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"Thanks so much for the great hospitality, food, scenery and conversation. The Lord's hand is very evident here!" -  Mike and Melissa

I've been really lucky in my lifetime to be able to travel and see many wonderful things. I've been to several other states and as a matter of fact, several other countries. But never have I visited a place any more beautiful than the West Virginia hills. And if you don't believe me or agree with that, you need to take a trip up to Wildernest Inn.

Let me begin at the beginning though. Last year at a golf tournament, Bill bid on a dinner for four at the Wildernest, and the two of us and J. and Sonnee Carter spent a recent Friday evening dining at the inn.

Wildernest Inn, owned and hosted by Stewart and Kathy Hornby, is located about 12 miles from Petersburg ; on a mountain ridge, overlooking South Mill Creek Lake. Beyond the lake are mountain ranges for as far as the eye can see. It is breathtaking.

But some of the greatest things you will discover are right there at the inn. As you sit on the deck, you can hear the frogs on the pond and enjoy the wildlife that comes close to the deck. (They seemed as curious about us as we were of them!)

The food, prepared by Kathy and served by Stewart, is absolutely delicious. Kathy told us some very funny stories about her cooking adventures, but whatever "misadventures" she encountered when learning to cook have certainly been taken care of. Wonderful food!

Kathy and Stewart, who came to the United States in 1995 from South Africa, seem to delight in sharing tales of their lives with their guests. They have traveled extensively and have lived in many interesting places before finding "home" at the Wildernest. And some of their greatest stories have taken place right here in beautiful West Virginia!

The inn itself has six rooms for guests. The four of us decided to go for a weekend there in mid-May - to enjoy the view, the hot tub and the hospitality. Not to mention the scrumptious food.

When you get a minute, look on their Web site - www.wildernestinn.com - and check out what they have to offer. I'll bet you'll look at the pictures and decide to have a closer, in-person look.

Believe me, in this little corner of "Almost Heaven," there is warm hospitality waiting!

When the first of many deer came to look at us, our hearts had melted to the charms of this understated place.Here we had the most spectacular views of the rich colors of the fall. When we left Wildernest I had a tear in my eye as we waved goodbye. If what you want from a holiday is to relax in the magnificent splendor of nature, this would surely be my recommendation."

There are 11 miles of hiking trails and trout and bass fishing as well as canoeing on the lake. The outdoor hottub is great for star-gazing. But most of all there are so many opportunities to just relax.  No wonder they call this neck of the woods "Almost Heaven".

READER'S FIND West Virginia I recently returned from the Potomac Highlands, where I discovered the secluded Wildernest Inn [S. Mill Creek Rd., Petersburg; 304/257-9076; www.wildernestinn.com; doubles from $95]. Located on 1,200 acres of hardwood forest (and 12 miles from the nearest town), this B&B is in a veritable wildlife sanctuary—black bears and white-tailed deer abound, and a lucky few might spot a bald eagle or two. After hearty dinners, the owners, originally from southern Africa, charm guests with fireside chats. Be sure to book one of six spacious upstairs suites for sweeping mountain views from a 2,200-foot perch. —MARK BLACKER

Arrington Publishing recognizes Wildernest Inn as one of the Top B&B/Country Inns in Arrington's Inn Traveler 2005 Book of Lists. Voted by Inngoers as one of the Top B&B/Country Inns in North America.

By Eric Kronenwetter

If you like to relax in style and comfort, it doesn't get much better than the Bed & Brew Weekend hosted by the Wildernest Inn near Petersburg. WV on August 27-29. Owners Stewart and Kathy and their staff provided excellent food, service and accommodations. Ned Strausser, head brewer for Morgantown's West Virginia Brewing Co. (WVBC) and his assistant brewer Nathan Herrold provided six of their beers in kegs for 54 attendees (a Bed & Brew record), many of whom were experiencing WVBC brews for the first time. The Wildernest Inn is situated on 1200 acres of wildlife sanctuary and home to black bears and countless other forest critters. The deck where the food and beers were served offers an amazing view. Attendees could hike, fish or engage in beer friendly games of billiards and darts. While raising awareness of quality beer is the main focus of the Bed & Brew, the event also raises money for charity….in this case, $721 for The Wildlife Research Institute. (www.bearstudy.org) & $161 to WV Wildlife Officers Fund.

Southern Africans Find Their Nest in the W.Va Wilderness. By JOANN C. Elmer.

How do you do my friends? It is now time to give you a brewery update. As I mentioned in my last blog, we attended the Wildernest Inn's WV Beer tasting weekend. I gotta say, what a blast! The place was absolutetly amazing, and that's an understatement. We were hosted by Innkeepers Stewart and Cathy, both from South Africa, who founded this wildlife sanctuary, mainly black bears, and have NO fear of their bear neighbors. In fact, they are friends with the half-dozen or so bears that hang out there...very cool! The attendance was about 200 beer folks and all the West Virginia breweries. All THREE of us! Anyway, you will find photos of us all on this page. West Virginia Brewing was there with many happy offerings, as well as Mountain State Brewing who had a delightful selection indeed. The food was outstanding and the accomedations and hospitality were nothing short of perfect. Oh, and you better not plan on sleeping in too late, breakfast is announced, and you'd better be there! The food rocks! The highlight of the evening was around 9:30pm when a bear decided to attend the festivities, which was awesome (except for the guy that shouted profanities and ran away like a madman...haha!) The rest of us enjoyed the visit and the bear moved on when he realized there were WAY too many humans around. Can't blame him. Now, the band hired for the event was THE BEST! They are tentatively called "The Turnups" meaning "whoever Turns up." Suitably named. These guys were straight-up WV bluegrass and VERY talented. The are pictured below at our tent. Anyway, a great event and an outstanding vacation location, the hosts are the best and the accomodations perfect. I hope you can experience this paradise for yourself one day. Just visit wildernestinn.com, very nice and relaxing! I will update again very soon as we are ready to start filling the new tanks. Hope you are all enjoying the beer and having a great summer, as always, Drink Good Beer!!! Cheers! Daniel Maerzluft, Director of Brewing Operations, Mountaineer Brewing Company