Holiday Season at Historic Inns

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Antrim 1844
The historic Antrim 1844 hotel in Taneytown is renowned for its refined accommodations, cuisine and elegant touches at holiday time. | Photo: David Stuck

 

Looking for a festive holiday getaway with character? Skip the cookie-cutter hotels and step back in time with a stay at a historic inn. This season, historic inns are decking the halls with a sled full of holiday cheer, with some offering special teas, chocolate-covered strawberries and plenty of seasonal goodies. Snuggle up and sip some bubbly by a cozy fireplace, or spend the night where our founding fathers once slept. Area historic inns are pulling out all the stops to celebrate the joy of the season in grand style.

 

1840s Carrollton Inn, Baltimore

Visualize the beauty and fragrance of four dozen red roses greeting you in your room and decadent chocolate-
covered strawberries on the nightstand. Or hot apple cider and muffins welcoming you after a long drive. The 1840s
Carrollton Inn is making the yuletide extra special with creative holiday offerings. Even if you don’t splurge on a fancy holiday package, every room includes a sumptuous gourmet breakfast, a unique collection of holiday coffees and teas plus daily homemade cookies. Architecturally fascinating, the inn was once five row homes dating back to the 18th century. Today, they have been transformed into 13 unique boutique rooms and suites that surround a
courtyard adjacent to the 1840s Plaza.

Filled with fine antiques, each room is a one-of-a-kind delight. Don’t miss the intricate stonework adorning the Declaration Suite, a private retreat with its own entrance, irresistible sitting room with fireplace and marble mantle. A bonus feature is the double whirlpool tub in the bathroom.

1840s Carrollton Inn
29 S. Front St., Baltimore
410-385-1840
1840splaza.com

 

1840s Carrollton Inn
The Scholar’s Room at the 1840s Carrollton Inn in Baltimore overlooks a private garden courtyard. | Photo: David Stuck

 

Admiral Fell Inn

Once home to sailors and shipbuilders who developed the Fells Point seaport, this Baltimore gem in one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods dates back to the early 1900s. Over the years, it has evolved from a resting place for seaman to a historic inn filled with fine European furnishings and Persian rugs.

In need of a little holiday spirit? Stroll through the Fells Point neighborhood, and you just might expect to see Santa walk by. Uniquely designed, the cozy inn is comprised of seven adjoining buildings. No two of the inn’s dog-friendly rooms are alike, and each room reflects a nod to its past but with every modern amenity, including pillow-topped mattresses.

No need for your car or taxi. The location on Fells Point Square is across the street from a water taxi stand and an easy walk to restaurants, bars and cafes. But the inn’s outstanding Duck Duck Goose restaurant and infamous bar, Tavern at the Admiral, are so good you might want to wine and dine mere steps from your room.

Admiral Fell Inn
888 S. Broadway, Baltimore
410-522-7377
admiralfell.com

 

Antrim 1844

Nestled into the foot of the Catoctin Mountains, this 24-acre estate has a rich history dating back to the Civil War.
Settle into a lounge chair near the holiday tree or stroll the public room adorned with miles of greenery. The mansion has been masterfully restored to maintain its original splendor but is updated with every
modern comfort.

Dine in the Smokehouse Restaurant, recently named best hotel restaurant in the country. With one of the largest wine cellars on the U.S. East Coast, it boasts over 17,000 bottles of wine representing 2,400 selections from famed wine regions around the world. Special wine cellar dining is also available for small private dinner parties.

Toast the upcoming new year at the Inn’s Pickwick Pub, home to some of the finest cognacs and whiskeys in the world. If you’ve never been to Antrim 1844, a short drive from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, what are you waiting for? It isn’t just an historic inn. It is an experience.

Antrim 1844
30 Trevanion Road, Taneytown
410-756-6812
antrim1844.com

 

Gramercy Mansion

Mention Gramercy Mansion to anyone who’s been there and the word “magical” will come to mind, especially during the holiday season when it is embraced in lights, greenery and exceptional decorations. Tucked away among grand gardens, this tranquil retreat tugs at your heart even before entering the front door. Rooms—some with wood-burning fireplaces—offer canopy king-size beds and fine antiques that happily blend with updated
amenities such as glass showers.

Dating back to 1902, the mansion was once owned by Alexander Cassatt, the founder of Greenspring Valley Hunt Club, but he isn’t nearly as famous as his sister, artist Mary Cassatt. Her paintings are hung in the National Gallery of Art and museums throughout the world.

Eye candy is everywhere—magnificent woodwork embellishes the foyer, living room and parlor. Moravian tiles accent fireplaces in the library, dining room and parlor. Music lovers will be intrigued by two remarkable instruments accenting the library—a Melodeon and a player pump organ circa 1900 with 1,000 rolls of classical music. Plus, the inn’s unique shop is ideal for finding unusual holiday gifts.

Gramercy Mansion
1400 Greenspring Valley Road, Stevenson
410-486-2405
gramercymansion.com

 

Surround yourself with turn-of-the-century charm at Gramercy Mansion in Stevenson.
Surround yourself with turn-of-the-century charm at Gramercy Mansion in Stevenson. | Photo: David Stuck.

 

Maryland Inn

You probably can’t find a more Charles Dickens-ish town than Annapolis during the holiday season. Every storefront along the main drag is trimmed in greenery and lights. At the top of Main Street, the stately Maryland Inn has been welcoming guests from the late 1700s. Many state legislators still call this hotel home each year when they convene at the Maryland State House just across the street, but its history goes back to the late 1700s when Annapolis served as the nation’s first peacetime capital under George Washington.

The Maryland Inn was where statesmen spent the night throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Additionally, The Maryland Inn was where delegates of the 1783-1784 U.S. Congress stayed when Gen. George Washington resigned as commander in chief of the Continental Army and ratified the Treaty of Paris. Step inside, get transported back in time and sleep where history was made.

Maryland Inn, Annapolis
(one of three Historic Inns of Annapolis)
58 State Circle, Annapolis
410-263-2641
historicinnsofannapolis.com/stay/maryland-inn

 

The Annapolis Inn

Like most exquisite jewels, the Annapolis Inn is a rare find. Inconspicuously nestled under the historic trees that line Prince George Street just one block from City Dock, the simple, traditional Georgian townhouse embraces an elegant interior. Think chandeliers and silk, and crystal and silver. Elegant and luxurious, it offers every aristocratic touch to guests about to be spoiled.

The inn has only three suites, each one more fabulous than the other. Filled with exquisite 18th-century European fineries, the living room and dining room create an ambiance of magnificent 18th-century English and French period furnishings. Gaze upon the Swarovski crystal chandeliers, European tapestries, original oil paintings, onyx urns, Oriental rugs, sterling silver tea set and French antique clocks. This is no ordinary inn. It is the only historic landmark building in Annapolis that offers accommodations to visitors along with a wealth of history.

The Annapolis Inn
144 Prince George St., Annapolis
410-295-5200
annapolisinn.com

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