The Mandolin Inn is a stately home bordering a slightly marginal neighborhood in Dubuque, IA.

While the furnishings are lovely and historic, the best thing about the Mandolin Inn is its inn keeper, Amy Boynton.

Along with the quite reasonable room rates, Amy provides a detailed tour of the entire house, pointing out its most interesting features. She also gives you a sense of the history of the area, tips on activities that may be of interest, restaurant suggestions, etc. We truly felt pampered during our stay.

The rooms are all furished with antiques, and a few have private porches (though the front porch of the house is the best).

Breakfast was delicious.

We will return, as there is much to see and do in the Dubuque/Galena area.

A beautifully restored mansion in the heart of historic Dubuque. Wonderful example of Edwardian architechture! We honeymooned here in 1990 and returned to find it under new management in 2001. And we enjoyed our time there even more the second time around.

Our hostess was very gracious and welcoming — and accomodating to our special needs. She corresponded with my husband in a timely manner when he was setting up our anniversary surprise.

We met a "regular" guest the first night (a musician who stays here with her husband whenever she's in town to play with the local symphony). The next morning at breakfast we met several other travelers (most from the Chicago area) who chose this inn while enjoying the local ski slope (Sundown). The conversation was genial and the food was excellent. If you like a traditional "bed-and-breakfast" stay, this is a good one.

As far as the accommodations, I believe all rooms are at least queen size. Some rooms do have private baths, ours did. (In 2001, there were plans to add a handicap-accessible guest room.) Nice in-room amenities to rival a standard hotel. An added touch then was an in-room guest book recording personal messages from past occupants.

During some times of the year, this is the final stop on a progressive Victorian Dinner that tours the finest historic homes in Dubuque. I highly recommend searching out this gem's website (-------------------). Lots of helpful information there.