Victorian Rose Garden Bed & Breakfast

Wow, where do I begin? I can’t imagine a more perfect weekend getaway from Chicago! A good friend and I arrived in Chicago a couple of days early for a training conference. We wanted to experience the outdoor recreational activities in this part of the country, rather than the big city again. The people were friendly, and there was plenty to do. Nearby Crystal Lake Recreational area has lots of outdoor activities. And downtown Crystal Lake and Algonquin were fun to explore, with shopping, hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, sailing, and restaurants!
Boy, did we make the right choice by booking our stay at the Victorian Rose Garden Bed and Breakfast! We arrived to find fresh baked cookies on the kitchen counter, and the smiling and welcoming faces of Sherry and Carolyn. It felt like coming home to Mom’s house, and so unlike checking in to a cold, impersonal hotel.
They had great recommendations for dinner, all within walking distance after a long day of flight delays and travel. We had dinner at Cucina Bella, an amazing Italian restaurant about 2 blocks away. The staff was extremely friendly and inviting, and the food was great. The local patrons were also friendly.
After a great night’s rest, we were treated to an amazing breakfast. I felt like a princess, eating off china, a lace tablecloth, cloth napkins with charming napkin holders. Coffee and fresh baked scones were brought upstairs to a hallway table early in the morning. We sipped orange juice and water from crystal stemware, had fresh cut fruit, baked goods, quiche, sausage, and scones and jam. We felt seriously pampered!
As we headed out to our destination, Crystal Lake, Sherry shared some local activities and events she had researched, knowing that we were looking for outdoor adventures. We rented paddle boards, and walked around Crystal Lake. They also rent sailboats and kayaks, and they have a family friendly beach with lifeguards every 50 feet or so. There are some nice hiking trails around the lake, and there are plans to expand the water activities offered in the near future.
For dinner we went to a restaurant called Port Edward, which is perched along the beautiful Fox River. They had an amazing vocalist playing one hit after another on his guitar. We met so many friendly locals, and the food and drinks were great. Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, a parade of boats lit up for the 25^th anniversary of «Lighting up The Fox came up the river, docked in front of the restaurant, and the boaters joined us in the restaurant.
The next day, we had to say goodbye to our hosts, but we went to the Chicago Botanic Gardens, about 40 minutes away by car. This is not to be missed if you are anywhere nearby. With 26 incredible gardens on 385 acres, it is my new happy place where I like to imagine myself.
I would highly recommend staying at the Victorian Rose Garden Bed and Breakfast, and taking in a relaxing weekend in the area. You will not be disappointed, and you’ll leave feeling recharged and refreshed.

This place is amazing. My wife and I spent two nights here a month before our first baby was born. We felt so relaxed and loved spending time in the city of Algonquin and the B&B itself.
The room was wonderfully tidy and very comfortable to sleep in. There were many unique restaraunts within walking distance, too! The staff was so kind and spent time getting to know us and talking with us over breakfast and really made it feel like home (they also left out fresh baked cookies for us in the evening!).
Both breakfasts we had were creative and delicious. You won’t leave the breakfast table hungry! What was really incredible is the way they catered to my wife’s dietary needs (gluten and dairy free).
We would recommend this B&B a hundred times over. Very glad to have spent a few days at the Victorian Rose Garden.

Great place for cyclists.
My wife and I stayed here one night while riding the Fox River Trail. The B&B’s location couldn’t be better as it is within sight of the bike trail on the one side and within a few blocks of three decent restaurants on the other. Sherry, the Owner and Innkeeper lives on the premises and has done so for 40 years. She has space for overnight bike parking in her large detached garage. The B&B itself is very nicely decorated (if you like Victorian) and our room had a large bathroom attached with a claw-​foot tub. The breakfast in the morning was ready on time and very hearty: eggs benedict. We would definitely return and recommend the Victorian Rose Garden to anyone needing to stay in or near Algonquin.

What a beautiful B&B! We came here for one night and enjoyed the quiet, elegant room, unexpected special touches and the warm welcome of a delightful innkeeper (Sherry). When we arrived, we were invited to enjoy homemade shortbread cookies and a stocked refrigerator of soft drinks and water. After relaxing a bit, we headed out to dinner and returned to find our wine (which we brought along) in a chilled pouch on a tray with two wine glasses. Our bed had been turned down as well. Sherry had discussed what time we preferred breakfast. We opted for nine o’ clock. She offered to prepare a tray with coffee and ‘something to hold us over until breakfast’ and we gladly accepted. Sure enough, when we woke up around seven, a tray with coffee and scones was waiting outside our door. She had also asked what we preferred for breakfast and as we came down we were treated to fresh fruit, coffee and eggs Benedict and wonderful conversation with both Sherry and her friend Carolyn (who prepared our meal and the cookies from the day before). While it was only one night, we felt as if we were far away (rather than just 45 min) from home and left refreshed by the peace, quiet and pampering by our host. You cannot go wrong if you choose to stay here and we plan to be back often!

This was my first experience with a B&B. Really enjoyed the experience. We were on a golf outing and wanted to stay someplace different. This was like staying with a family member. Room was very comfortable. The house was very accommodating and relaxing. We have friends that live in the area that we met for dinner. Afterwards we went for a walk in the «downtown» area and came back to the house to visit. Spent a nice evening on the back porch chatting and visiting. The breakfast was very good! We would definitely recommend this place for an overnight excursion!

The Victorian Rose Garden is the definition of perfection for a B & B: gorgeous setting, delightfully comfortable rooms, gracious host, sumptuous breakfast, all in a community offering charm and fun. Our women’s cycle group, The Divas, spent an idyllic weekend at the inn… enjoying the excellent black-​topped bike path, the luxurious Woodhouse Spa, and Martinis on Main and Bella Cucina, for our dining. We loved that we could park our cars for the duration, and easily walk to each location. Sherry offered perfect hospitality from reservation through to checkout. We utilized every nook, porch and parlor, for games, conversation, laughter and friendship. Add the Victorian Rose Garden to your «don’t miss» list!

Charming, clean, friendly bed and breakfast in a great area. Owner is a gem and her cookies are to die for!

Lovely bed and breakfast, wonderful, welcoming owner, great price, great town, you won’t be dissapointed!

We flew in for an unplanned business trip at 5 pm on Monday and needed to find a place to stay for one night. Not being a huge fan of medium chains, we called the Victorian Rose and Garden Bed & Breakfast. The phone goes directly to the owner Sherry Brewer. She not only provided us with charming accommodations, but she picked us up at the hotel, delivered us to an open restaurant, and made sure our room was in perfect condition for our arrival.
This bed and breakfast is in a charming area with restaurants nearby — quite a surprise after driving through an area full of chain restaurants and generic stores, then through a suburban neighborhood, finally arriving in what appears to be a little village. The house dates to the late 1800s.
The King sized «Presidential Suite» is great — plenty of room, comfortable bed, claw foot tub and separate shower. There is wifi (free).
Doubt I’ll find myself in this neck of the woods again, but if I do, I’d stay here in a heartbeat.