Located in the village of Canajoharie in the beautiful Mohawk Valley of Upstate New York  (also known as Leatherstocking area) and within an hour from Cooperstown, Saratoga Springs and Albany, The Pineapple House Bed & Breakfast is a welcoming oasis for our guests. The house was built in 1860 for Roger and Elsie Smith who continued to live there for over 50 years. Mr. Smith was the co-owner of the Arkell & Smith Sack Company. Interestingly the first flat bottom paper bag, commonly used for sugar and flour, was made at Arkell & Smith.

We bought the house in 1976 and when we retired from teaching in 2007, we opened The Pineapple House to fulfill a long-held wish to run a Bed & Breakfast. Bill is the gourmet cook and loves to prepare delicious breakfasts for our guests. Both of us enjoy working in the kitchen and continue our culinary adventure by taking cooking courses whenever we can - most recently at the famed Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY this past May. We will do our best to accommodate your dietary restrictions or preferences; just let us know when you make your reservations.

We chose the pineapple as the emblem of our Bed & Breakfast because of its history as a symbol of hospitality. Christopher Columbus fell in love with the sugary fruit when he visited the "New World" in 1493. He brought it back to England and it quickly became a delicacy for those who could afford it.

As English settlers came to America and began entertaining in their new homes, they continued to save the pineapple for special occasions. Hostesses often used a single pineapple as the focal point of their centerpiece or served it as a special dessert for privileged visitors. It became a symbol of the generosity of the host and the welcoming atmosphere of the home. You may learn more about the history of this very American fruit here.

We want The Pineapple House Bed & Breakfast to always be hospitable, welcoming and comfortable for our guests.

Janine & Bill Nelson