The Avenue Bed & Breakfast

If I could give The Avenue six stars, I would. The food was delicious, the house was spotless and beautifully kept, and when my flight left to early to book a taxi, the owner drove me to the airport at 5:45am!
I was on a business trip so coming back here each night was lovely, a very relaxing place to stay. It cost only slightly more than nearby hotels, none of which looked great and I’m sure they wouldn’t be as clean. With the inclusion of a very generous breakfast, The Avenue is well worth it, and still cheaper than other b&bs in the area!
About the food: all locally sourced (I had local bacon and hone waffles with honey from The Avenue’s own hives). I don’t think I’ve ever had better waffles, ever. Light and fluffy, and the coffee was delicious too.
If I ever come back to Champaign I know where I’ll be staying!!!

We adored the Avenue and we will definitely be back!
First, most of the other lodging options in the area are bland chain hotels, located north of central Champaign — too far to walk anywhere. We came without a car, so the location of the Avenue was great — about a 10 minute walk from the happenin’ center of Champaign and the Amtrak/​Greyhound/​Megabus station on a quiet street lined with gorgeous single family homes. The Avenue itself is a lovely turn of the century brick three-​story. We were able to keep our bikes in the locked garage, and there’s parking available there if you bring a car.
We found Paul and Catherine to be perfect hosts: informative, warm and conversational, thoughtful of every tiny detail, while at the same time unobtrusive and professional. They were there when we needed them, but we hardly noticed them as we came and went. We were welcomed with a complimentary glass of port, the local and Chicago newspapers, and recommendations on favorite restaurants and local events. They had a public computer, wifi, and printer to use, and when I realized I’d left my phone charger at home, Paul was able to pull out a match from their drawer o’ electronic gadgets. Besides all that, there was also a cabinet with complimentary drinks and snacks near the bedrooms, and a collection of DVDs and books in the TV room.
We stayed in the «Maids» suite — nestled into the slanted ceiling of the third floor. It was the smallest of the available rooms, but it had great character, a lot of natural light, a writing nook, an ipod alarm, and a flatscreen TV, as well as a private bathroom with a clawfoot tub (no shower, but a handheld spray attachment). The bed was fabulous and we slept better than at home! We liked being on the third floor because it felt like a peaceful sanctuary away from the other three rooms on the second floor (although we were the only guests at the time anyway).
We ate in the formal dining room, which even at breakfast felt like a fancy restaurant — silver tea and coffee service, china dishes, candles, and orchids. I think I literally gasped when we walked in. We’re both kind of food snobs, but Catherine has a culinary background, and her breakfast was phenomenal! Fresh fruit, blueberry ricotta pancakes with homemade blackberry jam and Vermont maple syrup from Paul’s «favorite farm,» quiche with eggs from a local farmer and herbs and roasted tomatoes from Catherine’s active garden, and locally raised thick-​cut bacon and sausage. We ate ourselves silly and there was plenty leftover. Catherine said that they try to use seasonal and local ingredients, so the menu is always changing, but she’s happy to customize it for special limitations or requests. They sent us on our way with a bag of cookies and bottled water for the road.
For $ 20 – 30 more than the chain hotels, the location, service, food, and amenities are incomparable, and the Avenue is at the same time more affordable than other B&Bs in the area. I can’t recommend it highly enough and I wouldn’t change a thing!
Tip: If you are okay with last minute planning, available rooms are discounted 10% the week before. And if you have ANY special needs or requests, just give them a call. They are super accommodating.