Running a bed & breakfast is a great pleasure. Guests come from all over and from a variety of backgrounds. That means each day we never know what we are going to learn about. Sometimes guests travel literally from around the world to see the Midwest and get a glimpse of the Mississippi River (we have had guests from Finland, China, Japan, the U.K., Germany, Chile and Australia!). We think of our role as providing people (most often couples, but not always) a chance to get away and recharge their batteries in a comfortable and elegant setting. That is a great opportunity and responsibility. Many times we are hosting parents who are doing a getaway for the first time in years. We know how important that time is to reconnect. We do everything we can to make that experience an enjoyable one, whether it be through comforts we can provide or information we can offer, but we also know it is important to be unobtrusive to allow guests the opportunity to relax. We especially enjoy hosting people staying at a B&B for the first time. Some people enter the front door a bit nervous, not knowing what to expect. Helping people feel welcome is a big part of our job.

Our goal at the Cloran Mansion Bed & Breakfast is to offer modern comforts & historic charm. The Cloran Mansion sits on 1.5 acres of property, complete with a screened-in gazebo, koi pond and fire pit. We are about a three-minute drive to Main Street, Galena, where most of the shops and restaurants are located. Our location means we are close enough to downtown to enjoy what Galena has to offer, but far enough away to be able to retreat to a peaceful, beautiful & romantic setting. All of our rooms have their own bathrooms, and five of the six have jetted tubs and gas fireplaces. We offer a full country breakfast in the morning, served family style in our elegant dining room between 9 and 10:30. Never been to a true B&B before? No worries -- that's true of many of our guests. In fact, the Cloran Mansion was the first B&B WE ever stayed in! Coffee is available round-the-clock through a Keurig machine in our common space (and in two of our rooms). Our rooms come complete with free WIFI, TV sets connected to cable television, and DVD players (we have a DVD library in our common space with several hundred DVDs!). We hope you'll come stay with us!

Galena is great partly because it has the ability to entertain people whatever their interests might be. Love to eat good food? Galena has a number of great restaurants. Love to shop? There are literally blocks of stores downtown -- and not of the "chain" variety either. Love the outdoors? There are many beautiful trails in the area as well as the opportunity to canoe, kayak, bike and ski. Galena is located in an unusual oasis in the Midwest with rolling hills and views out toward the Mississippi River. Like festivals and special events? Galena is known for its year-round weekend celebrations of various sorts. Love wine tasting? There are vineyards and tasting rooms right here. Love history and architecture? President U.S. Grant's home is here as well as a museum and striking varieties of 19th century architecture. There is too much to name, but we are happy to provide you with resources upon request!