Chimney Hill Estate Inn is located in Lambertville, New Jersey, which is just across the Delaware River from Pennsylvania. The historic property is a great home base for those who want to enjoy outdoor activities, antique shopping, history, and the arts. Terry and Richard Anderson own and run the inn, in addition to running a working farm. Terry took a few minutes to share with us what makes her inn and her area so special; please read on for the interview.
1. What do you enjoy most about being an innkeeper?
Rich and I enjoy meeting great folks from around the world. They are always fun, have many thoughts to share, and are looking for some interaction with us.
2. How long have you been an innkeeper?
Since 1994.
3. What was your inspiration for your creating your inn? Did you have a certain vision for it?
We so enjoyed traveling, and part of the journey was the inn we would choose. We really desired to do something special in our lives, so the opportunity to have an inn seemed perfect. Our lovely inn was started before we came as owners. But once we arrived, we had many visions of this beautiful 8.5 acre estate as an excellent location for weddings, team-building retreats, couples getaways, and so much more. The ideas and opportunities are endless. It is such a great feeling to host a very special event for folks and make all their dreams come true. Our vision was that of a “living Hallmark card” where our guests would just feel the wow of coming up to Chimney Hill Estate and “experiencing the magic.”
4. Why did you choose this inn and this city?
Lambertville and New Hope are at Bucks County, Pennsylvania (editor’s note: Lambertville is directly across the Delaware River from New Hope, Pennsylvania). It’s very popular and very historic. Washington Crossing is just minutes away. We have such rich history combined with amazing theater, musicians, and restaurants. It is a Mecca for art and antique shoppers—there’s so much to do here. The location was perfect for every type of guest we could want!
5. What sets your B&B apart from others?
Chimney Hill Estate Inn sits upon 8.5 acres of what was a one-time prestigious estate property of Edgar Hunt. Margaret Spencer, the first woman architect and graduate from MIT, was commissioned to design and build the stone front of this home. We also raise and breed alpaca and llama here as part of our working farm. Many of our guests love to visit us and look forward to meeting the alpacas! We are a Diamond Collection property for Bedandbreakfast.com. We enjoy taking care of our guests and making them feel like part of our family. We have been the cover Inn of Country Inn Magazine and featured in many magazines as well as New Jersey tourism commercials.
6. Why do you think travelers should choose B&Bs over hotels?
Bed and breakfasts are unique and memorable to our guests. They find delicious and unexpected delights at breakfast. They enjoy the human touch and kindness we show them. They experience the area in a way they will always remember.
7. Does your B&B have any special history?
The historic estate was built in 1820. The original two-story farmhouse was expanded in 1927. The grounds occupy the site very close to where George Washington surveyed the Delaware River in the winter of 1776. The expansion was done to create a summer retreat for international attorney Edgar Hunt. He hired Margaret Spencer, one of MIT's first female architecture graduates, to design an addition featuring two stone wings.
The house is accented with hand-stenciled trim, raised paneling, and wide-plank floors. There are plenty of nooks and crannies throughout the home that reflect architectural elements from the 19th century. For more information, visit the About Us section of our website.
8. What makes your town worth visiting—are there any interesting local attractions or activities?
Lambertville and New Hope are towns that reside on the Delaware River. There is hiking, biking, antiquing at the Golden Nugget Flea Market, theater at the famous Bucks County Theater, fine dining in each town, art and antique shops, and Bowman’s Wildflower Preserve. From George Washington to the Marx Brothers, New Hope and Lambertville are famous and continue to be well visited!
9. Do you have any food specialties?
We love to make special breakfasts; some of those are pumpkin French toast strata, sausage, egg and cheese strata, delicious homemade waffles and pancakes, fluffy cheese omelets, baked apples and baked peaches, heavenly bananas, and more!
10. Do you have any special offers coming up?
We have a wonderful selection of specials and packages. We have a sign-up section on our website’s homepage for this purpose (visit this link and look for the email submission form toward the bottom). Every month we send out a special for return guests and some are very well priced!