Testimonials
"Dear Sara, The conversations and company were wonderful. I was happy to afford you the opportunity to mix it up with us, and grateful, on my part, for stimulating dialogue. Fan House is calming and welcoming, in no small part to your careful design sense. Thanks for making the stay so lovely."
- Linda
"We absolutely loved the Fan House B&B in Barnard! It was one of the most lovely places we've ever stayed in, and it made our stay very special. "
- MP
"Dear Sara, We made it home last night. How strange to be in the rolling hills of Vermont and only hours later in LA! Thanks very much; you place is neat. But, your friends were even neater. Sorry I couldn't talk more with Jack-is he up? The Sugarbush place was neat as well-a real hands-on factory. I will return."
- More later Tom
"Dear Sara, Just a brief note to say that we had a delightful time at the Fan House. You were a very gracious hostess. We hope to see you again sometime. Have a great winter."
- Best regards, Laurie and Joe
"Susan and I enjoyed our stay very much. I made a brief post on my blog, here: http://wideruin.blogspot.com/2006/10/fan-house.html
While returning to Massachusetts, we discussed how nice it might be to return to The Fan House when there is snow on the ground and we can snowshoe. "
- best regards, Peter
"Great! Actually, my dad is a diabetic so the savories will be better than the sweets for him. I'll send the check but being a holiday weekend, it won't go out until Tuesday. I told my parents that staying in your home will be the highlight of their trip. It was best part of our trip! Hopefully we will get back up to see you in the next couple of years."
- Take care, Cyndi
"Sara, We're back on the home front in one piece. John ended up driving the entire journey on Sunday. Stopping at a motel would have been such a let down after the delight of Fan House so we opted for home instead. It took a couple of days for me to recover from sitting so long in a car but I feel agile again. I had a chat with your Katie. She seemed pleased that we were so smitten with the trip. I must tell you one more time how much we loved our stay with you. Fan House is such wonderful place but you are the leavening that makes the experience so special. No one could possibly fill your shoes as a hostess. Thank you for your warmth, your caring, your generous hospitality and for making us feel like instant members of your family! Your daughters are so blessed to have you for a mom! We'll be back for sure.
Have a great California episode. The contrast between the Bel Aire Hotel and Fan House is staggering. I'll take Fan House any day but I guess we need variety in this man's world so we can truly appreciate what we love best
We'll stay in touch I hope. And we'll see you in Akron in April."
- Hugs, Betty and John
"Dear Sara, We were thinking of you recently and remembering our delightful stay at the Fan House last November. So we thought we'd drop you quick line to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. We have fond memories of your beautiful home and your wonderful breakfasts - in fact, thanks to you pancakes and maple syrup have become the celebratory breakfast of choice in our part of London!"
- All best wishes, Deborah and Paul
"HI Sara, I had intended to send you an email recommending that you eat the cheese! Just before leaving you, I thought not to forget the cheese but then, naturally, I did. I was so looking forward to tasting real Vermont cheddar that had been aged 57 months (or something to that effect). In California we get cheddar that's been aged 5 minutes. Please eat the cheese if you haven't done so already - it's our gift to you. Next time we visit Vermont and the Fan House, we'll celebrate with its replacement. We loved our stay with you and especially thank you for inviting us to meet your friends at your dinner party. What a wonderful group you are - I can see why you love living where you do."
- Best, Ellen
"Dear Sara, I've been meaning to write you. I had such a wonderful, relaxing time at your Inn. The place itself is charming and comfortable, but your company (meaning you!) made all the difference. I really enjoyed getting to know you a bit and appreciated your making me feel at home. I need to tell you, too, that although all the food was delicious, the best breakfast was the bacon and eggs, peaches, homemade blueberry muffins and fresh coffee - fabulous. What kind of eggs were they? Shirred? Anyway, the whole experience was a delight, even meeting the other guests. Although I won't be up again anytime soon, I'll enjoy thinking about and planning time for my next visit. Hope you are enjoying the last of summer before it fades entirely."
- Best, Susan
"Hi Sara, I wanted to thank you for the wonderful stay at the Fan House. Tony and I really enjoyed our room and the daily delicious breakfasts (and heavenly coffee)! We can't wait to make your cheese soufflé at home, so could you please email us the recipe. I'm sure I will not be able to replicate it to your perfection, so we will have to make another trip to the Fan House in the future."
