The Gillen House Bed and Breakfast

The Gillen House Bed and Breakfast is a place to relax and escape. We offer four comfortable guest suites, three with king beds and one with a queen. Each suite is appointed with comfortable furniture, relaxed colors, and wonderful artwork, and all have full en-suite bathrooms. 

When you stay at the Gillen House Bed & Breakfast, breakfast is included, and each day allows for new menu offerings. Evening dining may be arranged by request when making your reservation.

The property consists of 2.5 acres of grounds including a pecan orchard, vegetable & herb garden, pond and golf putting green. Enjoy relaxing on the back deck with the sounds of the waterfall or upstairs screen porch to enjoy a wonderful sunset.

Located in Stephens Georgia, the Gillen House Bed & Breakfast is a short drive east of Athens. In addition to the enjoyment of the house and property, there are many great things to explore in and around the area.

Innkeepers & Staff

Cynzia Sanchez and Edward Toledano envisioned creating a place where guests could slow down, breathe deeply, and truly be in the moment. When they discovered the historic home in Stephens, Georgia, their dream came to life in what is now The Gillen House Bed & Breakfast — a peaceful retreat in the heart of east Georgia.

Cynzia and Edward warmly welcome you to share in their vision of peace, creativity, and connection. Come experience life in the Slow Lane — even if just for a while.

After years in bustling Atlanta, both were ready for a change. Cynzia co-owned a successful moving company for over 30 years, while Edward enjoyed a 25-year career in marketing and sales. Together, they sought a lifestyle centered on creativity, community, and hospitality — and took the leap to create this country oasis.

Cynzia is an accomplished artist with a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and is also an architect & designer with an Architecture degree from Georgia Tech. Her desire to focus on her art was a driving force behind the opening of the Gillen House Bed & Breakfast. Her studio is located within the inn, and her artwork is featured throughout the home as part of her personal gallery.

In the first two years of operating the Gillen House, Cynzia had the chance to paint more than she had in years. Her work was collected by many of the Bed & Breakfast guests, and she also received future commissions for her work. During the pandemic year of 2020, a fortunate opportunity came her way with a request to design a new hair salon studio for a friend. After that project, she has continued being an architect more than painter and has now completed more than 50 design projects ranging from kitchen redesigns to entire house creations and a few restaurants. Visit her website to see both her artwork and her architectural projects by clicking here Cynzia Sanchez Studio.

Edward is also a creative spirit, with a passion for art crafted from found objects. His mother was an art teacher, and he spent hours drawing, painting and creating as a child. Model building and creating dioramas were a favorite for many years. Now, he creates his artwork from the inspiration of the parts and pieces he finds in various locations in the area. Searching through old barns & buildings, visiting antiques stores and estate sales, always hunting for another unique item to give another life too. His work can be found throughout the grounds of the property and in certain spots in the house.

Cynzia and Edward’s passions for creating don’t stop with artwork. Their joint passion continues with a love for gardening, landscape design and the outdoors. Edward is the primary caretaker of the gardens and grounds, focusing on making the gardens lush and interesting, and Cynzia supports the effort by nurturing new plants and seedlings. Their efforts of combing new plantings with the mature grounds of the Gillen House Bed & Breakfast to make it an irresistible draw.

They share their home with four beloved cats (who are the true directors of the business, since we work for them) — Ricky Bobby (6 yrs) Customer Service Director, Binx (8 yrs) Social Director, and Monday (5 yrs) Sales Director, and our newest team member Miss “Wild Girl” Friday (4 months) Exuberance Director — who enjoy the property’s wide-open spaces and occasionally offer a friendly visit to guests.

We continue to think of, and miss our beloved CEO, Waffles (19), who passed away just before this 20th birthday in late May 2026. He will forever be the leader in our hearts.