The Freshest Bed and Breakfast

Staying at a bed and breakfast always sounds like a romantic notion but I’ve found that its decor rarely supports the theory. In search of a B&B in New Hope, PA for a recent getaway weekend, the options all looked Victorian-charming on the outside, but like Granny’s quarters on the inside. Then I came across Porches on the Towpath. No quilts, no wooden ducks, and no doily-knit bed skirts—this bed and breakfast was the perfect marriage of sophisticated and cozy.

Staying here felt like you got the keys to a friend’s country house for the weekend. And the owner John Neville Byers’ passion for collecting makes the space feel loved and lived in. Byers has always been avid collector and can’t help but shop for the B&B. “I have a side table for a room that I don’t even have yet,” says Byers. Porches is decorated down to the desk accessories but to keep things fresh he believes decorating “is all about having a closet full of treasures and pulling them out when you need them.” I love the fact that he has three storage units and uses them as constant reference of inspiration for the B&B.

There are 12 rooms on the property, each one completely distinct and lovely. The prices are all incredibly reasonable with rates as low as $105 for a room in main house and as high as $250 for the carriage house on weekends. And no matter where you stay or what you pay, the entire experience at Porches is one well-spent.