Touring & Tasting

Touring & Tasting’s 15th Anniversary issue features Brookside Inn!

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Travel + Leisure
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We reached the Brookside Inn just before dusk and found a wooded enclave that looked like something out of a fairy tale. Across a small bridge that forded one end of a pond, a trout leapt out of the water and quickly disappeared; farther up, sunlight streamed through towering trees, throwing long shadows across the verdant, pristine property. Our tires came to a crunching stop on the narrow gravel road at the front of the main house, a beautiful two-story structure of shingle and stone. When we stepped out, the quiet was deafening, the smells redolent of nature in all its glory.

Portland Monthly
Wine Country Weekends For the Foodie
By Hannah Wallace

Some of the finest pinot noir vineyards in the world are perched on the rolling hills of the northern Willamette Valley. But the volcanic and marine soil is ideal for growing more than just grapes. Chefs here have long channeled the spirit of Oregon native James Beard by drawing inspiration from what grows in their own backyards.

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The Brookside Inn has variously been a sawmill, a pot farm, and a Christian retreat center. The latest owners, Bruce and Susan Bandstra, transformed it into an enchanting nine-room country inn on 22 shaded acres that include lush gardens (edible and floral), a fire pit for roasting s’mores, and a picturesque pond full of rainbow trout and bass. (Fly-fishing encouraged.) Serious foodies themselves, the Bandstras also throw wine dinners with guest chefs from the likes of Seattle’s Crush and Portland’s Navarre. (Check the inn’s website for info.) 8243 NE Abbey Rd, Carlton; 503-852-4433; brooksideinn-oregon.com…

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Road Trip to Willamette Valley
Let’s take a trip to Willamette Valley, Oregon for The 28th Annual Wine Country Thanksgiving!
By: Lauren Lynch | November 2010 | FROM THE PRINT EDITION

Willamette Valley is wonderful wine country

Image Credit: John Mcanulty/Corbis

WHERE: Willamette Valley, Oregon, the V-shaped region that encompasses two-thirds of the state’s wineries and vineyards. WHY: The 28th annual Wine Country Thanksgiving (November 26–28; willamettewines.com), the perfect excuse to skip a weekend of turkey leftovers. DRINK UP: The event spans nearly 160 wineries across the winding river valley, including the popular Domaine Drouhin and Willamette Valley Vineyard, plus some not typically open to the public, such as Durant Vineyards. Sip new releases and old favorites, hear live music and find out which wines will pair perfectly with your next holiday feast. STAY: The cozy Brookside Inn in McMinnville (brooksideinn-oregon.com) is known for exquisite cuisine and offers nine suites filled with handmade furniture and vistas of rolling hills. GETTING THERE: From Seattle, take I-5 South past Portland to exit 294 (Highway 99W). For winery-filled routes, take either 99W all the way to McMinnville, or Highways 240 and 47 (leave 99W in Newburg).

“The Brookside Inn on Abbey Road, just north of Lafayette, is a romantic bed and breakfast. Flights of fancy-images of butterflies and rainbows-fill my mind as we drive up the dirt road. The inn is situated in a beautiful green forest next to a pond, over small wooden bridge with a stream gurgling below.”

Catering to the wine and food lover’s soul, Brookside Inn knows just how to make every guest’s stay a memorable experience. The nine-suite inn is owned by Susan and Bruce Bandstra, two foodies who left their corporate lives to slow down and do something they really enjoyed together…

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Beautiful, Bountiful B&Bs

The Brookside Inn on Abbey Road in Carlton is a perfect example. Situated on 22 acres with streams, gardens, and hand built waterfalls, the pace here is slow yet pampering. Proprietors Bruce and Susan Bandstra offer a rich culinary experience to guests, including home-cooked three course breakfast and gourmet wine-makers dinners–plus great advice on what to do in the surrounding area.

