All new lives, right out of the blue

Owners Keri Cole, 30, and Anna Haas Kolchinsky, 31, came by inn-keeping serendipitously. Originally they and their husbands wanted to buy a shared vacation home in Vermont, envisioning a tiny house on acreage to serve as a retreat from their busy lives in Baltimore and Boston. Kolchinsky’s involvement with The Green Mountain Horse Association brought Woodstock to their attention. The couples looked for almost two years without success, until one day in August 2009, their real estate agent, Gail Childs from The Bean Group, gave them a listing for a foreclosure property that met few of their requirements. It was not tiny, it was not remote, and it wasn’t going to make their lives easier. It was an inn. Childs recalled saying, “This might be off the wall, but this is the best deal in town.’’

At the time, Cole was the chairwoman of the religious studies department at St. Paul’s School for Girls in Brooklandville, Md., and working on her doctorate in Southeast Asian Buddhist studies, while Kolchinsky was a teaching assistant at Boston College, completing her doctorate in modern European history. They had no background in inn-keeping and no plans to radically change their lives. Within a few weeks of seeing the stunning 2.2-acre property overlooking the Ottauquechee River, they purchased it and began preparations to open The Blue Horse Inn this past summer.

When asked what made them think they could run an inn with no experience, Cole said, “We had no idea what was involved.’’ Their vision for the inn has been clear from the start: They wanted it to be a retreat filled with people they enjoy and decor they love. The name of the inn reflects Kolchinsky’s interest in dressage and her affinity for a series of paintings from the German artist group Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider).

The many small touches at the inn reflect a keen attention to detail and Kolchinsky’s European upbringing: the always available pitcher of water with refreshing mint and cucumber slices, a small basket of dog biscuits for the canine guests and wrapped chocolates for their human companions, a Nespresso machine ready and waiting for weary hikers and shoppers, and a daily cocktail hour with wine and snacks included in the room rate.

The inn’s 10 rooms — two queen, five king, and three suites — range from $180-$350 per night, depending on the season, and are luxurious while remaining spare in design. Warm neutrals predominate, with crisp white bed linens, hints of French style in an elegant headboard or chair, and an occasional accent of a bright red lamp. A flat screen TV, complimentary Wi-Fi, and an iPod docking station on the clock radio acknowledge modern life. The bathrooms are spotless white and polished chrome, with subway tiles and fluffy towels, but a European half-door on the shower in our room didn’t quite keep all the water in.

The public rooms include a formal salon with grand piano and fireplace and a library with their collection of fiction as well as Cole’s sacred tantric texts, albeit on the top shelf. A heated pool (open from May to October), clay tennis courts, an extensive lawn, and bicycles and snowshoes are available for guest use.

Breakfast is served in a light-filled room at the back of the house, and on the porch when weather permits. A sweet and a savory dish are served family style (per table), along with juice and French press coffee. The eggs, dairy, herbs, and syrup are all organic and locally sourced. We enjoyed crème brûlée French toast along with a caramelized onion tart and shirred eggs. Other items include baked apples, organic sausage, cornmeal pancakes, scrambled eggs with local ricotta and herbs, and homemade granola. Vegetarian and gluten-free breakfast options are available upon request.

The Blue Horse Inn doesn’t attempt to cater to everyone. Guests must be a minimum of 18 years old, although canine guests are welcome at any age. The inn’s pet policy attempts to fill a travel niche, and many people find the inn through www.PetFriendlytravel.com. “I think there is a real gap in terms of pet-friendly travel,’’ explains Kolchinsky, who has a dog named Monkey. “If you want to stay at a really high-end hotel, you can bring your pets. Otherwise, you have to go to a motel.’’ The inn supplies dog beds and bowls.

Both Cole and Kolchinsky find inn-keeping “a lovely way to live,’’ but concede it has been difficult having different schedules from their husbands’. The men commute to the inn on weekends, which is the busiest time of the week for Cole and Kolchinsky. Still, they have been surprised at how much fun it has been. They have survived their first foliage season in Vermont and will kick off ski season by hosting a reception for the house tour on Wassail Weekend in December. They hope to organize a yoga retreat and a dog sledding weekend.

The inn is located on Route 4 in Woodstock, a short walk from the town green and village shops. Built in 1831, the house remained a private residence until former owner Eleanor Paine turned it into a B&B. She sold it and the property became the Lauren Inn for several years.

Alita Wilson, one of Paine’s daughters who still lives in town, said, “If my mom were alive she would be so pleased. Finally the house is getting the love it needs, and it couldn’t be in better hands.’’

Jill Gibson can be reached at jrgibson22@gmail.com.