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BARRINGTON – Since July 2005, Mary and Marty O’Donnell have operated the first bed and breakfast in Barrington.
It was a two year project to take the historic building, located at 203 Dundee Ave., and put on an addition to accommodate five rooms.
“Mary went to the village and asked to make it a bed and breakfast and they were very excited about it,” Marty said. “We are the first bed and breakfast in Barrington.”
According to research Mary has completed, the land was originally owned by the Crabtree family. In August 1893, George Mueller bought the land and hired the Brazel Brothers in 1984 to build a boarding house of sorts, featuring six units, for $320. No one actually lived in the home that owned the home until 1957 when then-Barrington Police Chief Reynold Smith bought the home in 1957. He lived there for 20 years.
“He was the first person that bought the home and made it his home,” Marty said.
Following Smith, several owners lived in the single-family home before the O’Donnell’s bought it on February 14, 2003.
It took two years, and the help of Architect John Eifler to build the five-room addition for the bed and breakfast, which had to maintain the historical integrity of the original building.
“It’s a home that could have been torn down in any other village,” Marty said, citing the house as being protected in Barrington because it resides in the village’s historic district.
The couple said their guests come from all over the world, with people traveling from as far as Japan and Australia. They have found that more and more often, people have a reason to visit Barrington whether it be for business, visiting family and friends, or attending weddings and other events.
“We just like serving travelers and it’s just a great way to meet people from all over the world and we kind of get to be ambassadors of Barrington,” Marty said.
Over the years, the 1894 brick home has been restored to its original look. Every pipe, wire, everything is new. It is essentially a six bedroom, 8.5 bathroom house without much upkeep, which is a good thing since Mary and Marty are the staff. While Mary does things like cook and wash and press the sheets, Marty is responsible for things like vacuuming and cleaning the bathrooms.
“Bed and breakfast is really not a business you open up to get rich, it’s a lifestyle,” Marty said, adding the Barrington House Bed and Breakfast is a second career for both.
Because the home has been restored, Marty said it is really the best of both worlds. It is like a new house within a historic setting.
“I like to say Mary returned the house to the glory it never knew,” Marty said.
For her part, Mary is very much about the hospitality of their guests.
“My goal is for them to feel comfortable and when they walk in to just feel very peaceful,” Mary said.
Guests can use the parlor, music room, dining room and courtyard. All guest rooms feature hardwood floors, ceiling fans, fine linens, free Wi-Fi, flat screen TVs and towel warmers, among some of the guest favorites.
“Everything in the room is designed to make the guests feel they have everything they need,” Mary said.
Rooms can often be booked a week or less in advance of a guest’s stay, but since they only have five rooms, the O’Donnell’s will recommend other places to stay.
“We’d love if someone opened up a bed and breakfast,” Mary said. “We’d help them.”
Barrington House Bed and Breakfast
Where: 203 Dundee Avenue, Barrington
Cost: $159 to $199 per night, plus tax
Info: Call 847-381-0203 or visit www.barringtonhouse.com for information.