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The Thorwood Inn began in April of 1983 with two rooms. Our intention was to preserve the lovely 1880 French Second Empire home and convert it from a six plex, have a small business of our own, raise our kids in a friendly small town and live happily ever after. Well we have indeed lived happily ever after. However, the business (and our passion for it) grew more than we had ever imagined. We quickly added rooms and kept renovating and while at one time we were the third B & B to open in Minnesota, we now claim fame to being the longest standing original owner operators in Minnesota. There are at least 182 B & B s in Minnesota today.

In 1987, what was to become our second property was threatened with demolition. We were working real jobs (Dick an engineer and Pam a news reporter), nurturing our children and part-time business of innkeeping and always renovating. As a last ditch effort our City asked for proposals to save it, and so we made a proposal the day of the deadline. In April of 1989 we opened Classic Rosewood, a 10,000 square foot Queen Anne with almost an identical history to Thorwood. The Thorwood Inn and the Classic Rosewood Inn were both built as two of the finest homes in Hastings in 1880 by business partners in the German American Bank, both converted to hospitals and used as such until 1953, and both three story brick with many of the same details and structural integrity. They say there are no coincidences.

We strongly believe the success of our business is due to developing the trust of our guests Having been inn travelers ourselves before entering the "serving side", we understand and appreciate the nature of the business. We stay involved in the industry and its continuing education. We also are preservationists at heart and it feels good knowing these buildings will be here long after we are gone and we had something to do with that. We are honored to have been their caretakers and are pleased to have had the opportunity to share them.

Our policies have always been based on guests' needs and requests. We feel lucky to have started with only two rooms and so much to learn. To that end, we have developed our business by listening, and will continue to do so:

• We offer breakfast based on your schedule. Every other day of your life you have to arise to a work schedule or list of things to do. This is your time away and we want to serve you. Breakfast is also your choice of place, either in suite or in our lovely formal dining spaces. Typically it is tables of two, but if guests are dining at the same time and ask to be seated together, we can accommodate that as well.
• We opted to outfit our second inn with a full commercial kitchen as guests so often were doing pizza and ordering in as once they settled in, they didn't want to leave. So we are one of the few B & Bs offering both breakfast and optional dinner. No clanging of dishes or hustling for guests to see, our kitchen is purposely in the basement.
• Because of guest preference, we have wood burning fireplaces viewable from bed or double whirlpool.
• Because guests commented on how they prefer in suite massage and our rooms are large enough to accommodate two massage tables, we have contracted to have a remarkable team of massage therapists willing to carry massage tables to the rooms and often we can schedule two therapists at once.
• We offer quality accommodations at fair prices. We want guests to come back and to tell their friends about us. There is no limit to the number of logs you burn, or the number of cookies or ice cream you consume. There is no one here to set an example for or rules about spoiling your supper. Also our breakfasts are not skimpy. One guest calls them "breakfeasts"! We continue to add packages and specials to make our pricing even more fair and opportunities even more fun.
• We treat our guests with respect. We provide congenial, professional and courteous service at all times without sales pressure. We believe you should reserve here only if you feel it fits. There may be other fine accommodations that fit you better and we are happy to refer you to them. In fact we have many friends in the industry and are happy to share what we know about the industry. (I am the director for the Minnesota B & B Association and always happy to share anything about the industry with prospective innkeepers or news about up and coming B &Bs) In our business it is not about competition, it is about cooperation and comradery and about making guests happy.
• We have a friendly helpful staff who understand our philosophies and are here to do whatever it takes to make your stay special. Just ask them if they like working here and we think some of their exuberance is because of you! As we have often said people who choose B & Bs are a unique special breed. They have a spirit of adventure, a respect for preservation, and mostly they know time away is necessary and good for you.
• We want to build long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with our guests. Our success depends not on a continuous flow of one-time stays, but rather on a guest base of repeat customers. Most of our anniversary and birthday celebrations have become traditions here.

