Beall Mansion An Elegant Bed & Breakfast Inn

I and my wife were married here at the Beall Mansion and have visited again to enjoy the elegance one is pampered with when experiencing this National Treasure. As a history buff it tickles me that a place such as this even prevails in our time of modernization. The grounds have been immaculate each time we have arrived and on par with any of the Ritz Carlton’s I have stayed at. The interior appointments are all genuine vintage with most items dating back easily into the 1800’s. The food, wine, brandy, teas, chocolate bar, linens, soaps, are some of the finest from various locations across the globe and assembled at the Mansion for those with discerning taste to enjoy. ²⁴⁄₇ pampered service and both times I and my wife have visited all our reservations were made before we landed with every possible need or want having been already expected and prepared for by the staff. We have always chosen the Sen. Beall Room with marble floors, custom pillows, 500 sq ft with a luxurious whirlpool for two and a relaxing fireplace to set the mood for a toast. The two person shower is great to rinse off the flight or TSA gropes before being whisked away to a local 5 star restaurant overlooking the Mighty Mo and St Louis which is arranged by the staff. There is no aspect I can think of that the Beall Mansion would not satisfy the most discriminating well seasoned traveler. I and my spouse enjoy taking romantic walks along Millionaire’s Row with cobble stone streets post dinner. Several vineyards dot the surrounding landscape if that’s your preference. For those that need to be connected to their profession at all times, yes the Mansion has all the business solutions you may need. Copies, fax, notary, secure lines can be accessed ²⁴⁄₇ by simply requesting a staff member for assistance. We don’t gamble yet I understand there is a floating casino nearby along with the entire town being ground zero for paranormalist.

We went there for an anniversary and was totally impressed. Jim, the owner, warmly greets you and that warmth continues to be shared each time you see him. The rooms are beautiful, roomie, and comfortable to enjoy a weekend. My wife enjoyed the chocolate bar during our stay which was one of the reasons why we stayed there.
If you’re looking for a great B&B this is it!

Jim the proprietor is as welcoming as can be. It’s a grand and comfortable home. The dozens of chocolates, brandy and many other complimentary amenities along with a good breakfast make this worth the trip. The neighborhood alone is a classic. Why stay anywhere else.

You won’t regret this place. Jim will great you at the door in tux and tails. Very quiet and elegant. 24 hour Chocolate Bar, coffee or sodas all included. My room had three areas: living room, bedroom, and bathroom with a claw foot tub. Continental breakfast and a shot of brandy before bedtime. All of this for a very reasonable price.

My hubby and I decided to stay at the Beall again to take advantage of the free bottle of champagne offer. The owner was just as friendly and hospitable as the year before. The place is so tranquil and stress seems to melt away as soon as we walked into the beautiful mansion. Everything is very lovely here and you won’t be disappointed. The beautiful flowers in the garden are simply breath-​taking! The 24 chocolate bar is devine: everything from chocolate covered ginger, expresso, macadamian nuts, almonds and the list goes on. There are complimentary teas, soda and ice. The décor, statues, furniture are arranged very nicely throughout the first level. The beds are plush, the whirlpool is magical and it’s a place definatley returning to at least once a year for a getaway!

My wife surprised me last year with a stay here for our «17^th YEAR ANNIVERSARY», and now one year later for our «18 YEAR», we are here again. The owner «Jim» greeted us in the drive-​way, and gave us a refresher tour of the mansion and then led us to our room, which surprisingly was the same room we had last year (AWESOMESAUCE!!!). If you want to have a quiet romantic getaway, or just to getaway, «THE BEALL MANSION-​AN ELEGANT BED & BREAKFAST» is the place to go!!! ENJOY!!!

