Blog at Port Washington Inn - Milwaukee-Area B&B

Storm clouds move out over Lake Michigan

Originally uploaded by port_washington_inn

Dramatic cloud formations have given photographers ample photo ops this year! On Sweetcake Hill we watch the clouds advance, usually from the west, then move out over Lake Michigan. This photo captures the duality of storm and clearing, the lake water a reflection of the sky. It is not unusual here within the course of a day to experience clear skies and full sun, puffy white clouds turning to dark grey ones, rain or fog or simply overcast skies followed by a serene sunset and starry moonlit night. One of us prefers blue skies and the other prefers dramatic clouds……..and we can each be happy part of most every day!

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There are a variety of farm market opportunities in our area. Port Washington’s Farmer’s Market is held on Saturday mornings and our guests often report having found treasures there. Cedarburg (Fridays), Grafton (Thursdays), and Thiensville (Tuesdays) have markets throughout the week and we also rely upon farms that market their produce on site and often allow customers to pick their own vegetables, berries, apples, and grapes.

The map pinpoints the location of these on site farm markets which we so appreciate!
Click the blue markers to access names, addresses, and contact information for each location.

We never know from whence our next guests will come! In these days of exorbitant gas prices, we tend to assume our guests will not have traveled so far, but that is not always true. We’ve had guests from the Czech Republic, Netherlands, Germany, England, and Scotland within the past two months and several guests from California, Missouri, Michigan, Minnesota, and Iowa. Increasingly, our accessibility from both the Milwaukee and Chicago airports makes a stay at the Port Washington Inn an easy choice, with rental cars and/or airport limousines readily available. Port Washington is a walkable community so a stay here does not require a car.

June 5, 2008 was the 12th anniversary of our arrival at the Port Washington Inn in 1996. We had purchased an existing bed and breakfast and our first guests arrived days after we moved in.

Looking back to those pre-internet days, we recall trying to describe the guestrooms over the phone (and hoping our descriptions improved with time)! So much has changed in twelve years, and so much remains the same. We spend much less time on the telephone now and much more time improving our website.

Looking back, we know that the operating of the inn in those early years was accomplished with the most modest of means compared to our current standards. Hospitality is, however, the common thread woven throughout the tapestry of innkeeping. Offering gracous hospitality that puts guests at ease is the goal of every innkeeper. Behind the scenes innkeepers juggle a vast arena of priorities and when they do it well, their guests experience seamless hospitality.

These days our guests and we enjoy the benefits of a vastly renovated bed and breakfast inn that retains its historic references while offering all the modern comforts. Our kitchen is our pride and joy and has allowed us to offer gourmet picnics May through October and Saturday Night Meals during the winter months as well as the full breakfast we serve our guests.

In today’s world we tend to assume that people have found us on the internet but we are always pleased to hear that Port Washington Inn gets good press in travel books and magazines that spotlight Wisconsin, Lake Michigan, and the greater Milwaukee/Chicago area. Scenes of the inn are currently appearing on a television commercial promoting B&B’s throughout Wisconsin. Travel Green Wisconsin helps us get the word out about our eco-friendly practices and VISIT Milwaukee has featured us on their ECO visits rack card. Discover Wisconsin did a show highlighting Ozaukee County and we are now represented on their website as well. The Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association, Port Washington and Cedarburg Chambers, and the Ozaukee County Tourism Council are valued partners.

Gift Certificates to our inn have always been popular as gifts for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and holiday gifts. Give a memory that will be cherished for a long time! The Port Washington Inn gives you a Gift Certificate Bonus equal to 10% of the purchased gift certificate. It’s one way we can say Thank You for choosing to share our inn with someone special to you.

Recent guests from Europe experienced some frustration when the taxi they hired to bring them here from the Milwaukee airport didn’t seem to be aware of places outside Milwaukee proper. Their experience was a reminder that we could and should provide travel information making our guests’ travel as easy as possible.

We recommend Go Airport Connection for reliable transportation between us and the airport.

Visit their website at www.goairportconnection.com

As of this date, the fare for two passengers each with one piece of baggage was just under $50.