Places to stay in the Willamette Valley

We reached the Brookside Inn just before dusk and found a wooded enclave that looked like something out of a fairy tale. Across a small bridge that forded one end of a pond, a trout leapt out of the water and quickly disappeared; farther up, sunlight streamed through towering trees, throwing long shadows across the verdant, pristine property. Our tires came to a crunching stop on the narrow gravel road at the front of the main house, a beautiful two-story structure of shingle and stone. When we stepped out, the quiet was deafening, the smells redolent of nature in all its glory.

By the time we reach our bed and breakfast, the Brookside Inn, we are anxious to pair some food with our Pinots. the inn occupies 22 tranquil, park-like acres-with a pond, trails, waterfalls, and a profusion of flowers throughout the property. it’s calm and relaxing here and the owners, Bruce and Susan Bandstra, are also dedicated foodies. We happen to arrive on a night when they’re holding one of their popular multi-course “culinary palindrome” dinners, pairing local winemakers with culinary artisans. Working in tandem with local chefs Quinn Corbett and Sam Jackson, Ray Walsh of Capitello Wines starts us off with his sparkling wine (paired with caviar-topped buckwheat and red onion waffles), through courses with Dolcino (foie gras on brioche), sauvignon Blanc (oysters), Pinot gris (pasta with rabbit and wild mushrooms), Pinot noir (short ribs, duck confit and elk sausage) and back to the bubbles for dessert. We’re completely sated-and very glad to be staying within staggering distance.

“Bruce and Susan Bandstra left the corporate world to open the Brookside Inn on Abbey Road, a new nine-suite inn, set on 22 woodsy acres; breakfast might include oatmeal with sweet cream and berries or sausage made with local pork.”

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Rachel Ray’s guide to the best places to eat, play and stay in the Willamette Valley.

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Tucked alongside a quiet stream, just minutes from the wineries and restaurants of Carlton, the Brookside Inn makes a fine base for exploring the valley. Spend a peaceful night in one of its airy, elegant rooms, and in the morning sit down for a bountiful home-cooked breakfast prepared by the inn’s charming keepers, Bruce and Susan Bandstra. The couple are passionate about Oregon and its cuisine; recently they launched a series of winemaker dinners that pair the talents of the area’s chefs and its vintners. It doesn’t get any more local than this: on June 15, in collaboration with Lange Vineyards and the acclaimed Oregonian chef Paul Bachand, the Bandstras will hold their first “Catch and Cook” evening, featuring trout hooked in the nearby brook.

One of the newest hotels in the area, Brookside is located on the grounds of a former religious retreat, and its nine rooms, nestled among twenty-two acres, have lost none of their comfortable solitude.

Bruce and Susan Bandstra have transformed an old religious retreat in the woods, where alcohol was once strictly forbidden, into a cozy, nine-room wine country escape. One of the newest places to stay in the valley, the inn has clean, modern lines and sparse Craftsman charm. Home-made, fresh-out-of-the-oven scones are served each morning.

Brookside Inn (www.brooksideinn-oregon.com) 8243 NE Abbey Rd, 852-4433, Carlton, Oregon rests in the heart of wine country, just over 45 minutes to the west of Portland. Brookside Inn is a small, nine-room cottage located on 22 lush Willamette Valley acres with trails, gardens and streams on-site. Vino lovers and gourmands alike will appreciate the kitchen’s pairing of local wine and meals with traditional Northwest ingredients. Owners Bruce and Susan Bandstra have gone to great lengths to keep their inn true to the Northwest spirit with award winning guest chefs, hand-crafted furniture from Seattle, gardens with native plants and beautifully decorated rooms with private baths. Whether you just need a weekend away from the city grind or you are planning a large gathering or wedding, the secluded Brookside Inn is a wonderful getaway destination.