"Sara, Thanks for another great stay in your home! We look forward to next summer."
- Gary, Vivian and Lucy.
"Dear Sara, What a great visit we had with you this past weekend! We wanted to thank you again for your wonderful hospitality and delicious breakfasts. All three of us agreed that we wished we could have stayed longer. Coming back to Palm Springs we were greeted by 114 degree heat. It was quite a shock. Let us know if you are planning a trip to California or to Italy; we would be happy to give you hospitality."
- Take care, Loving greetings, Caterina, Allegra and Monireh
"We had a wonderful time at the Fan House. Thank you for welcoming all of us and making us feel at home from the minute we stepped through the door"
- Warm wishes, Mimi
"Something in your graciousness to strangers is a rare gift. You go well beyond the perfunctory warmth of a practiced hotelier. You have a way of making people feel enjoyed that will serve you well. It's a pleasure to watch you open the door on a well-visited weekend. I think we both had a sneaky wish that the two of us could head up the stairs to our room. The house is magical in its comfy grandeur and it's only right that its bedrooms confer a mythical deep and restorative sleep. Don't be surprised if I or we appear at our doorstep some evening with our toothbrushes."
- Love Margaret and David, Fan House dinner guests
"Thank you so much for everything. Your inn is beautiful and you are a great host."
- Julie and Mark
Thanks for a lovely stay. Your home is enchanting.
- Betty Lou and Joe
"Hello Sara,
Missed you, The Fan House and especially "our room" as soon as we went around the corner on Rt. 12. Thank you for a special visit to The Fan House. We enjoyed every minute. You added a very joyous spirit to our stay at the Fan House. You are a very gracious, generous hostess and we love you for this attribute among others. Now home and wishing we were back in Barnard. Lucky you!"
- Love, Joe and Fran
"Warm, heartfelt thanks for a truly wonderful stay.
Your simple, beautiful home is very special and so are you.
All the best to you always."
- Mimi and Jerry
"A belated thank you note for a perfect weekend. you have a magnificent place and I will let friends know when they talk about vacations. But it's your personality and generosity and spirit and laughter and love that really makes it work. The fireplace is mezmerizing and inspirational. I wrote 6,000 words in two days. Need to get there more often! "
- Jim, Staten Island, New York
"Thanks so much for having us as your guests. The four of us all enjoyed our stay immensely, and look foward both to recommending and returning to The Fan House."
- Sara, Boston, MA
"Perhaps we can keep in touch, and maybe if there is still some good snow up there in the end of February we'll make a trip up. I know for certain that we are planning another fall trip up North and would love to make arrangements to stay at The Fan House again.
- Alexander, Connecticut
"Dear Sara,
What a ride we had. Vermont>New Hampshire>Massachusetts>Pennsylvania. We drove 3500 miles in 16 days. Absent the fine details, let me just say we did catch the brilliant leaves in NH, especially along 112 and in the Franconia State Park. We visited the Robert Frost House nearby, so satisfied even that interest.
Nothing along our great and glorious way could trump the Fan House Inn for hospitality, so generous was your welcome, your presence, your accommodations. Ann and I are novices concerning the B&B experience, and yet I cannot imagine a more gracious home away from home. Thanks to your attentive reservation that we sought at the last minute, we greatly enjoyed as well our evening of fine dining. Mostly, though, you just being you made all the difference. Always a pleasure to find someone who's found her calling from life and so willing to share it with others. We will be back. Keep us posted on that farm house for sell. Ya never know when we may tire of the drought here and want for cooler climate. No "mud season" could possibly detract from the grand view that is Vermont. So I make the poem below (and attached, to preserve the format)."
( click here to read poem. )
- Lar W., Homewood, Alabama
"How are you? Staying at the Fan House was such a memorable wrap-up to my US visit. I enjoyed your lovely house and your wonderful company. What I learned most from you is how to have a fulfilling life living on your own. The pictures have come out so well and I am sending you the first one. It seems to take forever on my computer. I will send you the others one by one. My return journey was exhausting with an 8 hour transit in London. Besides it was so hot back in Madras. It took me a week to recover from the jet lag. My younger son kept me company for a few days after I returned and then went back to his law school. Satish is back in Lebanon after his visit to Brazil and spending some time with his father. Do keep in touch and if you should come this way please visit us in Madras.
-With love Javanthi