The Victorian Mansion overall was amazing. My husband and I travel to Galena every year for our anniversary and every year we stay at a different B&B (this was our 7th!). This place was among the best in terms of the ambience and sheer beauty of the house. The gardens were beautiful, the secluded hot tub/gazebo was very relaxing and our room - the Jackson - was very large. The shower and toilet were each placed in what had at one time been closets. Although the shower/toilet were both in very tight quarters, I was amazed at the creativity of it all. The breakfasts each morning were delicious - homemade waffles, freshly squeezed orange juice, fresh smoothies - everything tasted great. They also offered a simple wine and cheese hour every afternoon. Also, if you are a history buff this is the place for you. Ulysses S. Grant spent a lot of time in the house, so much that he had his own room there. He also gave his farewell speech to Galena on the second floor balcony of the house right before he left for Washington D.C. to become president. The woman who lives and works there with her husband (a family member owns the house) gives a nice little history talk during breakfast each morning which is a nice touch. The wrap-around porches were a treat and we enjoyed sitting outside and relaxing on them. The one complaint I had was what happened when we first arrived. When we first walked through the door the woman working there immediately said, "How are you going to be paying for this?" It just came across as very abrupt, as though we had to prove that we had the money up front before we could be warmly welcomed. Like I said, we have stayed at many B&Bs and different owners handle the bill differently, but it was immediate, abrupt and not very friendly. It could have been handled a little more tactifully. The husband and wife team overall were friendly enough, but didn't seem as outgoing and as comfortable as some of the other people that run B&Bs in the area. Nothing against them - it's probably just their personality. Overall, though, I would recommend the mansion for its beauty and relaxing environment.

My husband and I have stayed at the Victorian Mansion twice now and we will be returning again this year. We liked it so much the first time that we invited another couple to go with us last year. They liked it so much that we will be returning again this year. Christine and Chauncy were the innkeepers the first year and although they did a fine job, I liked the new innkeeper a bit better. She does a very nice afternoon tea time with lemonade, wine or tea. She served wonderful cookies and a hot appetizer as well. The rooms are clean and beautifully decorated in a Victorian style. The breakfasts both times were absolutely wonderful and I would be very suprised if they were not homemade. I recommend this B&B very highly!

This was our first experience at a B&B and also our first trip to Galena. My husband and I had such a wonderful experience, that we would love to make Galena and Victorian Mansion a regular getaway. After walking around much of Galena, I must say that Victorian Mansion is one of the most beautiful b&bs. The building and gardens are beautiful. Our room was charming, and the quiet was just what we needed. Vicki and her husband were very warm, and the breakfasts, both days we spent there were wonderful!! I'm very suprised at the previous review. We had the homemade apple and cheese quiche, which was delicious(!) with a side of potatoes, a fresh berry smoothie, and fresh squeezed orange juice. I also had tea. The other day we had a different style of potatoes (family recipe, to die for!!) with french toast stuffed with cream cheese and ham. We also had fresh yogurt with rasberries garnished with a mint sprig, and fresh oj and tea/coffee again. (I hope I proved that breakfast was great.) Great place for a relaxing getaway for a couple.

My wife and I came to Galena during the same weekend the last 2 years to visit the annual County Fair and do some shopping. Last year we stayed at the DeSoto Hotel which was conveniently located on the main street, but lacked the amenities and quiet of a B&B. This year we opted to try the Victorian Mansion which is located high on the hill overlooking downtown and Grant Park. It was the ideal location for the Fair and shopping. When we stopped in last year to investigate, we were impressed with the owner who greeted us at the door. This year, we found that the daughter is now the innkeeper. We loved the porch with rocking chairs and the gardens on the property. We also had our wine on the 2nd floor balcony overlooking the grounds. Parking is limited in the front of the building, but they allowed us to park in the back lot. We enjoyed conversing with the other guests and sharing breakfast with them the next morning. Christine, the innkeeper, gave us a brief history of the house and she and Chaucey served breakfast. We dined on fruit, a bran muffin and quiche with freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee. The breakfast , however, was only fair. Except for the OJ, everything else seemed to be store bought rather than home made. All in all, it was a nice experience. However, for $200, we have stayed in even nicer B&Bs for less.