Beechwood Inn — Hotel in Clayton

Just completed our first stay at the Beechwood Inn in Clayton, Georgia.

We were lucky enough to be there on Saturday for one of their weekly high cuisine wine paring evening dinners.

Let me cover two things. The Inn and the dinner.

The Innkeepers, David and Gayle Darugh, have owned and evolved Beechwood Inn for over 20 years, and are devoted to keeping it true to the period with decor and furnishings. They welcome the guests every evening with a glass of one of their five or six house wines and a house made amuse-bouche on the front porch.

The modern touches are the 600 count bed linens, good pillows and superb mattresses, and smaller updated bath facilities.

Do not expect to see a television. There are none. You will, however engage in terrific conversation with other guests if you are so inclined on the large front porch and dining room.

Now the food. It has to be noted the the Darugh’s feature farm to table cuisine and have made all efforts to find local growers and producers. They focus on developing personal relationships with the farmers, and it shows.

As a bed and breakfast, you expect a good breakfast to get you started, but I can assure you you have never had it so good as here. First day included fresh squeezed peach juice, strawberry and blueberry parfait, French toast with homemade whipped cream and a slice of local ham. Our second morning included fresh OJ, freshly made slice of a spice bread, filled by local ground cheese grits, and a made-that-morning gourmet quiche and locally sourced sausages.

The wine dinner.

I have to admit this was a cozy, intimate dinner for four travelers and two locals. (A smaller gathering than normal, probably due to Fathers Day.)

The preparation for this dinner started that morning and made the smell of garlic and savory goodness waft throughout the Inn.

The preparation is meticulous and worth of its own TV show.

Here was the menu featuring international small plates to meze:

Spain: Spanish ham and Manchego Croquettes with spicy sauce, paired with Beechwood Inn Chardonnay.

Morocco: Pickled shrimp with preserved lemons and spices, pared with Florensac Picpoul de Piney, Lanquedoc (France)

Italy: Gnocchi Soufflé with Parmesan Cream and fresh herbs pared with 2017 ZestosTinto Madrid

Greece: Greek olives, marinated artichoke hearts, olive dust, Greek olive oil and Gayles’s sourdough bread.

France: Duck confit (prepared in duck fat!), local shiitake mushrooms, warm Marin Glaze, and Heirloom Charleston Gold Laurel Aged rice., pared with 2016 Santa Lucia Highland’s California Pinot Noir.

Dessert From Greece: Galatoboureko - Semolina Custard with a 30 layer phyllo pie with warm honey sauce.

A fabulous dinner prepared with a seasoned gourmet chef’s hand and a sommelier’s educated knowledge of carefully selected wines.

Did I mention the Inn has a 3,000 bottle wine...

I can only gush about how amazing our stay at Beechwood Inn was. Marlon and Eli were absolutely amazing (and their lovely friends who were in town) and truly made our weekend one to remember. We were there to celebrate our anniversary and also grieve a recent loss. We left refreshed and so full of love. First off, the location is breathtaking. Absolutely beautiful. Clayton is the cutest little town and the inn is picturesque. We stayed in the Vineyard room, which had a king bed and private entrance. We were greeted by Marlon & Eli and enjoyed a few glasses of wine and a delicious snack (cheese and guava). We sat in the living room with a few of the other guests and ended up chatting for two hours. It was a highlight of our evening. They recommended a place for dinner, and we returned to some chocolate truffles in our room and a wonderful nights sleep. Breakfast was served between 8-9am. I’m sure it changes, but we were served a yogurt and fruit parfait with local honey and a potato waffle with a fried egg, sausage, and guacamole with tomato from their garden. Divine! Tea and coffee, as well. We added on a picnic, which was such a treat. They prepared a backpack with sandwiches, potato salad, our choice of drink (we chose champagne), cookies, peaches, and a blanket. Everything was cooked with care and really made us feel special. We ate it next to a creek at Black Mountain State Park and it couldn’t have been a better way to end our stay. Our stay was so warm and welcoming that we are already talking about coming back with our families. If you are on the fence about booking, just do yourself a favor and do it. This is so much better than getting a hotel. Beechwood Inn is an experience, full of connection and memories. Marlon & Eli, thank you for making such an impact on us. We will be back...

I stayed at the Bettys Creek Cabin this year. The cabin was very nice and the beds were wonderful and great pillows.

A few important things to note now. Number 1 you will have zero cell service and I mean ZERO. You will not be able to make a phone call from your cell at this cabin. They do have wifi thank goodness or you wouldn't be able to text either.

Number 2 You will lose your security deposit if you don't bag all of your trash and haul it to the local dump. Give me a break. I don't go on a vacation to take out the trash. Imagine if all you had was a car to haul it in. This was not something I was made aware of before I bought this stay.

Number 3 the tv is as small as what you would have in a kitchen. It comes with Dish Network that has a grand total of about 10 channels. I didn't know dish had that weak of a package.

Number 4 Why do you make your guests bring the freaking key all the way back to the beachwood inn. We seriously can't just leave it on the kitchen table. This is something people could very very easily forget to do.

Last but not least. I told these people that I would be coming in late I had about an 8 hr drive. They tell me "oh don't worry someone will be there to check you in and you can call us anytime. After a very long drive I arrive and knock on the door and guess what "Crickets" I wring the door bell jump up and down and no one is home. I call the cell no answer. Finally after about 30 minutes of standing on the front porch, enlightenment strikes the owners and they answer the phone and finally trek up the hill and check me in.

The cabin itself is nice but there are a lot of things that are a headache to deal with which is why this gets...