Outstanding B&B - Echo Canyon Manor, Oklahoma .... Great Hotel W/O
Written: Apr 22 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful setting, superb food and rooms, mineral water hot-tub, boating, great hosts!
Cons: Not for active small kids, or those who relish big-city amenities
The Bottom Line: One of the best places I have stayed in the world, surprisingly located in South-Central Oklahoma! Incredible food, service, grounds, and facility.
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| pilotpat's Full Review: Echo Canyon Manor |
Having traveled throughout the United States and the world, who would have guessed that I would find that one of my most enjoyable and pleasant experiences would be in a B&B in central Oklahoma?
We decided in a last-minute sort of way to take a short family overnight SOMEWHERE out of town. We wanted it to be someplace we hadn't been, so I used the standard aviators cross-country planner tool - cut a piece of string that represented about a half-day's drive, and drew a circle on the map around our house. Criteria included water and vertical development (a hard find in Texoma). I then consulted my other helpful local travel planning tools - my barber and Epinions.
Based upon these scientific methods, I found the small town of Sulphur, Oklahoma, on the northeast corner of the Chickasaw National Recreation Area. Click here to read an excellent review of the CNRA by teddiec.
A bit of browsing on the Internet brought me to the website of Echo Canyon Manor - www.echocanyonmanor.com - a new B&B in the area (opened Jul '02) which piqued my interest. The website, by the way, is excellent and provides everything you really need to know including a clear readable map to get there.
CONTACT INFO
Echo Canyon Manor
549 Lawton Avenue
Sulphur, OK 73086
Reservations: (580) 421-5076
Fax: (580) 622-4422
After deciding to try out Echo Canyon, I called their reservations number and spoke to Joe Van Horn, who runs the B&B along with his wife, Carol. He was very pleasant and after a short discussion we decided to book the "Admiral's Suite" at $159/night. I asked him if our two young children were welcome (the site says "Children on special occasions"), and were assured that they were as long as I understood that the B&B is not set up for children and has many delicate antiques. Based upon a review in a local newspaper (linked on their website) that mentions that the two of them are gourmet chefs, we also asked to have dinner with them, which added about $60 to the tab for the four of us. I told him to expect us mid-afternoon, and he suggested that we make it there before 4pm so that we could go out on the boat. This was getting better by the minute.
LOCATION
Sulphur is located a few miles to the West of I-35, about an hour south of OKC, and a couple hours from the DFW airport. Echo Canyon Manor is about a mile south of the historic old town center of Sulphur, and just around the corner from the entrance to the CNRA visitor's center.
The location allows you quick access to the town and the lakes, streams, and springs of CNRA. The closest airports with significant service are OKC ( 1 hr) and Ardmore Downtown (30-40 minutes) airports. For private pilots or those with access to their own air transportation, Ardmore Industrial Airport is but a 15-20-minute drive. The smaller Sulphur Municipal Airport is closer still.
ARRIVAL
A long gravel driveway leads past the orchards and vineyards that range from newly planted to 3 years old. The B&B itself has a large gravel parking lot sufficient to hold 8-10 vehicles. The inn is modern, but resembles a white clapboard farmhouse, with a large covered front porch with a swing and antique rocker-recliner in which to enjoy the breeze off the garden.
The house is perched atop a hill that drops off behind to a shallow creek, with more vineyards and a pond beyond that. The sides of the house are flanked by tall trees that block the wind nicely, yet still allow a decent view from the rear decks.
We had arrived a bit earlier than planned, so I made a quick call on the cell phone and Joe drove up within a minute or two (Joe, Carol, and their daughters live in a separate house on the property. A phone in the kitchen has their number posted should an unplanned need arise).
LAYOUT/DECOR
The house is immaculate and beautiful. It is decorated somewhat eclectically with a diverse collection of antique furniture and decor, with the predominant theme being nautical. The entryway leads past two rooms into a huge living room open above to the roof (finished in lacquered knotty pine). The center of the room has a couch and overstuffed chairs set about a coffee table, suitable for lounging, reading, and chatting. The border of the room has several other chairs with two tables set for dominos and chess, respectively. A telescope is arranged for viewing out the back, and a large gas fireplace is on the far wall.
A large display platform surrounds much of the room, with the exception of the landing above, which services the guest rooms on the second floor. A sliding glass door leads to the rear deck.
Past the stairway that leads to the second floor is the huge and modern kitchen. The refrigerator was stocked with juice, soda, and bottled water, all for the taking. Fruit was available, as well as some basic snacks.
The kitchen, in-turn, leads to the large dining room. The dining room has large picture windows, which overlook the creek and vineyards, as well as another door to the back deck. A large dining table as well as a smaller seating area we used for breakfast (next to the window) were surrounded by comfortable chairs. A small stereo pumps in tasteful quiet music to accompany meals.
