|
"The Well-Hidden Traveler" at Port Hope, Ontario, Canada
The Hillcrest Port Hope is worth the stop for its collection of antique and specialty shops clustered around the town center. Lee Caswell Antiques Ltd. (68 Walton Street) was formal and our choice for a small purchase, but we also enjoyed browsing other shops for country, junky clutter, and new items with designs to inspire indoor and outdoor decorating. A bed and breakfast located in an 1870s mansion with views of Lake Ontario welcomes the traveler. | |
|
"The Georgians and Victorians liked to control nature and display their wealth, and well-clipped hedges and topiary met both objectives." (Color by Design, Nori and Sandra Pope) Hillcrest is a lovely house, with touches of both periods, and delightfully appropriate grounds. During our stay at Hillcrest, a gardener and his assistant were clipping, shaping, and sweeping nature into submission. The result is a garden which, although not large, surpasses most of the renowned public gardens you may visit on your journey. This is a wonderful garden. In the evening, or (even better) on a cool morning, this is a garden experience to treasure. |
| It's not unusual to be informed of the house rules when arriving at a bed & breakfast. Like the gardens, you will get a gentle shaping upon your arrival at Hillcrest. Be of good cheer. Your hostess will be much more relaxed and less intimidating when you find her in the garden before breakfast the following morning. | |
 The breakfast room view makes up for the really ordinary food. Especially on a clear morning, it's bright and cheery, and you'll want to linger over coffee.   ��� | |
