History

We’re working on the amazing story of this property and how we came to restore it, but in the meantime, read the article about us in the Andes Gazette. Stay tuned!

What and Who’s New in Andes? Skip Parcell, Suzy Stone and The Delaware House Inn

By Buffy Calvert

Bet you’ve been wondering and asking around, “What’s going on with that old place set back on Delaware Avenue that used to be a sort of Gulden’s mustard color and is now wrapped in white Tyvek®? Looks like a whole makeover!”

You’re right. Suzy Stone and Skip Parcell owned a nice summer house on Nantucket. But they rented it out for “the Season” (July and August.) So, a few summers back, they arranged to borrow a log cabin from a friend, Jim Hogan, on Canada Hollow. Once they passed Belleayre they “fell in love” (Skip’s words) with the beauty of Delaware County. They began to search for a place of their own. Drove all around but — no surprise — kept coming back to Andes.

“We must have passed the old Ali place, probably 20 times. I thought it must be some old asylum.” Then, one day, the realtor opened the door to take them through. Being people with vision, they immediately saw the rambling buildings as a place people could come to enjoy the landscape they already loved. Delaware House Inn was born.

No leaks, no mice, but a huge amount of work to create a haven for solo travelers and groups (up to 27 persons) to relax on the covered porches that every room offers, hike the 16 acres of trails or picnic in the gazebos that will dot the hills above. “The Farmhouse,” as they call the building nearest the street, will have two 2-bedroom units with a kitchen. In “The Tavern” they plan 4 rooms with coffee bars, one ADA compliant. “The Barn,” which will sport board-and-batten siding from Dick Liddle, will house 5 bedrooms facing toward the hillside.

In order for the Leprechaun Construction crew to work unencumbered, Suzy and Skip have bought a cozy house on Main Street to live in, one of the oldest in the village, built in 1796 and formerly owned by Marge Butler.

Last summer they sold their house on Nantucket. This winter they sold their condo in Key West and bought another, a fixer-upper, of course. They relish a challenge.

The inn should be open by mid- or late-summer, but you can’t make reservations yet. I tried. “We want to do it right, not have to compromise under time pressure.”

We wait eagerly, Skip and Suzy, for the Grand opening of the Delaware House Inn, 227 Delaware Avenue, Andes.