Growing up, I feasted on the pages of fantasy literature. That lifelong love of myth and storytelling helped inspire us to build our own fairytale inn.

When I travel, my packing is never complete without a well-worn paperback. I am particularly fond of Naomi Novik’s work, especially the way folklore and history shape her stories. Two of her books come to mind when I think of our Copper Crown Suite: Spinning Silver and His Majesty’s Dragon.

Spinning Silver

Spinning Silver is a slow-burning fairy tale rooted in folklore, winter, and hard-won victories. Its atmosphere feels particularly suited to the Copper Crown, with its warm stone, timber, and quiet corners tucked away from the rest of the suite.

• The Secret Nook: A hidden passageway leads to a private reading corner, tucked away behind the walls. It is the sort of place where a paperback and a little uninterrupted time seem to belong.

• The Tower Bedroom: Climb the stairs to the tower bedroom and settle in with a book as the sun dips behind Vedder Mountain. It is a quiet place to read, rest, and let the evening unfold.

His Majesty’s Dragon

His Majesty’s Dragon takes a different path, blending the history of the Napoleonic era with dragons. It’s another natural fit for the Copper Crown, which is filled draconic motifs.

• The Grand Hall: Look closely at the main chandelier and you will find four sculpted dragon heads looking down toward the hearth.

• The Tower Soaker Tub: Beneath the timber rafters, the tower soaker tub is built for two. It is one of those spots that makes it easy to turn the page and linger a little longer.

The Final Chapter

Like Novik’s writing, the Copper Crown is filled with details that reveal themselves slowly. Beyond the suite, the moat courtyard offers another quiet corner to explore, with fountains trickling into the water and koi-fish moving beneath the surface.

Those are the details I think about when choosing a book to take along: the stories I already love, and the places we made to read them.

True royalty is not born of bloodlines, but of unwavering devotion and a love that makes your bond feel like an unbreakable fortress. If your partner carries themselves with a noble grace, an extraordinary proposal setting may be in order.

Welcome to your definitive guide on how to orchestrate an engagement inside the castle sanctuary of the Hazelnut Inn’s Copper Crown Suite.

The Sanctuary of Sovereigns

Step through the castle gate and leave the world behind. Draw the curtains and pour your favourite drinks into ornate goblets. Take a seat together, under the glow of the grand chandelier, like two sovereigns finally escaping the demands of their court to focus entirely on each other.

The Coronation Ritual

Once the atmosphere is set, transition to an unforgettable declaration of your love. Well before your trip, source a delicate, customized velvet or filigree crown to bring with you. While your partner is distracted — perhaps admiring the stone arches and rich tapestries, or watching the fish glide through the moat — quietly retrieve it.

Step up behind them and place the crown gently upon their head. As they turn to look at you, tell them that while earthly kingdoms fall and empires fade, they will always hold absolute dominion over your heart. Speak directly from your soul and present the ring, asking them to rule by your side forever.

Long after you leave the Hazelnut Inn, the memory of this night will remain etched into your shared history. Within these stone walls, you will have established a kingdom built to last a lifetime.

Step into the Copper Crown and begin your reign together.

Once, in ancient times, the land was plagued by shadows, and the people cried out for succour. By providence, there arose a noble champion — who bore the surname Crown — tempered by ancient magic and blessed by Nyneve herself.

The Fellowship Forged In Fire

And it came to pass that this Crown found hidden in the valley the great dragon matriarch, Aerca, whose scales shone like burnished copper. By some wondrous grace, the beast devoured not the champion, but bowed her head in solemn fellowship. Thus was forged a bond of fire and blood, and the legendary lineage of the Crown dragon riders began.

Those Called Shadow-Bane

So, the family rode upon the wings of these great drakes and waged war against the darkness. With their breath of fire, they cleansed the land of shadows. For it was the custom of this house, that whenever a child of the Crowns’ line was born, a dragon egg was placed in the cradle, that the spirit of the rider and the beast might grow together. And when they came of age, they took to the skies as one, their renown echoing across the realm.

The Departure Of The Dragons

But as with all earthly things, this wondrous era came to a close. For there came a time when the last shadow was banished, the land was made safe, and the dragons’ magic grew quiet. Their noble purpose fulfilled, the grand drakes departed into a deep slumber. And so, the age of the dragon riders faded into a memory of fire in the sky — a tale told by firelight by those who still dream of the chivalry of old.

The Prophecy Of Aerca

But some say that the great dragon matriarch Aerca yet sleeps in her secret sanctuary deep beneath the Copper Crown Suite, awaiting the day when a traveler of true and noble heart shall awaken her, and bring magic roaring back to the world.

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Innkeeper’s Note:

Village historians are deeply divided over the origins of the Copper Crown Suite. One faction fiercely claims the little castle belonged to the aristocratic Crown lineage, pointing to stories of 11 different princesses. Another faction argues vehemently that it was built by the Copper clan — simple, hardworking folk who farmed hazelnuts in Yarrow’s fertile soil. While the truth is lost to time, the text above remains a favourite tale of the Crown loyalists.