Overlook Park Bed and Breakfast is a classic bed and breakfast in the old British style - in other words, Lucia Chiu and her husband have extra bedrooms that they are happy to share with paying lodgers, but it is not the extravagant kind of “bed and breakfast” that is becoming popular in the U.S., with gourmet breakfasts and richly appointed rooms. While Lucia is delightful and the building is very pleasant, it was extraordinarily overpriced.
First, the location is wonderful. It is a large, modern house in a trendy, upscale neighborhood, removed from (but not remote to) the businesses that line Route 7 on the approach to Burlington. The views from the public rooms out over Lake Champlain to the Adirondack Mountains are stunning. Despite its tony suburban neighborhood, however, it is convenient to Route 7, and provides easy access to the Interstates that will take you to UVM, St. Michaels College, and the like. Also, Lucia is delightful.
The house is a large vacation house, designed to maximize the view, but it does not appear to have been built to house paying guests. While each of the four rooms apparently has its own private bathroom, ours was down the hall, so be sure to say “ensuite.”
Our bedroom was clean but very tiny – there was not even enough room to put a table on both sides of the bed – and quite spare. There was no television (if you care about that sort of thing), there was no chair and no mirror. There was a closet, but we weren’t staying that long. It is a good thing we weren’t staying longer than a night or two, because the room would not have held both us and our suitcases. I have had larger cabins on cruise ships. The bathroom down the hall was similarly tiny – just a shower, sink and toilet, and although it was “ours” it had a shared feeling that was contributed to by the half-full tube of toothpaste on the sink.
The bed was quite comfortable, and although the room was cold there was a down comforter and quilt that kept us warm. The thermostat on the wall did not seem to function in either our room or the bathroom.
Breakfast was acceptable but nothing special. Scrambled eggs, with sausage or deli-ham mixed in, and an English muffin, although I saw no jam or jelly. Cold cereal was available, and Lucia offered pancakes, but we declined. Again, it felt like little British bed-and-breakfasts in which I had stayed 25 years ago. Simple and adequate but not a labor of love, and nothing to write home about.
The real drawback that would keep us from returning was the price. While the accommodations would have been worth $80 to $90 per night, they were definitely NOT worth the $185 we were charged.