxury linens and are freshly ironed when you crawl in,” said Kraft.

Besides the guest rooms the first floor of the house has several common rooms.

The first floor features a den, east parlor, west Victorian sitting parlor, Victorian dining room, sun room, formal dining room, formal bathroom, kitchen with a butler’s pantry and a servant’s staircase and breakfast nook.

“One of the cool things about this is a weekend get- away,” said Sherri, “This is a place where you can pamper yourself for a day or two.”

Garroutte and Kraft hope to soon have a bakery in addition to the home.

Vintage Inn will serve breakfast to guests in the formal dinning room each morning. Breakfast will include a variety of hot baked items. Homemade breakfast items include quiche, cinnamon rolls, eggs, bacon, ham, biscuits and gravy, blueberry strudel, fresh fruit and Belgian waffles.

“This house represents everything we love,” said Garroutte. “We have always loved Christmas, Victorian, antiques and cooking.”

Garroutte and Kraft also hope guests will check out Vintage House Restaurant, owned by Lori Kraft and her husband, Kevin. It’s located in Burlington, approximately 15 minutes from the bed and breakfast.

Vintage Inn offers spa services, limousine, shuttle and catering services by request. Vintage Inn also is offering a special package for guests that include special beverages, chocolate-dipped strawberries and roses in the room when the guest arrive.

“People have already booked the special package for Valentine’s Day,” said Garroutte.

The inn can be booked for special events, as well.

“We do rentals for private portraits, bridal and engagement photos, special occasions, wedding and family reunions,” said Garroutte.

Garroutte and Kraft hope Vintage Inn also will attract people to Alva and northwest Oklahoma.

“People think there is nothing to do here, but there is everything,” said Kraft, “It is a diamond in the rough.”

Kraft pointed out there are many unique shops around the Alva downtown square, as well as many short trips in the area.

“There are plenty of excursions people can go out to, including Salt Plains, Little Sahara and Alabaster Caverns. There are so many treasures out here,” said Kraft, “We have to bring people out here to see them. There are so many hidden treasures out here in northwest Oklahoma.”

Garroutte and Kraft also hope Vintage Inn will attract attention from across the state and the nation.

“We don’t only want to bring people in from Oklahoma but from all across the nation,” said Kraft.

“Discover Oklahoma” will be airing segments about Vintage House and Vintage Inn 6 p.m. Dec. 6 on Channel 9.

Vintage Inn is located at 801 Flynn in Alva and is approximately 80 miles from Enid. For information call (580) 327-4100.