Bed and Breakfast Review: Crescent View Bed and Breakfast in Crescent, Iowa

My husband and I have been a fan of bed and breakfasts ever since we honeymooned in one for a week in beautiful southern Wisconsin. The stunning Victorian Italianate home was wonderfully remodeled, the service impeccable, the breakfasts to die for. It set a high standard for bed and breakfasts everywhere and inspired us to try to stay in them whenever we could.

We found ourselves planning to attend a friend's wedding, located in Crescent, Iowa. Having never visited or even heard of the small town, we weren't counting on there being a bed and breakfast nearby, let alone within the city limits. Crescent View Bed and Breakfast contained two rooms, priced at $85 and $95 (plus 6% tax) and boasted about its beautiful views of the Iowa and Eastern Nebraska landscapes.

We ended up booking the Grandview Suite, the larger of the two rooms, which contained a Jacuzzi jetted tub and shower, pillow top queen-sized bed and semi-personal outdoor patio among other things.

On a crisp fall afternoon, we set out for Crescent. The town is small, containing a little over 600 people, but is comfortably situated near Omaha, NE and Council Bluffs, IA. Though we didn't have time during our stay to check out some of the nearby sites, which included wineries and skiing, it was nice to know that there were options.

The bed and breakfast was located at the top of a very steep hill, something that could prove a problem for visitors come winter. However, I'm sure the owners, John and Carol, ensure that their guests will have parking spots even in nasty weather. We joked as our little car chugged upwards that we had to get to that beautiful view somehow!

We were greeted at the door by Carol, who lead us to our room. The cool cream tiled floor of our suite lead us past a small dining table and chairs, a chaise lounge and finally to the main body of the bedroom. The four poster queen bed, made out of dark wood and covered with a soft cream bed spread, was accented by two beautiful end tables and Tiffany-style lamps. Next to the bed, was a sliding door leading to the outdoor scenic terrace, something we vowed to investigate as soon as we returned from the wedding.

When we came back later that evening, we took advantage of the main floor common room, which offered sodas, water, tea and a variety of snacks. We picked out a DVD from an extensive collection to watch on our 37" High Definition LCD television and retreated to our room. Before we did anything else, we opened the sliding door and walked off the patio into the grass.

The sight was indeed breathtaking. The house rests on the side of a hill, with the guest rooms opening out onto the top. Four chairs rested at the edge of the hill, which overlooked the Missouri River Valley and Eastern Nebraska horizon. The nighttime sky was full of stars that seemed closer than normal, and a hazy fog had settled amongst the brush and trees at the foot of the hill, dimming the orange lights of the distant Omaha skyline. It was a beautiful sight to behold and by far one of the main highlights of our stay.

Breakfast was served at 9 a.m. the next day and featured fruit, a delicious quiche, sausage and Danishes. Vegetarian options are offered, as are gluten free breakfasts.

Crescent View's low point is that before you get to your room, you feel very much that you've just entered someone's home to stay for a night, and not in a good way. The rest of the bed and breakfast isn't styled to fit any sort of theme, as the owners also live there. It just feels a little uncomfortable.

However, the low pricing, amenities and close proximity to Omaha without being in the city limits are all reasons why we'll likely visit Crescent View Bed and Breakfast again.