There isn't exactly strong demand for castles, as the previous owner found out when he tried to sell. But the Calders haven't been interested in selling. They saw a lot of potential in turning the imposing medieval-looking structure into a bed-and-breakfast inn.

More than a decade later, the Calders are still innkeepers. And their Castle Creek Inn, 7391 S. Creek Road, remains a popular destination, even as the Fort Union area's relentless commercial expansion has closed in around them.

The inn, which charges $140 to $240 a night, draws a mix of couples wanting a romantic getaway, businesspeople in town for conferences or meetings and people simply looking for a distinctive place to stay.

David and Gail Harman of Palmer, Alaska, stay at the inn each year when they visit Utah.

The Harmans said they have stayed at other bed-and-breakfast inns, but they like the way the Calders run their enterprise.

One important draw is the breakfast. "Most places, you'll get a cinnamon roll and juice," Gail Harman said. At Castle Creek Inn, employees offer several courses, starting with fresh fruit and muffins, moving on to a plate of hot food such as pancakes, eggs, hashbrowns and sausage. "And it's really good food," she said.

Harman also likes the fact that guests have access to free movies, bottles of water or other drinks. The staff also puts out fresh-baked treats for guests in the evening.

Although the Calders had not been involved in the hospitality industry before opening their own inn, they had stayed at numerous bed-and-breakfast-type properties. They had been involved in a variety of their own businesses and were looking to open their own inn, when in 1995 Sallie Calder spied a tiny for-sale sign in the castle's window.

The owner, who had built the castle but never finished it, had tried unsuccessfully to sell the property through a Realtor. Now he was trying to sell on his own.

"We were looking for something interesting for a bed and breakfast," Sallie Calder said. "And that certainly qualified as interesting."

She declined to disclose the purchase price, describing it as reasonable.

The lack of a finished interior did not put off the Calders.

"We looked at it as a positive," she said. "We were able to start from scratch on the inside, to finish it just like we wanted."

The couple were soon checking out books on castles, and Lynn Calder, who had a background in design, began sketching ideas for the castle's interior.

They eventually settled on 10 castle-themed guest rooms, ranging from Rapunzel's Tower, a second-floor room designed to evoke the maiden with the long hair, to Romeo & Juliet (think romance) to the King's Lodge, which has a pool table and a big-screen television set. Every room has a large jetted bathtub and gas fireplace.

They decided early on to hire caretakers who would live onsite and handle some of the workload involved in managing the inn. In doing so, they avoided a common malady among people who own bed-and-breakfast inns - burnout.

"With the caretakers, we aren't handcuffed to the place," said Lynn Calder. "It's still a lot of work, but it's manageable."

Over the years, their six children have worked in the family enterprise. In fact, their current caretakers are their son and daughter-in-law. Even some of the employees feel like family - one woman has been there since the bed-and-breakfast opened.

Utahn Karleen Logan, who stays at Castle Creek Inn with husband Rick every year around her birthday, says the inn is one of her favorite getaways. She likes the fact that the inn's backyard, framed by tall trees, waterfalls and groundcover, still feels peaceful and quiet despite its busy commercial location.

"The food is good, the people are friendly," she said. "The whole thing is really nicely put together."

lesley@sltrib.com