CASTLE CREEK INN IS DREAM COME TRUE
Published in Deseret News October 6, 1996
Travel magazines are full of ads that try to entice you to journey to England, Ireland or Scotland and spend a few days vacationing in a castle. Now you don't have to go that far. There's a castle, complete with a suite fit for a king, awaiting you in - would you believe - Sandy?
And like the real castles in Great Britain, this one has even developed a bit of mystery over the years - not centuries but a couple of decades - and has been restored after a long period of gradual decline.Sound familiar? I'm speaking of the old "castle house" as it is known in the neighborhood, at 7391 S. Creek Road.
Sure, you remember now. You've probably driven past it and wondered, "What the heck is that?!"
Sallie and Lynn Calder drove past it many times and, like you, wondered what is was, why it was there and why it was so run-down.
"It had a beautiful exterior, but you could tell it was unfinished on the inside. It kind of bothered me," said Sallie Calder. "It seemed like such a waste to not finish it inside."
Many of us may have wondered the same thing over the years, but while we forgot about it as soon as we drove by, the Calders did not. For years they had talked about having a business of their own and eventually decided that a bed-and-breakfast inn would work best.
"We wanted a business where we could provide some work experience for our six children," said Sallie Calder. "A B&B seemed like the funnest way to go. The market right now is fantastic; B&B's are very popular and on the rise. It's a good time to get in the market."
The castle house would make for a very unusual B&B, they reasoned, so one day they walked up to the house, knocked on the door and asked the owners if they wanted to sell.
Funny you should ask, the owner said. The house had earlier been listed by a real estate agent, but the listing had run out and had not been renewed.
"We talked to the owner. He decided we were serious, and we eventually worked out a deal," she said.
The "deal" has evolved, along with all the renovations, into a $1 million project, but the Calder's couldn't be happier. Castle Creek Inn opened its doors to its first guests on Aug. 28, and business has been good.
"I think we've had incredible success," said Calder. "Almost everyone, so far, has been local; people who want to get out of the house for a weekend getaway. The castle is magical; it makes you feel like you're farther away from the city than you really are. It's a great romantic getaway."
Curtis and Kathryn Isaak think so, too, and they get to live there full time. Like the Calders, the Isaaks were taken with the idea of being innkeepers.
"My wife and I are good friends with Sallie's parents, and we had talked about how we wanted to run a B&B," said Curtis Isaak. "She told us, `In that case, you need to meet my daughter and son-in-law.' "
The result of that meeting was everyone getting his or her wish: The Calders now own a B&B, and the Isaaks now manage one. Has it worked out like they dreamed? Absolutely, says Sallie Calder. Yes, but . . . , says Curtis Isaak.
"We love meeting the people," he says, "and I love serving them and making them feel good - the royal treatment. But I must admit that getting it open and going is more work than anyone could ever have imagined. It's work we enjoy, but we never realized we'd be doing so much work that we enjoy!"
But Curtis Isaak says he sees some light at the tunnel's end. "Each week it gets a little easier," he offers.
And he hasn't quit his day job. Both of the Isaaks have masters degrees from Brigham Young University, and both teach during the day. Will they remain inn-keepers?
"We intend to stick with it," vows Curtis. "It takes a special type of person to run one of these. If you don't absolutely love doing this type of work, it's not for you."
Just before this interview last week, the Isaaks had fixed breakfast for the guests. A glass of orange juice and bowl of Wheaties? Not hardly. The first course consisted of fresh fruit plate with a homemade orange muffin, followed by French toast stuffed with strawberries and cream cheese. In case the guests were still hungry, there was then a course of quiche and white chocolate cranberry scones.
Castle Creek Inn has 10 suites, all decorated in a castle theme, such as the Edinburgh Room, decorated in plaids and Scottish lace; the Palace Room, in gold and cream, very opulent; the Romeo and Juliet Room, complete with balcony and popular with newlyweds; and the King's Lodge, done in a hunting lodge motif.
All suites have a jetted tub, large screen TV and fireplace.
The suites rent from $99 to $190 per night.
