Green Tree Inn of Elsah — Hotel in Elsah

Had never heard of Elsah, Illinois until I planned a drive on the Great River Road along the west side of the state. Found and booked a room at The Green Tree Inn online and was very glad I did. The entire village is on the National Register of Historic Places, dotted with old stone homes and nestled against the bluffs of the Mississippi River, which is just across the highway from the town. Most of the historic loop in the village is an easy walk around this lovely B&B. Connie welcomes you with a tour of the establishment and delicious freshly baked sweets in the gathering room. Eventually, you’ll meet Gary, her husband, for conversations about the area, historic and present day. Their residence is separate, attached to the guest area by a breezeway. Since they have their own kitchen, the kitchen in the gathering area (used for preparing breakfast) is available to the guests after breakfast prep is cleared. There is all-day access to coffee and tea as well as bottled water and sodas in the dining area, plus the baked goods on offer in the afternoon. The breakfast was delicious! Homemade granola, cooked apples with whipped cream, a German pancake with my choice of bacon as a side was the best breakfast of my trip! Connie is also able to accommodate any dietary necessities. The guest rooms are very private, clean and comfortable with luxurious bed linens and plenty of bath linens. My room had its own heating unit, so I could adjust the temp to my preference. Rooms open directly to outside to a covered porch that gives a homey feel as well as more privacy (no bumping into other guests in a closed hallway). I had the only ground floor en-suite. It was very quiet and provided easy access to the gathering area, which includes 2 dining tables and a comfortable seating area with fireplace, the guest-access kitchen and Gary’s “Treasure Room” where his finds from antique shops and auctions as well as cookbooks are available for sale. Connie and Gary were very friendly and helpful with travel info about the area. I only stayed one night, but with local historical sites, beautiful views and shopping and restaurants a short drive south to Alton and north to Grafton, a longer stay would have been delightful. I would definitely recommend The Green Tree Inn to travelers, not just as a travel stop but as a stop-and-stay destination along your trip. I plan to return to enjoy a longer...

We just returned from a delightful weekend at The Green Tree Inn. From the moment we arrived, we felt very comfortable on the premises. We were greeted by name, The hosts Connie and Gary are outstanding. The two mornings of breakfast were enjoyable both because of the company and the food. Seconds were offered. There is a common area including a kitchen that is available all day to guests with coffee, tea, soft drinks, water and even milk to go with the sweet treats baked that day and placed out for the guests. The common area has some interesting books, a CD player and we used the table to play a couple of board games. Our host Connie provided good information about the neighboring town of Alton (which is much bigger than Elsah). We also made the easy trip to Pere Marquette State Park from the Inn. Our room was comfortable and sufficiently air conditioned that we did not suffer in the 95 degree heat. Elsah is a unique place to visit. There is not much to do in Elsah except soak in the pace of life and learn about its past. The Inn is about a five minute relaxed walk to the Mississippi River. On our last morning, we got a private tour of the interesting town museum (right next to the Inn) from our host Gary. We booked this place as we saw it to be the only B & B ranked in the top 10 in Illinois that was not in Galena and we were not disappointed. Finally, there is a new restaurant in Elsah (the only restaurant in Elsa) called State Street on LaSalle that is very good and a three minute walk...

I was blown away by this BnB experience! The rooms are described very accurately in their website. Three of them are in the 2nd floor so just take note if ever any of you wouldn't want to be climbing upstairs. There's no view but it isn't needed - the whole village of Elsah is nice and this is a place you'd be happy to hang outside and walk around, very walkable! Beds are comfy, the towels are high quality, I cannot think of any complaints, really. Again, maybe another observation, the bed of the Aeries room is quite high - I needed to like "jump" a bit to get to the bed.

The service by hosts Connie and Gary are remarkable. They were very helpful, hospitable, and the best part probably is the breakfast they serve. It's a personalized experience - they take note of any allergies or certain foods you might not like to eat! The breakfast is undeniably excellent. I might have felt like eating in a 5-star hotel with their breakfasts having that home-made touch.

This place exceeded my expectations. If you want a charming place with character you can truly relax at, with a very personal level of service, I'm recommending this place for those visiting the Illinois Great River Road area. Thanks Connie and Gary!

If you will be checking in late, just mind that they request you to notify them because standard check-in time for this place...