Photography By Dave Hawxhurst
I’m a West Coast urban refugee, and somehow I wound up paired with a Chesa-peake farm boy. When we travel, it’s always a negotiation between country and comfort; so a bed and breakfast is a good compromise. But the George Brooks House is more-it’s an inn that enhances its history with a healthy dose of luxury.
The restored home sits 250 feet back from the main road between St. Michaels and Tilghman Island and, from afar, it still looks like a private farmhouse. Though the original part of the house dates to the Civil War era, the main buttercream-colored Gothic Revival Victorian home was built in 1908 by respected African-American businessman George Brooks. He needed to house an unexpected family of eleven children, whom he and his wife, Mamie, took in upon the death of his sister. Brooks had little formal schooling but wrote pamphlets on race relations. He was proud of his hauling business and his home, one of the few in the area to have indoor plumbing.
Innkeeper Will Workman has preserved the history while adding a modern Midas touch. Individual fireplaces, Jacuzzi tubs, and distinctive furnishings all combine to create a well-heeled, peaceful stay-and as the “ comfort” half of our odd-couple equation, to me it seemed like the perfect combination.
The Innkeeper
At first glance, Will Workman, Jr., seems like an unlikely innkeeper. A taciturn, almost gruff man, his personality doesn’t immediately scream “bed and breakfast.” But if you ask him a few questions about the house and its preservation, or St. Michaels itself, he warms up at once.
Will feels that the George Brooks House is an integral part of the Eastern Shore’s African-American heritage. The restoration was a family operation- three generations of Will Workmans (grandfather, father, and son) have worked on both the Parsonage Inn in St. Michaels Historic District and the George Brooks House. Though Grandfather Workman has passed on, father and son have partnered together to create the Brooks House’s new incarnation, which won two prestigious preservation awards.
Now, Will is a full-time innkeeper, constantly thinking up new ways to make the George Brooks House into one of the Eastern Shore’s most engaging hospitality experiences. He’ll direct you to his restaurant menu file, as well as to the inn’s library, full of local literature and information about the house’s history.
Rooms
Our room, number six, had a traditional, formal feel, with a canopy bed, Waverly comforter, and window treatments. It was painted a warm gold and featured its own gas fireplace. All of the rooms have similar dŽcor and beautiful solid furnishings. The hand-carved mahogany pieces were shipped in a special container from Thailand, the result of a personal expedition by the innkeeper. Four of the eight rooms are in the original structure, the rest in a new extension added during the renovation. Though our room was comfortable, with a soft queen bed and custom-tiled walk-in shower with English towels and specially made soaps, for a real splash I would have taken the king Jacuzzi room, a huge space on the first floor that opens onto the pool deck and gardens. There are also four soon-to-be opened poolside villas with the same handsome furnishings. I took a peek inside, and these more private spaces feature a fenced-in outdoor shower and patio.
Special Touches
The Workmans’ attention to detail goes beyond the award-winning restoration. The formal rose gardens and trellis surrounding the pool promote a sense of serenity. A small outdoor fridge holds complimentary beer, bottled water, and sodas for guests. For rainy days, there’s an entire cabinet full of DVDs to take up to your room and oversized terrycloth robes to lounge in while you watch them.
And we greeniacs were excited to learn about the inn’s super-quiet geo-thermal heat pump, which exploits the earth’s natural heat, and uses 40 to 60 percent less energy-unlike Dick Cheney’s Secret Service detail’s black Suburbans, which we heard have been making appearances at the Brooks House, among the area’s other inns, when the Veep makes a visit to his new St. Michaels home. But during our visit, there wasn’t a tinted window in sight.
What’s for Breakfast?
My country boy still springs out of bed at the crack of dawn, but it takes some major coffee aromas to get me going-and some pancakes don’t hurt either. This breakfast didn’t disappoint. Since it was still a bit chilly, we ate surrounded by morning light in the garden room, though on warmer days guests can toast the morning outdoors. Coffee and pastries are served at eight, followed by a full hot breakfast at nine, which features fresh peaches, Belgian waffles with strawberries, and bacon. Will Workman acts as chef, doing 90 percent of the cooking, and his son swears by his stuffed French toast and egg soufflés.
Diversions
Just outside the bustle of small-town St. Michaels, the seven-acre property’s best feature is the large rectangular pool and separate hot tub, surrounded by teak deck furniture (for us, they doubled nicely as stargazing chairs). To top up the relaxation levels, the inn also can arrange massage appointments and facials in your room or at private outdoor locations. If you’re feeling more active, you can take the house bikes for a spin to explore St. Michaels or arrange a historic skipjack tour. Fine dining at the Inn at Perry Cabin is just steps away, but I can’t visit St. Michaels without hitting The Crab Claw.
Romance Factor
Any place with Jacuzzi tubs and fireplaces can rev up a relationship, though I wouldn’t recommend a loud romance. It’s a sedate, quiet place, which works well for both couples who want privacy, as well as more social groups of friends. Children are welcome, but without pool weather, kids could grow bored easily.
What’s It Gonna Cost?
Prices range from $150 to $225 a night for queen, fireplace, and king Jacuzzi rooms. In-season, weekend stays require a minimum two-night stay. Special packages are available in winter.
George Brooks House
24500 Rolles Range Rd.
St. Michaels, Md.
410-745-0999 or 866-218-1384
http://www.georgebrookshouse.com
Sara Edelson, a freelance writer and video producer, lives in Washington, D.C.