This place is great! I just realized that I have never done a review even though I have stayed here (I’m here now) at least 6 times and been completely happy each time. They have done a wonderful job creating what I think is an ideal and high end version of a bed and breakfast. The décor is Victorian.
Every time I stay, they are so nice and professional. It’s in a pretty, historic part of Alton. One of my favorite things is getting up in the morning and running around the neighborhood and seeing all of the old mansions.
They offer a more elaborate breakfast but I have never had time to enjoy it. They have fruits, yogurt, pastries, cereal and hard boiled eggs in addition to coffee and tea if you are on the go.
The grounds are lovely and would be nice to just hang around in and have your coffee or wine etc.
The beds are very comfortable and feel like your in a high end hotel.
They don’t engage you too much which I love. However, if you would like a higher level of contract and attention, I know they would be happy to give it.

A chocolate bar! Rooms spacious clean. Jim took the time to explain the history of house. Lovely bronze statues there. Complimentary brandy at night. And chocolate. Room we had was a comfortable whirlpool. The cooked breakfast was French bread toast. Small sausage. Dace fish and cream cheese was excellent. Chocolate bar had ginger chocolate, almond, cranberry chocolate. We went to fast eddies for dinner. Fun!

A wonderful place. The home is impeccable and the hosts are very attentive. Lots of history throughout. The rooms are perfectly decorated and furnished. Our bed was amazingly comfortable. One of the best nights sleep in a long while. Highly recommend.

First and foremost, I was beyond impressed with the gracious service that Jim offered from the moment I booked the room to the moment we completed out stay. That alone would be justification for 5 stars. But that was only the beginning. The property is absolutely gorgeous. It really feels like stepping back in time. They have done an amazing job at restoring and decorating this home.
There are so many little perks that prove that the owners will go above and beyond to create an incredibly welcoming experience for their guests (ie. the chocolate bar, homemade bath salts, toiletries, and glass bottled water in each room).
They are also incredibly knowledgeable about the property and it’s history, as well as places to visit around town.
I would not hesitate to recommend the Beall Mansion to anyone who is looking for a relaxing and accommodating getaway. And I sincerely look forward to visiting again sometime in the near future.

My boyfriend surprised me with a weekend away for my birthday, and chose the Beall Mansion because he knows I love bed and breakfasts. The house is gorgeous and when we arrived, Jim was there to receive us in a tux. He was extremely polite and helpful and gave us a brief tour around the house. I loved the history of the mansion (it’s over 100 years old!) and all the beautiful antiques and furniture. They offer a complimentary nightcap in crystal glasses of brandy, 24 hour complimentary coffee, organic teas, and soda, and also… A FREE CHOCOLATE BAR. They had an ENTIRE antique buffet table covered in all different kinds of chocolate. It was available 24 hours a day at no cost. I definitely took advantage of that many times during the course of our stay!
My boyfriend chose to book the upstairs former servants quarters, and I loved it. Even after peeking at some of the rooms on the second floor, I was happy he chose the upstairs room. It has more privacy and is quieter, and feels almost like a little apartment. There is a sitting room with a large tv that had been pre-​set to play classical music when we arrived. Our bedroom had an antique bed carved out of rosewood that was gorgeous. Our bathroom had marble flooring and an antique claw-​foot bathtub, complete with handmade lavender bath salts. I love taking baths so this was heaven for me.
All in all, I loved my time at the Beall Mansion. The service was wonderful and the accommodations were great. I will say that I was not particularly impressed with the «no frills» continental breakfast (we had bagels or a danish) but we are students and I couldn’t have justified the expense for the breakfast in bed option although it did look great. The breakfast we had was fine for us and that chocolate bar made up for it anyway!

