Breakfast, Poetry, and Parrots: A Morning in the Emily Dickinson Suite

Cliff Cottage Inn might just serve the best breakfast in Eureka Springs — but the room it arrives in deserves a story of its own.

A Jungle-Themed Room with Caribbean Flair

One thing that is unique about Cliff Cottage is that each room has its own theme, and the Emily Dickinson Suite is no different. As you enter the living room area, stepping inside from the wooden porch, it seems to embrace a Caribbean feeling—with oversized paintings of parrots and colorful, dark-skinned island native dancers in the living room area.

Bamboo curtains and ceiling fans whose blades have the appearance of giant leaves gave the space the feel of a rainforest-themed room.

Even wallpaper with an exotic jungle look: elephant ears in abundance and shades of green. An artificial yet realistic banana tree and tropical plants, behind a beautiful crimson lounging couch, complete the look.

I've stayed in my share of colorful hotel rooms, but this one committed to the bit.

The Best Breakfast in Eureka Springs

Every morning at Cliff Cottage, breakfast arrives at your suite — not from a buffet line, but on an antique silver tray, delivered to your door. A different menu every day, always complimentary, always made from scratch. It's a romantic breakfast in bed without ever having to ask.

I was excited because a friend was joining me for breakfast in the suite this morning. She had stayed in Cliff Cottage before but had only seen one of the rooms and was excited about seeing what the other ones looked like. We opted for the French toast, sausage patty, and fresh fruit option for breakfast, and while waiting for her, I made coffee in preparation. As she drove up, I saw the staff member bringing our breakfasts on an antique silver tray. The timing could not have been more perfect. The gentleman placed the tray on our porch table and asked if I needed anything else, to which I replied, "No," and thanked him. For a second I paused to consider having breakfast on the outside porch but decided to opt for the elegant privacy inside.

The food at the Cliff Cottage Inn was superb. Absolutely one of the best breakfast meals I have had in a long, long time. From the perfectly caramelized, cinnamon-dusted French toast to the fresh seasonal fruit, this was a breakfast prepared with genuine care and culinary confidence. I say this not only as a chef myself but also as someone who was receiving agent for fine restaurants in New Orleans.

This was the kind of breakfast that would hold its own against any brunch spot in the French Quarter — and I don't say that lightly.

Emily Dickinson's Bedroom and the Hot Tub

The bedroom in the Emily Dickinson Suite had the same Caribbean energy as the living room — bold prints, deep greens, and a four-poster bed draped in sheer white fabric that made you feel like you were sleeping inside a colonial estate. Similar to the collection of shoes seen in the Sarah Bernhardt suite, the Emily Dickinson Suite had its own eclectic touches — a vintage typewriter on the desk, framed poetry on the walls, and a stack of leather-bound books that looked like they'd been there since the house was built.

The suite's large bathroom was gently divided with French doors. A triangular-shaped hot tub beckoned in the light from both a stained-glass frosted window next to it and the fluted antiqued vanity mirror lamps. Across the room sat a utilitarian sink equipped for dishwashing if needed, atop a towel rack guarded by a pair of colorful ceramic frogs on bicycles, grinning broadly.

The triangular shape made it surprisingly roomy — easily big enough for two. Cliff Cottage is one of those Eureka Springs hotels with a jacuzzi in every room, though "hotel" hardly does this bed and breakfast justice — each suite has character to spare. The jacuzzi suites in the Zelda building even come with their own forest-view deck.

As I sat back down with my coffee and the last bites of French toast, the morning light pouring in through the stained glass, I realized I hadn't checked my phone in hours. Hadn't wanted to.

Whether it's a romantic getaway or a morning with an old friend, Cliff Cottage has a way of making breakfast feel like the whole point of the trip. And with all the things to do in Eureka Springs just outside the door, you'll have plenty of reasons to come back for another tray. Life was quite good at that moment.

Originally posted here:
https://www.iloveureka.com/post/oh-muriel