Fifteen-year-old Scarlett Marvin is stuck in New York City for the summer working at her quirky family's historic hotel, but her brother's attractive new friend and a seasonal guest who offers her an intriguing and challenging writing project improve her outlook.
The Alden children visit an old Kansas inn that is full of secrets, such as why did a famous photographer visit the innto take a single picture, who was the legendary guest who came west on an orphan train.
In order to stay at a hotel that does not allow pets, the Arbuckles disguise their dog Mercer and introduce him as Monsieur D'Puppie, a mysterious Frenchman who cannot speak English.
The impending arrival of very special guests at Rabbit Inn causes Pandora and her husband to assign their other animal guests a multitude of tasks for getting the inn ready.