Ashford Manor, Watkinsville, GA

Originally published May 7, 2008

Many people who even live in bigger cities like Atlanta have never heard of Watkinsville, Georgia before. To the folks who live in Watkinsville, that's probably just as well. Watkinsville is a tiny town one hour east of Atlanta and very nearby the college town of Athens, Georgia. The Ashford Manor Bed & Breakfast is a very particularly appointed property located in Watkinsville. Set to the backdrop of a historic, Victorian Manor home, this property which was constructed in 1893 has actually been a part of the same family for more than 100 years. With that in mind you can expect only the best in terms of service, care, and attention to detail when you are staying at Ashford Manor as people have for generations.

One of the really nice things about Watkinsville as a town and Ashford Manor in large part is the fact that you never feel the stresses of modern life. Granted, you could be to Athens in 15 minutes; you could be cruising the Atlanta highways in only a little bit longer; but the real deal is that while many people who live in Watkinsville commute through these areas daily or shop in these cities regularly; people who truly live in Watkinsville and appreciate all that it has to offer are not terribly concerned, nor is there any great imposition for them to acknowledge these facts. In fact, the website of The Ashford Manor Bed & Breakfast puts it plainly and simply when they say that they "like to think of (themselves) as the best kept secret in Georgia." In other words, despite everything that the rest of the Peach State has to offer, it all pales cast against the joys of The Ashford Manor.

While some native city folk may feel uncomfortable in places like Watkinsville, they more likely just need the ringing in their head to subside. One of the rarely admitted truths about a vast majority of city folk is that they were at one time small townies themselves. The city makes you harsh and rigid and guarded; if these same individuals were able to drop their defenses they may be able to really enjoy all of the vast wonders that a place like Watkinsville and The Ashford Manor Bed & Breakfast has to offer.

In the town itself you can find art galleries, antique shops, other folk talent persuasions, and a vast array of endeavors which can satisfy even the most curious. At the Manor House there is a carefully manicured garden of magnolias, pine, red buds, and much more which brings back the experience of just being home and away from everything and at peace within yourself.

The rooms as they are when you visit The Ashford Manor house are individual indeed. They are trimmed in only the finest, poster beds, dedicated phone lines, private baths, cable TV, wireless internet, and much more. All the history found in this home and in these rooms is very well represented; it is a humbling experience indeed to reflect on this fact.

Sleep at the Ashford Manor was one of the most unremarkable things about the whole trip; literally, nothing happened overnight and we could not have been more at peace. While there are some who need the constant buzz and hum of activity and life to get comfortable, these folks should probably not visit the Ashford Manor Bed and Breakfast as there is none of that to speak of.

Once you have awoken from your peaceful slumber at The Ashford Manor you need to be treated to the second half of your stay; the Breakfast. Make your way at your leisure to their elegant and refined dining area which lies before you in full splendor on the main level of the property. The day that I visited they served a crème brule French toast which was truly decadent. Following that up was a fresh fruit plate, juice and coffee.

It is easy to get swept up in all that history in a building as old as The Ashford Manor Bed & Breakfast. As I sat there, gazing heavenward, I couldn't help but think that life's secret riddles were calling out to me from the generations who'd lived there before. I listened closely but at the end of the meal at the beginning of the day the only thing that I could render was my own heart sighing and singing and beating content.

Sitting there in these decadent dining rooms with these long tables and high backed wood chairs, one can't help being swept up in all the history which surrounds you.