Lady of the Lake Bed & Breakfast 157 Route 30 East - Ligonier, Pa 15658 (724) 238-6955   E-mail Lila
	"An experience to be enjoyed by all ages."

*AAA* APPROVED  Article By Valerie Petersen for AAA Motorist
Main House	Lazy Duck Cottage	Ice House

This site has been visited Times since March 9, 1998
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"Lady of the Lake Bed and Breakfast welcomes us to serenity"
By Valerie Petersen for AAA Motorist
The draw is Ligonier, with its bustling shops outlining the center of the town, known as the Ligonier Diamond.

A peddler's village of sorts, where you can find something for everyone -- a spot where all tourists on the street are carrying at least one bag. The shops and restaurants surrounding the Diamond are all unusual -- each with its own flare -- offering antiques, clothing, trinkets, collectibles, craft items, handpainted furniture, artwork and toys -- just to name a handful. My husband, Chip, purchased something extra special at Michael's of Ligonier (wink, wink -- nod, nod), an incredible jewelry store right in the center of town.

Around 3 p.m. on any Saturday, passersby can watch as radiant brides step up onto the gazebo in th town's center for wedding photos. It's a favorite site for photos of all kinds.

While visiting Ligonier Valley, my husband and I stayed at the Lady of the Lake Bed and Breakfast, which is situated on 60 acres surrounding a 30-acre private lake. A beautiful location so encased by nature we forgot that we were just minutes from town.

At the Lady of the Lake Bed and Breakfast, we enjoyed a leisurely walk around the lake, as geese and swans paddled nearby. They swam close and honked -- as if to say "welcome to our neck of the woods". Other visitors canoed and fished (strictly catch-and release). They caught good-size ones, too, Bass, in fact.

Throughout the yard were friendly animals that gave the place a farm setting. Horses and a donkey ran to the edge of the fence and allowed us to pet them. Cats purred and dogs wagged their tails at us. There was even a bunny bungalow, an enclosure with hopping, skipping bunnies inside.

Did I mention the heated, in-ground pool and hot tub? How about the tennis court and bonfire pit? So much to do...so little time.

Inside the main house we met one of the owners, Donna "Lila" Taylor. She was busy with the many books and intricate collectibles in the room, which she referred to as her husband, Chuck's favorite. With wooden bookshelves surrounding a toasty fireplace, this room was where we lingered. This also is where we ate our sumptuous six-course breakfast in the morning.

Donna's favorite room, Lila's Music Room, is across the entry hall and has calming mauve tones and a big picture window that overlooks the lake. Beautifully decorated, this room contains crystal balls and angel and fairy collections. Either of these two common rooms were places I could linger for hours.

There are many different types of accommodations to choose from at Lady of the Lake. The Main House has one room with a romantic canopy bed and fireplace and is reported to be the bedroom that Mia Farrow and Andre Previn used when they lived at the house. Warm and cozy, this elegant rooms offers a shower built for two.

A second option is the Lazy Duck Cottage with two rooms and a kitchenette. This would be my choice for a family camping or retreat experience.

The 110-year-old farmhouse was an old icehouse from which many restaurants and other businesses purchased their block ice for their ice boxes. This history-filled house was where Chip and I stayed, in the Lily of the Valley room, where we fell into peaceful sleep in the French Country.

Haunted? So the story goes. A friendly sort, the ghost visited us one night during our stay and announced his presence by breaking a glass fixture downstairs -- while the house was empty, except for us.

In the morning, we woke up refreshed and ready to start the day -- to the sounds of a rooster cock-a-doodle-ing. It took every inch of determination we had to pack up and leave that afternoon.

Easy to find, located on Route 30 East in Ligonier, its closest neighbors are Idlewild Park and Storybook Forest.

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