Gold’s Bed and Breakfast

The Golds’ Bed and Breakfast in the Champaign, IL area, has, for almost ten years, been my favorite place to stay when visiting Chapaign-​Urbana or Bloomington. The B and B, which is a farmhouse sitting on the edge of a field, is quiet, calming and restful. The host and hostess are friendly and welcoming. The house itself is delightful. And the prices are reasonable.
The B and B has three bedrooms. These bedrooms are on the second floor of a large, turn of the century farmhouse. One bedroom has its own bathroom. All bedrooms share the shower in the hall bathroom. Beds are comfortable and antique, with, in many cases, hand-​made quilts and covers. Each room has a fine, unobstructed view of the flat fields surrounding the house. Windows open, so that you can sleep in the fresh outside air. Privacy is adequate, because sound does not carry from room to room on the second floor.
The house is populated with solid wood furniture throughout, from buffets to chest of drawers, and the dining room table itself. The farmhouse has the feel of being filled with country antiques. Downstairs is the living room, dining room, kitchen, and two, or maybe three bedrooms that the Golds use for themselves and for the grandchildren, when the grandchildren visit. Guests can watch TV or read the paper in either the living room or the dining room.
Breakfast is continental style, with fresh fruit, muffins (these are somewhat sweet for my taste), individual sized boxes of Kellog’s type cold cereal, toast, coffee, tea, milk and orange juice. You can eat as much as you need to start the day.
There is also quite a bit of porch space, some of it wrap-​around that is mostly for the Gold’s use, whereas the sizable, open front porch is basically for the private use of the guests. (If the grandchildren are visiting, they may be camping in a tent behind the kitchen, out of sight but within earshot of the porch.) The porch is a great place to sit and unwind in the late evening, before turning in.
Prices are inexpensive. However, aside from what I have described above, there are no additional services or amenities. On the one hand, the Golds are not in the business to make a lot of money. On the other hand, they are very much the B and B that opens the family house, as is, and which invites others to enjoy their space and their hospitality. The Golds are not trying to run a hotel, nor do they wish to. The original B and B’s were run according to this model, examples of which are hard to find nowadays. The Golds adhere to the model, and that suits my needs well.
The B and B often has space available, but do call to check with the Golds about availability for specific dates. Occasionally there is a wedding party or other small group that reserves the bedrooms for a night or two. Speaking of reservations, reservations are made verbally, on the honor system. Guests are expected to contact the Golds with any cancellations or plan changes, just as they would contact a host who has invited them for a visit and a stay. There is no deposit taken on a credit card to hold a reservation. The change and cancellation policies are liberal, but guests are expected to behave in good faith, as if they truly were invited guests of the Gold family.
The B and B is easily visible from Prairie View Road, but only in the daytime. If your first visit to the property is at night, you will not be able to see the house. In fact, at night it is hard to imagine any kind of structure being there, certainly not an imposing farmhouse. A quick phone call to the Golds, if necessary, will help you find the house at night.
The B and B is close to one of the Illinois State nature preserves, which is called Lake of the Woods. Lake of the Woods is worth a visit. Restaurants in the town and near the highway exit are what one would expect for a small country town. They are not interesting, but they do the job.
Champaign is ten miles East. Bloomington is about thirty miles West. Both towns are straight shots down I-​74.
I recommend the Golds’ Bed and Breakfast for those who want a peaceful stay in a quiet country setting, with easy access to Champaign and Bloomington. Guests will be treated, and are expected to behave, as if they were invited guests, rather than paying customers who expect specific services. Prices are reasonable. Golds’ Bed and Breakfast is excellent.