A smiling older woman with silver hair and a man with a beard and mustache, both bundled in winter clothing, taking a selfie outdoors in a snowy setting with trees and a wooden structure in the background.

meet your hosts!

We are Trent and Marlene Amen, your hosts at The Arbor Cabin and Villa on the Bluff, part of Gasconade Bend Retreats (formerly Gasconade Bend LLC). We have a passion for hospitality and love meeting people from all walks of life!

Our journey in hospitality began in Northern California from 2018 to 2021. We renovated and landscaped a backyard cottage and listed it on Airbnb. We cherished the opportunity to connect with guests from around the world and were fortunate to have many repeat visitors during those three and a half years. Though we were sad to close it down in 2021, a new adventure was just around the corner.

A white barn-style house with a black front door, black shutters, and a second-story window with a flower box filled with pink flowers. The house is surrounded by lush green trees and bushes, with large red flowering plants in the front yard. The sky is partly cloudy.

A peaceful scene with a small boat carrying three people on a calm pond, surrounded by lush green trees, including a prominent large willow tree, and a white house with black shutters and a dark roof in the background.

Outdoor patio with a striped cushioned seating area, red umbrellas providing shade, lush green trees, and potted plants in a backyard garden.

In 2021, our personal and business lives transformed rapidly. Marlene’s mother faced health challenges, leading us to become her full-time caregivers. Simultaneously, we took on the responsibility of managing the family business, which manufactures health supplements, and overseeing a 530-acre farm in Mid-Missouri. The farm, acquired by the family in 1979, had ceased farming operations in 2010. The companies had been brought to the brink of bankruptcy due to embezzlement and poor management. It took immense time, resources, talent, and divine guidance to turn things around.

Person riding a yellow all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on a dirt trail through a dense green forest.

A smiling man and woman standing together on a rocky overlook overlooking a valley with a river, dense trees, and rolling hills under a partly cloudy sky.

Two people riding an ATV along a dirt path through a grassy field with trees on the left and rolling hills in the distance under a cloudy sky.

The farm is a stunning landscape of forests, fields, and cliffs, embraced by the Gasconade River on three sides—hence the name “Gasconade Bend.” We were thrilled to transform a cabin, built by family in 2009, into the beautiful Arbor Cabin it is today! Originally intended for a family member, the cabin had sat mostly vacant for years. In the summers of 2023 and 2024, with the invaluable help of our trusted friend Danny, we designed, built, and landscaped the exterior, then upgraded numerous appliances and features inside. We even brought a piece of California with us: a live-edge, Redwood dining table, now a centerpiece in the cabin's dining area.

Our prior hospitality experience with our California cottage inspired us to create an even more exceptional outdoor experience for our guests here. We are deeply thankful and blessed to share this property and its unique features. Our guests consistently tell us this place is amazing! We warmly welcome couples seeking a getaway, visitors attending graduations at Fort Leonard Wood, and travelers passing through the area, including those on Route 66.