Just another benefit of living in Portland is that in less than an hour’s drive you can escape the confines of the city and find yourself in a completely different world…

Visitors stopping at the Brookside Inn just north of Lafayette, could use the words “beautiful” and “serene” to describe the 22 shaded acres, but stay a few days and that description might change to “magical”. Watch the mist rise above the pond, listen to the call of the coyote, or wander along trails line with moss-covered trees and you may feel like you’re in an enchanted forest. When Bruce and Susan Bandstra decided it was time to change gears and leave the hectic pace of Chicago and Seattle behind and return to their rural roots, they began looking for property in the Willamette Valley where their daughter attended college. Their search led them to a tranquil retreat on Abbey Road, which they purchased last May. “It seems like a natural fit for us.” Said Bruce, who is the chef, and handles the marketing. Susan is the gardener and accountant. Together they share in the upkeep of the property. Whether spending the night or enjoying the country setting for a wedding, retreat or corporate event, guests will find this inn a place to make treasured memories and new friends.

The Oregonian | December 16, 2007

Where to eat, drink, be merry during travels around Oregon
For a great place to stay while visiting Oregon’s famed wine country, make Brookside Inn on Abbey Road your headquarters…

Listed in Places to stay in the wine country

Dreamy, nine-bedroom B&B in an idyllic setting, with comfortable and chic contemporary bedrooms and fabulous breakfasts . Charming and knowledgeable hosts. Highly recommended.

Mercedes-Benz wine tour Valley of the Pinots By Tom Cannavan
WHERE TO EAT AND SLEEP
Brookside Inn Nine-bedroom B&B in an idyllic setting, serving fabulous breakfasts. Charming and knowledgeable hosts.

Brainstorm NW |November 2007
Wine Country Oregon Style

For a more rural experience, wine country visitors can now stay in Carlton at the Brookside Inn on Abbey Road. This nine-suite bed and breakfast on 22 acres caters to wine and food lovers. Owners Bruce and Susan Bandstra have partnered with award-winning chefs in the Northwest culinary scene to inspire and develop the B&B’s gourmet menu that reflects the diversity and quality of regional ingredients.

Brookside Inn Press Release

CARLTON, Ore. (July, 2007) – Nestled on 22 forested-acres in Oregon’s Wine Country, Brookside Inn on Abbey Road, Willamette Valley’s newest treasure, opened its doors to the public on July 1, 2007. The property was formerly known as His Hiding Place, a well-known religious retreat hosting conferences and weddings for ten years.  Quoting co-owner Bruce Bandstra, “We are not hiding anymore!”

Not your ordinary bed and breakfast, Brookside Inn on Abbey Road caters to the wine and food lovers’ soul, specializing in making every guest’s stay a culinary experience. Each meal served at the B&B reflects the diversity and quality of ingredients of the Yamhill and Pacific Northwest region.

Owners Bruce and Susan Bandstra have partnered with award-winning chefs in the Northwest culinary scene to inspire and develop the B&B’s gourmet menu.

“We created our Inn to be much more than just lodging,” says Susan. “Our plans are to have a wonderful Inn, but to go beyond the Bed and Breakfast concept.  We plan to embrace the amazing food and wine the Willamette Valley offers and invite others to enjoy it with us.”

Brookside Inn’s first guest chef will be Jason Wilson, executive chef at Crush in Seattle. Wilson will be preparing breakfast at the Inn during the International Pinot Noir Celebration, taking place July 27-29, in McMinnville, Oregon.

The Pacific Northwest experience at Brookside Inn on Abbey Road does not end with the food and drink. The unique character of the region influences the nine-suite Inn, which features hand-crafted furniture by Seattle’s McKinnon Furniture, a stone fireplace and beautiful views of gardens, streams and hand-built waterfalls. Each suite includes private baths and luxurious Egyptian cotton linens.

Brookside Inn is also available for corporate events and weddings. With 22 park-like acres to work with, no event is too large or too small for The Brookside Inn to host. There are several unique ceremony sites created just for weddings.

For more information:
Susan and Bruce Bandstra
p. 503.852.4433
8243 NE Abbey Road
Carlton, OR 97111