Victorian England Meets New England

By Tom Witkowski

Back in 1867, William Whitaker was just one of many well-bred Bostonians building a luxurious town house in a neighborhood straight out of Victorian England. Today, with their mansard roofs, double front doors, bay windows and rear gardens, these South End buildings are preserved by landmark rules. Some have been reclaimed as single-family houses, others are apartments, but the 21st century Whitaker House is a bed-and-breakfast owned by Martin Gottlieb and John Collette.

The grandest of the three bedrooms, the Victorian Room, with its 12-ft. ceilings, was once the rear parlor. A king-size four-poster mahogany bed sits in front of a working marble fireplace; a bay window overlooks a landscaped garden. All the rooms have lush Oriental rugs, original details and antique furnishings.

Every morning Gottlieb and Collette provide a breakfast of fruits, cereals and freshly baked scones, which can be enjoyed either in the kitchen or outdoors on the patio. There is also a comfortable parlor in which guests can pour themselves a glass of sherry while browsing through guidebooks. And what could be more soothing than having Tucker, the golden retriever, nearby?

Outside, Victorian Boston and the 21st century city meet. The Prudential Center and John Hancock Building tower above the town houses. The neighborhood offers plenty of dining options, from French bistro to French Cambodian. A few minutes' walk leads to some of Boston's better-known attractions: Copley Square, the Public Garden and Newbury Street with its fashionable shops. The Museum of Fine Arts, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Beacon Hill are a trolley ride away www.whitaker-house.com 617-437-6464).

--By Tom Witkowski