That first room pictured with a queen four-​post bed is the room my husband and I stayed in. The bed was comfortable; we slept like babies. The blackout curtains helped us sleep well into the morning.
All previous reviewers’ comments about Jim, the chocolate bar (note: the pictures on Unilocal do not do it justice; we’re talking a bureau top FULL of various chocolates), and the attention to detail are spot on. Though we wanted to getaway from the cares of this world, having a TV in the room playing classical music was quite a nice, elegant addition that transported us back to the Victorian era.
If you’re trying to decide which package to spring for, I’d suggest going for one that includes breakfast in bed. Jean, who made our breakfast, had me get into bed before placing my breakfast tray over my lap. The breakfast comes complete with an appetizer, entrée, dessert, and palate cleansing liquor.
We biked from St. Louis (30 mi) to enjoy the elegance of the Beall Mansion and it was well worth the painful (for me), hot ride to enjoy such opulence!

This is not a review of the property as I did not end up staying there or having my wedding there. Essentially, the Beall booked the rooms I was trying to reserve for my wedding weekend while I was waiting for them to send me the special events agreement and never told me while we continued to contract for my event.
I would never have guessed that the proprietors were booking the rooms I wanted while I was waiting for them to send me the special events agreement — we picked the weekend I was interested in because it was the only one that month where all five rooms were available and we were actively discussing the services I wanted and it was very clear that I was not even remotely on the fence about booking that weekend. All of my conversations with Jim had been such a pleasure up to that point that it was really a shock. Standard practice would be to put the rooms on hold for a few days while we were finalizing their written contract, particularly as I am not local and can’t just come over and sign it, and the proprietors were delayed in getting the contract to me.
Lastly, because of the scope of the liability waiver language in their contract, had I gone ahead and signed the agreement without checking the room status online myself, I would have been legally stuck in the event contract even though the rooms I wanted were no longer available. Given that, I’m really surprised that they didn’t tell me.
Jim seemed very nice, the property seemed very nice, and I’m sure if you were local and could book on the spot this probably wouldn’t be a problem, but I otherwise I would be wary. I doubt the proprietors have any intention of pulling one over on anybody, but it seems like that would have been the end result in this case.

This is a GREAT place to stay! Jim & Sandy have done an amazing job and make the entire stay very pleasant. They surpassed every expectation that I had, and would recommend the Beall Mansion to everyone!

My partner and I stayed here instead of at one of Alton’s low-​end generic hotels during our annual Christmas visit to my family. It was pricey, but worth it! The innkeeper and owner, Jim, is there in a tux to greet you when you arrive – and while he could talk and talk about the inn, he can take the hint that you want to be alone or enjoy some silence. His wife isn’t around as much, but was very nice when I did see her. Special compliments to one of the staff – Jean – who was exceptionally friendly and helpful throughout our 4 night stay.
As others have said, the furniture and décor throughout the inn are period pieces and are consistently beautiful and interesting. Our room was lovely, although a bit overdecorated for my taste. The bed was comfortable with nice linens; there are very effective black-​out stades so you can sleep in; and the bathroom is to die for: awesome whirlpool tub with homemade lavendar bath salts!
The areas for improvement, in my view are:
–the bathroom linens are not high quality and seem old; these need an upgrade!
–there was no dresser or other furniture in which to unpack and store clothes; we hung things in the closet, but also had to live out of our suitcases.
–the continental breakfast is lame. You can upgrade to the hot breakfast, which I’m sure is fantastic, but the breakfast that comes with the «no frills» package is disappointing. The selection is OK: pre-​packaged danish or english muffins, some fresh or dried fruit, yogurt, coffee, etc. But there’s just something lacking here. In fact, I think I’ve had better continental breakfasts at the aforementioned generic local hotels! I love breakfast food, but after the first morning I didn’t even bother to eat here. I’d rather drive to the St. Louis Bread Company to get a fresh bagel and good coffee
It’s a quiet neighborhood and there’s plenty of parking behind the inn and on the streets. I enjoyed driving around looking at all of the other old mansions nearby.
We will definitely be back next Christmas!

