The Quilt House Bed & Breakfast

When you stay with Hans and Miriam at the Quilt House B&B, you feel like you are staying with your sweet grandparents who will do anything to make you feel like you have come back home. It is cozy, friendly, welcoming, and definitely not trendy. If you want to be transported back to an imagined childhood with kind grandparents, this is the place for you.
The Quilt House owners are Hans and Miriam Graetzer, who bought this home about 15 years ago and remodeled to be their retirement business. The lodging consists of three bedrooms, each with its own bath, on the second floor, along with a sitting room for guests. There is a cabin to the side as well. I only saw our room, which had two twin beds and a bath, and the sitting room, which you could reasonably call a Parlor, if you were old enough. The bathroom was small, but everything was spotless, and there was plenty of hot water.
The Quilt House has nonsmoking, no alcohol, policies. If you want to come back to your room and have a glass of wine before bed, this is not the place for you. We had plenty of wine or beer with our dinners in town, so we didn’t feel the need to get blotto before retiring for the night.
The Graetzers provide a hearty, filling group breakfast at 8:00am. Everyone eats together. The food is delicious and simple, and all made by Miriam. She makes delicious nut breads and quiche.
When we checked in, Hans asked if we had any dietary restrictions. We explained that we were vegetarians, and they were able to accommodate our dietary needs. Hans also asked if we preferred coffee or tea in the morning, and we were always served what we wanted.
The one thing that might bother some folks is the religious practices, though some of you might appreciate it. The Graetzers are apparently devout Christians. Again, we felt like we were in Granddad’s house, so we went along. Hans offered a blessing at breakfast on the first day, which, according to other guests who were regulars at the Quilt House, he typically does. The next day, he asked us to sing «God Bless America», and we did. Can’t say I’ve ever done that before at breakfast.
On our last morning, we were leaving at 6am, so Miriam packed us two breakfasts to go, which she left in the guest refrigerator in the parlor. There was enough food to feed six people. That was very sweet, and very much appreciated.
Hans and Miriam have lived in Estes Park for almost 20 years. They are knowledgeable about the area and its attractions, and are very willing to answer any questions guests might have. There are books everywhere, and magazines, which guests are welcome to read. There are no televisions, no DVD players, no nothing of that sort. It’s a quiet place. Again, if you need to watch ESPN or rent DVDs, this is not the place for you.
The Quilt House is located on a side street that is only a five-​minute walk from the Donut Haus, a good Italian restaurant, a local brewery, and a Chinese restaurant. Walk another 5 minutes, and you’re in the heart of downtown Estes Park, with all sorts of restaurants and crappy shops that will appeal to any tourist.
We enjoyed our stay at The Quilt House because we wanted simple, inexpensive, comfortable and convenient lodging. But we have simple needs. We got along just fine without TV, radio, Internet (no Wi-​Fi here), and drinking alcohol before bedtime. We enjoyed talking with other guests at the breakfast table, and hanging out in the parlor, watching weather systems roll in from Rocky Mountain National Park. But if you need all the modern conveniences, and lots of special services and entertainment provided at your lodging, this may not be the place for you.
For me and the sibling, it was just fine. We would stay again.