The Lake's modern B&B

Doug and Lilliana Meyer renovated the Garden House Bed and Breakfast to have a modern, Mediterranean feel.

On a whim, Doug and Lilliana Meyer decided to move to Lake of the Ozarks and open a waterfront bed and breakfast. While Doug spent time growing up at the Lake, he never really returned after joining the Marine Corps. That all changed on a drive through Missouri a few years ago. While they looked at places across the country, deciding on a location was the easy part. The next 10 months proved to be a challenge. Building their more than 5,000 square foot home at the 4-mile marker "went over budget five times," Doug jokes.

They opened in August 2001. Lillian sticks to the cleaning and Doug likes to dabble in the kitchen.
"There are 54 windows. I wash them once a week, so I know. I said that when we get our retirement home, I want a one story home with no windows," Lilliana says.


QWhy did you pick the Lake?
AWe were going to Boonville to visit family and I saw a sign for Lake of the Ozarks. We were looking at other places to build a bed and breakfast, like the Grand Canyon and Big Sur. We looked for several years. We designed and built this home specifically as a bed and breakfast.  We didn't want an old, drab bed and breakfast. We wanted a modern Mediterranean-style facility. (Doug) We always wanted to live on the water. We lived in the big city our whole lives, so we thought let’s try something calm. (Lilliana).

QWhat type of people want to stay at a bed and breakfast?
AIt is definitely a special group of people. You have to be a people person. They like the cleanliness and personal attention - and the food. Nothing ever comes out of a box or a can. There are times when the house is completely booked and they are all honeymooners. (Doug) Wives always tell their husbands, "Now, don't get used to this." (Lilliana)
 

Owners Doug and Lilliana Meyer

QTell us about your day.
AOur day starts with making coffee and breakfast, followed by cleaning the rooms when our guest go out for shopping and boating. We have many guests that we love and have become part of the family, due to the fact that they have been here many times over the years. We feel that a business like ours is important because we do things the old fashioned way (we care) and people love that because it is so rare.
 

QWhat do you do when you are not here?
AEvery year, we travel. We usually take a week or two, whatever we have open, and visit friends in California or go to Vegas for a few days. In January, we pick up and go to Europe. When we first decided to build our bed and breakfast, we went on a long trip to Italy. (Lilliana)
 

The Garden House at the time the Meyers purchased it.	And, after the renovations were complete.