The Beall Mansion came highly recommended by a friend of mine who had stayed here a few months back with her boyfriend. When I was thinking of a good place to stay for one night as a small weekend excursion, I couldn’t stop thinking about her gushing about this B&B.
I reserved the room with the queen bed and whirlpool. I also selected the basic continental breakfast. I found it a little unclear what I was selecting when I was booking online. Retrospectively, I would have selected the breakfast in bed package (even at the additional cost).
When we arrived we got a tour of the downstairs and were showed to our room. The canopy bed was filled with pillows. I immediately wanted to dive in. Instead, we plopped our stuff down and went out for a quick dinner. We came back to Beall to enjoy the complimentary brandy and to indulge in the unlimited chocolate bar. Yep, you heard that right. All the chocolate you could ever want, available at all hours of the day! We sat in one of the rooms downstairs, reading some of the books strewn about and sipping on our nightcap. Heaven!
The next morning we went outside to check out the front and backyard. There’s a hammock and several benches to hang around in. Since it was fall, there were fallen leaves everywhere and the mansion was incredibly picturesque.
Although Alton is only a 30 minute drive from where I live, staying at the Beall feels like you have been transported to an entirely different place and time! I think it is safe to say that I will have to come back here again. Definitely for two nights next time.

I love B&Bs. I’m a total B&B junkie. I prefer B&Bs to standard hotels. A B&B with a historical past? I’m IN.
So when it came time for my boyfriend and I to visit his parents in Alton, IL, I immediately went on the hunt for a B&B near to where they lived. I stumbled upon the listing for the Beall Mansion on the B&B search site
and instantly fell in love. Historic background? Check!
Let me just say my boyfriend and I were simply overwhelmed when we arrived. The quaint beauty of the place is inspiring and so romantic. We actually whispered a «holy ****» to each other when walking through the home’s entry hall.
We stayed in the home’s Mary Harris room which consisted of a huge queen sized canopy bed that we felt lost in (in the good way) and a whirlpool tub in the bathroom. The room amenities (shampoo and conditioner, water bottle, towels, blankets, wifi, bath salts) made us feel comfortable and right at home.
Downstairs, the attention to the smallest detail continued with the home’s décor down to the chocolate buffet table and the never ending supply of gourmet teas (a HUGE plus in my book) in the dining room, and the brandy decanter in the music room. In the library sat two photo albums filled with photos from the restoration of the home, and it’s evident that owners Jim and Sandy put a lot of love into the home. That love is felt throughout and adds to the overall ambiance of the place.
Being the picky vegan that I am automatically places me in the diva guest list, even though I’m actually not that difficult. We were sent an email long before we arrived asking us for any dietary needs/​restrictions/​allergies, and therefore Jim and Sandy were kind enough to provide me with almond milk even though it was difficult to find in those parts. They apologized for not having a larger selection for me, but I did not find anything to complain about. I was able to partake in the cereals and fresh bagels and jam every morning, and you bet I took advantage of the signature teas every chance I got. Again — the attention to detail was astounding and very appreciated.
We thoroughly enjoyed our romantic and relaxing holiday and have decided that the Beall Mansion will be our home whenever visiting the in-​laws. We can’t wait to come back.
Thank you Jim & Sandy. See you hopefully in the Spring!

I never got to stay here. My train was canceled from Chicago the night I was to leave, so I left early the next morning and returned late the same night.
BUT, while in Alton after the meeting I went for, the folks at Beall Mansion hosted me and my cousin while we sat in their parlor with a fire, had tea and had a wonderful visit. I can’t imagine a better place to spend a few hours.
The place is immaculate and even it’s ultra-​ornate Victorian theme was delightful. And being greeted by the owner wearing a tux was awesome!
A fine consolation prize and they gave me a credit on my non-​refundable web rate reservation.

We highly recommend the Beall Mansion. It is a beautiful place to get away and relax. The owners Jim & Sandy, who seemed very down to earth, went above & beyond any expectations, and made us feel at home. The period furnishings & decorations take you back in time, and yet we had all the modern day comforts & amenities. The best part is its all so super romantic, we had a wonderful and lovely time there and will be returning in the future.