Comments from guests when there was still summer in the air: My husband and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary at the Westview Bed and Breakfast. The stay was incredible! We are vegan. Not only did Jim and Colleen accommodate our dietary restrictions, but Jim cooked us an incredible gourmet meal the likes of which we'll be lucky to eat again! If you have dietary restrictions, you can definitely stay here. Here's what Jim prepared for us: Corn cakes with soy-chorizo, fried red peppers and a soy-mayo chili sauce; vegan blueberry waffles with fresh strawberries, cinnamon, and soy-whipped cream; fresh orange juice. The plates were enormous! The kitchen is also well-stocked with snacks, drinks, tea, and coffee. Jim and Colleen thoughtfully left us a carton of almond milk. The Sunset Suite (where you'll stay) has five rooms. You'll feel like you wandered into a charming country cottage. The first room you'll see is fitted with two rocking chairs and looks right out onto the sunset over the fields. Further inside the suite, there is a large living room with a dining table. Adjoining this is a full kitchen in case you want to cook anything while you're there. The bedroom and bathroom are exquisite. There is an incredible jacuzzi in the bedroom. The bedroom is decorated in a cozy sunflower motif, and the bed, while not huge, is extremely comfortable. You'll find robes and slippers in the bathroom, which is great, because you will immediately want to try the jacuzzi! The countryside near the B&B is peaceful and quiet. You can read about the history of Lincoln, Lancaster, or Westview itself, which was originally the Lancaster County Poor House. There are also plenty of pamphlets for attractions in Lincoln and Omaha for those folks from out of town (or those from in-town who want a local vacation!). I cannot recommend Westview Bed and Breakfast highly enough. If there were 100 stars, I would give them all! If you need a quiet retreat and a gastronomical delight, this is the place to stay.

The first year at Westview B&B frequently went something like this: 

Ring...... Westview Bed and Breakfast, may I help you? ...... Yes, my wife and I want to plan a weekend getaway. Do you have a fireplace? ....... We have an in-suite full kitchen!..... Thank you, click. 

Ring.... Westview Bed and Breakfast, may I help you?...... Yes, my fiance and I  need  accommodations for our wedding night. Do you have a whirlpool tub? ...... We have an in-suite full kitchen! ....... Thank you, click. 

Ring..... Westview Bed and Breakfast, may I help you?....... Yes,  my wife and I are celebrating an anniversary. You have fireplaces and whirlpool tubs?...... No. ....... Thank you, click. 

.......... so by the end of year one we gave up and did this:  

It's been almost 4 years now since the first bed and breakfast guests were welcomed to Westview. I remember clearly the night we asked some dear friends of ours (who had been part of a bed-and-breakfast in California some years earlier) to come and be our first guests! It was their 12th anniversary and we were so excited to give them the perfect retreat and get some feedback on our new endeavor. After checking with Hallmark, I discovered that the 12th wedding anniversary is silk. I wrote a poem with clues to lead them to their special gift hidden away in the refrigerator... French silk pie! We had arranged for them to have a key as their arrival was scheduled before we were to be home. As we arrived home our friend, John, met us with the embarrassing news that, though they were thrilled with the poem, the clues, and the pie, we had forgotten to leave them utensils to eat with! (Success, or failure, is in the details!)

Since then we've worked hard to improve our response to our guests needs. Jim's famous French toast (pictured above) served with an omelette and peppered bacon is part of the gourmet breakfast served in the suite. We now even include silverware!

When Jim and Colleen thought about opening a bed and breakfast their views were quite different.

her view (from a Sunset Suite window)

his view