The concept of Rose Arbour Tea Room & B&B was born in the fall of ’92 when owners Jerry & Debbie Nielsen and their oldest daughter Katy came to see the foliage around Chester, Vermont. On the last day of their vacation they stopped in at the local realtor’s office and got the keys to look at a property just around the corner. They fell in love with the 1890’s Victorian home that would become Rose Arbour. Heading back to California, all they could talk about was how they could transform the house into something special.
Katy excitedly spoke of how they could change the first floor into a British-inspired tea room and gift shop. Debbie described how she would redesign the second floor into inviting guest rooms and a common area where guests could relax and enjoy their evenings after a long day of sightseeing. Jerry talked about how they could market the business and how it had to appeal to men as well.
Jerry and Debbie took the plunge and bought the property that evening. Katy relocated from southern California to southern Vermont to set up the family business. Meanwhile Debbie celebrated the 40th anniversary of her daycare center in the Pasadena, CA area where she and Jerry still live.
Katy opened the doors to the tea room in the spring of ’93, followed shortly by the B&B in a couple of years. Katy then married and began a family, handing over the reins to her sister Suzanne, who has been caring for Rose Arbour for over 20 years now.
After getting her degree in fine art, Suzanne moved east. Her gallery is now integrated into the first floor, and her art hangs in the tea room and around the house. She shows her work internationally, and has collectors around the globe. Suzanne is also a superb chef and baker and continues to provide the high quality of tea service for which Rose Arbour has long been known. The addition of three enthusiastic huskies has made visits to Rose Arbour feel even more like a home away from home.
Summer offers an abundance of outdoor excursions, autumn comes alive with color, winter is blanketed with fresh snow and winter sports abound, and spring is heralded in by the sound of song birds, the rustling of new leaves and the scents of wild flowers. Hospitality is an art the Nielsens have mastered. They will be waiting to greet you whatever the season.
Now a new season has begun as Rose Arbour closed its doors to bed and breakfast guests at the end of 2023. Never fear though! They have expanded the tearoom and gift shop to fill that space. They continue to offer one of the best tea sevices in New England and still make the best scones ever. The tea menu will continue to expand as will the gift shop and gallery.