The deck is large and has several seats along the rail as well as two chaise recliners. On the far end is a cedar hot-tub/jaccuzzi enclosure with a door and slide-open windows to regulate your exposure to the environment. The tub is large - 6-8 could sit in it comfortably with room to spare, 10 comfortably yet intimately. It is filled with a mixture of 20% black sulphur water and 80% clear mineral water, both from wells on-site, which gives a relaxing mineral bath without the sulphur odor.
The deck and tub give a commanding view of the creek valley below, as well as the bubbling mineral water fountain in the back yard. The back area plays host to a multitude of birds. At breakfast and during our pre-breakfast soak, we identified phoebes, several pairs of cardinals (sure to increase as the vinyard matures), blue jays, broad-tailed grackles, starlings (who regrettably have invaded the purple martin house in front), titmice, canadian geese, and even a nesting pair of Roadrunners. According to the Van Horns, wild turkey and deer are other common visitors.
The grounds, as mentioned, have many orchards and vinyards. The Van Horns plan to start a winery in the next 3 years, and they certainly stay busy maintaining the grounds, the inn, and the orchards. There is adequate room to walk and find even further solitude away from the inn should you wish.
ROOM
As mentioned before, we stayed in the "Admiral's Suite," a two-room suite separated by glass double doors with curtains for privacy. The main room had a king-sized antiqued (not antique) brass bed with a very comfortable mattress and a luxurious combination of sheets, blanket and bedspread. The antique dark wood furniture and further nautical-theme decor was tasteful, and the window had shutters to regulate light. A ceiling fan was overhead to help with the harsh Oklahoma summers. Carpet upstairs is a beautiful deep green patterned plush, which is complemented nicely by the color selections of the bed dressings. A large (27") television with DirectTV service was available, but did not get turned on for the duration of our stay.
The secondary room had a large sitting area with two couches and a table, and the periphery was occupied by three daybeds - two twins and one double. On the far wall, a door opens to a private deck with seats and a table which affords a similar view to the main deck, yet up one floor.
The bathroom was cavernous. A tiled floor in muted earth tones offset tasteful and modern fixtures. A hairdryer was provided, as were shampoo and soap. The shower/tub provided hot water at good pressure. High quality towels were supplemented by two bathrobes which we put to use during our jaunts to the hot tub.
We had the house to ourselves. Other guests had reserved the weekend, but cancelled on forecasts of lousy weather. It was blue skies and mid-70's the whole time!
BOAT
Honestly , this is the first time I've added this heading to a review. A bit after 4 pm, we followed Joe and Carol to nearby Arbuckle lake and took a complimenatary hour-long cruise in their brand new 19 1/2' speedboat. It was a beautiful and sunny day, but the water was a bit cold to enjoy skiing. Instead, we cruised the area and Joe even allowed the little tykes to take supervised shifts at the controls. Fishing is another option available from the boat, but we decided instead to just cruise the lake.
DINING
Dinner was shared with several members of the Van Horn family. Salads and a nice glass of wine preceded the meal. A salad with a good variation of vegetables and dressings followed. For entrees, I had grilled Ahi Tuna and my wife had a nicely done steak. BBQ Chicken breasts were provided for the kids. Freshly made garlic bread was available, with homemade pesto sauce to spread upon it. Twice-baked potatoes and a generous portion of asparagus and broccoli topped off the main course. Dessert was apple pie and ice cream. The dinner was well executed and accompanied by more wine, superb service and charming conversation.
After dinner and cleanup, the Van Horns left us with the remaining half-bottle of wine as well as four others and a corkscrew for us to help ourselves to. We only managed to finish the bottle, followed by a leisurely soak in the hot-tub before bed.
The website advertises a continental breakfast. However, when they are able, the Van Horns prepare a somewhat more involved breakfast. In our case, Carol did the cooking. A vegan gormet chef, she prepared wonderful waffles made with whole-wheat flour, walnuts, and cornmeal. They were topped with a rich blueberry sauce, almonds, and generous plates of fresh fruit. Coffee, three different juices, and milk were available as drinks. Yogurt and cereal were available as well. All was accompanied by the relaxing antics of the morning birdshow out the picture window.
OVERALL
We were pleasantly surprised by the existence of such an incredible retreat in the area, and plan to return soon. The hosts are gracious and fun, yet respecting of privacy. The grounds and manor itself are fantastic, and the food is a great draw as well. The nearby CNRA and other attractions give many options for the day as well. Although Joe and Carol are definitely "kid-friendly," Echo Canyon and its environment are not designed specifically for kids. I would recommend against families bringing very active kids to the manor. Echo Canyon is still becoming established, so it is not all that busy yet (which is a plus for guests like us who get to enjoy run of the house). With facilities and service like we experienced, don't count on it staying that way. Summer is busier as it offers more recreation activities centered on the local lakes, but spring and fall visitors will be treated to more privacy, and smaller crowds at the local attractions.
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Recommended:
Yes
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pilotpat
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Member: Pat
Location: World Traveler
Reviews written: 96
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