Finding joy in bringing a hospitality experience to others depends on setting, ambition and being open to the experience. Jeremy Couture, one of the owners at Inn at Woodhaven in Louisville, Kentucky, understands the bed and breakfast he runs with his partner Mark Lansing needs to have all those elements and more.
With the inherent history surrounding them on the Woodhaven property, the storied architecture of the site and good ol’ Southern-style cooking (with a bit of bourbon thrown in), Inn at Woodhaven strives to be the hidden gem thriving in plain view.
Finding a Path to a Dream
Both Couture and Lansing lived in St. Petersburg, Florida for 19 years with different career paths and were getting burned out. They explored the idea of opening a bed and breakfast in the Sunshine State, but they missed the seasons further north. Couture was originally from Connecticut and grew up in Chicago and Lansing was from the Rochester, New York area.
They started looking in Middle America for a place that would be both cool and fun plus offer them something to take them through their retirement. After looking at Chattanooga, Asheville, and Lexington, they arrived in Louisville and fell in love with the diversity and the look of their property. Couture said, “from the minute we stepped in the door. And we fought like crazy to get it financed during the pandemic. And after about eight months, we were able to get the property closed.”
Slice of Heaven Trapped in Time
The area around them has transformed but their slice of heaven is trapped in time with a certain uniqueness. While the house is on Hubbard’s Lane, it used to lead from what was called Brown’s Lane that led to the Brown’s Farm in the mid-1800s, which is the original homestead on which part of the property is built.
Couture explains the main house was a family home for the Monahan clan from about 1917 until the late ‘70s. Couture and Lansing are only the fifth owners of the house in 168 years. Most of the original land was sold off by the Monahan family bringing it down eventually to a cozy little half-acre, which is where the Inn at Woodhaven currently sits.
Couture likes that “the architecture is so different.” Its basis is French Gothic revival and very few properties from the mid-1800s were done in this style. “The house is jaw-droppingly beautiful on the inside, and there was just every bit of attention to detail when it was constructed. It is beautifully preserved.”
Couture says his partner “loves to rehab and renovate and do construction-type things,” so there are always projects to do. “But we get to be around people that are happy all the time, so our work environment is great and the energy in the house is fantastic. So being here, it doesn’t feel like a job. It just feels like we have this big, beautiful home and we get to help enhance everybody’s vacation experience by being a part of it.”
The Melding of Architecture and Space
The main house is three stories tall with the main floor being close to 2,000 square feet. The first floor has a common area as does the second floor with three large suites with en suite bathrooms. The attic room space is 1,200 square feet, with a two-bedroom suite.
The carriage house behind the main house is also original to the property in 1853. It has two suites with bathrooms on the first floor and one suite on the second floor in the middle under the cupola. It is retrofitted into the rafters with a detached but private bathroom. There is also the Rose Cottage along the side of the house, which was built in 1998 in the same gothic style as the house with an 850 square foot, one-bedroom unit inside. “So, we have eight units in total nestled, all tucked into three buildings.”
Couture loves that each room has its own personality interspersing theme and color, but unified through the Gothic architecture and detail throughout, “not only with the woodwork and the windows structurally, but with the furniture that’s in all the rooms.” He says most of the furniture is antique or antique reproduction. “And one of the things we’re trying to create is a situation where people can come and be comfortable in the house and feel as if they are at their own home. They can put their feet up on the ottoman and not worry about something that shouldn’t be touched or sat on.”
The Brilliance of Breakfast
Inn at Woodhaven is a bed-and-breakfast, so breakfast is key. One of the things that Couture says sets them apart is the menu is not a reflection of their historical architecture (which is the case with some B&Bs). They offer an assortment of menu items as well as an extended window of time for people to come down at their convenience and eat.
“Usually, a two- to three-hour gap, depending on the day. They don’t need a reservation. And we provide six or seven menu entrees that they can choose from.” They have carried on a tradition from the previous owner of the caramel French toast casserole, which is a guest favorite. Couture also says Lansing can make a killer Southern-style biscuits and gravy.
“We do breakfast, eggs to order, etc., but Mark also scratch makes all of the pastries available every morning, and we’ve got great local coffee.” Couture laughs that he like all the pastries that Lansing makes but he says one that the guests really seem to love is a Kentucky-style butter cake: a rich, vanilla-based cake baked in a bundt pan. But, while it’s hot, Lansing pokes holes in it and pours melted butter, sugar, and bourbon over the top for delicious finish. Another delicious recipe is the Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake.
Looking Toward the Future
All these elements plus the bourbon and history that surround the area (all within easy driving distance) makes Inn at Woodhaven an undeniable jewel that Couture and Lansing dreamed of.
Plus, they are continually engaged in always making it better. “There are so many different things to do here throughout the day, so it’s easy to not get burned out. With this, we can be as involved as we want to be. We can do all the projects, or we can hire someone. We have a lot more options and a lot more flexibility, and that flexibility is what’s going to allow us to be in this career for the long haul.”
[…] We recently stayed at the Inn at Woodhaven in Louisville, Kentucky and they served the Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake with our afternoon tea. It was delicious, with […]