Saratoga Springs
Fox ‘n’ Hound
Bed & Breakfast

142 Lake Ave.
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

She had owned and operated a Victorian B&B for seven years in California ’s Mendocino County . So Marlena Sacca knew what to do when she acquired this majestic 1904 Victorian in Saratoga Springs .

She named it to reflect the theme of her collection of hunt prints that dot the common rooms, then set about enhancing a reputation for gourmet breakfasts reflecting her culinary training – all the while blending her special brand of European hospitality with the warmth of home.

The Romanian-born innkeeper had scoured the Northeast for the appropriate site to move back East and open a B&B. “The minute I walked in the door I knew this was it,” the ex-New Yorker said of the handsome house with a large entry foyer paneled with birds-eye maple, a sweeping spiral staircase and a large, stained-glass window.

Two parlors (one full of plush velvet furniture and ornate carved burl paneling), a large dining room, a butler’s pantry and a kitchen – all bearing fine Victorian woodwork and detailing – contributed to her decision. The attributes of five upstairs guest rooms sealed the deal.

Stunning wallpaper and handmade window treatments and bed canopies lent themselves to Marlena’s furnishings. That’s particularly evident in the Crown Room, named for the large purple and gold satin canopy that crowns the kingsize bed. Purple satin draperies puddle to the floor, adding to the regal feel of a room graced by an armoire that looks as if it had been there forever. The angels on the wallpaper border inspired the name for the rear Cherub Room, an L-shaped space with a kingsize carved oak bed nicely angled in the corner of the ell, a matching armoire, a fainting couch in the far alcove and a large bath. The Lilac Room, richly dressed in eggplant colors against a prevailing white backdrop, has a kingsize bed draped in sheer fabric and sports a private balcony. Queensize beds and whirlpool tubs are features of the Saratoga and Springs rooms in front.

Guests avail themselves of the wraparound porch and side lawn with gardens and statuary.

Marlena, who was a chef-instructor at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park before moving to California , serves a multi-course breakfast in the formal dining room. “My philosophy is that you can cook healthier without sacrificing flavor,” she says. So she uses spices and herbs in place of fats and sweets, and markets every morning for fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits. She frequently makes frittatas using vegetables of the season and makes her own salsas to serve with the egg dishes. Still, her Romanian cheese pancakes with cream sauce and raspberry sauce are the guests’ favorite. Breakfast panini, French omelets, eggs Florentine, banana bread, baked apples, and seared peach and apple pancakes are others.

Recipes for these as well as for soups, salads and specialties that she offers at prepared-by-request dinners turn up in her recently published cookbook, “Marlena’s Secrets.”

Cookies, chocolates and tea are available in the afternoon in the main dining room. “People can help themselves,” says Marlena. “Decker and I want everyone to feel at home.”


(518) 584-5959 or (866) 369-1913. Fax (528) 584-2594. E-mail: innkeeper@foxnhoundbandb.com

For more information:  www.foxnhoundbandb.com.

Five rooms with private baths. Doubles, $149 to $245. Racing: $295 to $400. Mid-November to mid-April, open Thursday-Sunday, $149 to $189.

 

Excerpted and updated from Getaways for Gourmets in the Northeast, by Nancy and Richard Woodworth. Copyright 2006.

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