Gowrie House Country Inn, Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia

When we travel, we often try to discover a new and exciting inn that makes us feel welcome and comfortable while providing romantic charm and ambiance to enhance our stay.

We love inns. To us, they represent a personal commitment on the part of the innkeepers who usually own the establishment as well as operate it. As it is their livelihood, the care and attention they offer to their guests is the mainstay of their survival in the hospitality business.

We discovered just such an inn located along the shoreline of Sydney Mines in Cape Breton. Actually, we didn't really discover it. Thousands before us had already found that a stay at Gowrie House Country Inn is a heavenly experience. A number of people we have met, realising our passion for romantic spots, told us that we just had to visit the Gowrie House. This summer, during our annual quest to find interesting places within the province to share with readers, we visited this charming country inn.

The Shore Road through Sydney Mines is a beautiful area overlooking the harbour with pleasant parks, graceful trees, an abundance of flowers and lovely homes. Gowrie House sits back from the roadway, behind a cloak of majestic trees and rich foliage. A small discrete sign on the white gate announces it in an understated yet elegant manner. The driveway is covered with crushed stone and the owners, Clifford Matthews and Ken Tutty, have no intentions of putting down asphalt to intrude on the beauty of the manicured lawns and lovingly cared-for gardens.

Facing the street, the end of the home displays two massive chimneys, evidence of the many fireplaces that warm the guest rooms. In the living room, a spacious bay window provides a colourful view of the gardens. Sitting in this alcove before dinner, we chatted with several interesting guests. A doctor and nurse couple from the central United States asked questions about our medical system. A former lawyer from Ontario wanted to know about places to visit during the time his family had set aside to explore our province. It is in moments like these that we all can become ambassadors of good will for Nova Scotia, encouraging visitors to enjoy the friendly people and breath-taking landscape that so many people have come to encounter.