As of January of 2006 we have closed Thorwood and are renovating it again. This time it is for our own sweet suite. We are renovating into three condominiums, keeping one for ourselves.

We have had a joyous time the last twenty some years of inn keeping and we owe it to this opportunity of service. Incidentally, Thorwood is a combination of our last names (Thorsen and Woodley). Classic Rosewood was inspired and renovated because of Thorwood's initiation into this incredible adaptive reuse. It is why we call it Classic Rosewood - a Thorwood property. It remains connected to the original intent of service and preservation. We remain connected to that original intent also.

If our mission, adventure, and philosophy appeals, please give us a try. We would love to have you.

— Dick and Pam Thorsen

"May your place here in time be filled with all you treasure!"

Classic Rosewood Green Policy

Gentle Guests, we'd like you to know what we administer in relation to Good Sweet Kind Mother Earth:

1. All in all this building is recycled. We saved whatever we could from the original and we love and respect its age and its imperfection because of this opportunity to have it "LIVE" again. You may not know this building was condemned in 1998 and scheduled for demolition. Imagine the incredible waste and rape of history if it would have been demolished!

2. Components in the building are recycled. 

•  All the marble in the bathrooms and fireplace hearths is from the Minneapolis Sheraton Ritz Hotel which was sadly demolished in 1999.  
•  The copper soaking tub in Mississippi Suite is from a century old mansion in St. Cloud. It ended up at Frank's Plumbing parts on Washington Avenue where we "discovered" it and restored it.
•  The double pedestal sink in Rebecca's Room is from a barber shop in Kohler Wisconsin that was being "updated"
•  All of the Commercial Kitchen equipment in our big kitchen is purchased second hand from a restaurant renovator. 
•  The beautiful wool carpeting in the main parlors and library and hall is from the Cotillion Ballroom at the Ritz and was only three years old when they were getting ready to tear down the hotel. The energy used in removing and reinstalling with new purpose is well worth it considering the option of a landfill for this made to last flooring.
• All light fixtures in the house are antiques rewired.
• All the windows have been reworked with new rope sashes installed and notice the old glass pretty much throughout (thicker and less perfect than what is made today).

3. We buy carefully with regard to packaging - trying not to purchase with excess wrappings.

4. We recycle aluminum, paper, glass, plastic and cardboard. Notice the receptacles in the halls. Please use them.

5. You may have noticed the wonderful soap and shampoo and conditioner we provide. The ingredients are all natural and biodegradable. We do not offer the tiny little bottles instead we refill large ones.The reason the soap is wrapped is so you will take it with you and use all of it. It makes a wonderful car freshener if you place it in your car's unused cigarette tray. 

6. We honor the theory of natural in our cleaning products as well.

7. We have replaced most of the lightbulbs with the more efficient ones - we especially feel good about this in the halls as these lights must legally be on at all times. Outside we have sensor lighting. Our new landscape lights are going to be solar activated. 
     
8. Our paper products are purposely not colored or fluffy. We do not use an inferior less expensive brand but rather a superior biodegradable unbleached product. We reuse the plastic bags from the grocer in the wastebaskets instead of purchasing more plastic.

9. We have changed from offering bottled water to the filtered hot and cold water in the pantry in the large refillable jugs.Although there is really nothing wrong with the water from the tap in Hastings, other than it does have chlorine added.  

10. We buy local and use primarily organics.We have one of the best Farm Markets anywhere right here in town every Tuesday and Saturday.And we have a great local food co-op that we frequent.Our coffee is Fair Trade Organic and roasted in St. Peter Minnesota. Our apples and berries are also of course local and when we can we pick them ourselves. 

10. We honor and respect all ideas in this regard, so if you have some - feel free to share.
  

Friends of LeDuc	Hastings Lodging Bureau
Member, Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association Member, Innkeepers of the Scenic St. Croix Valley