Sure, Airbnb’s are swell for getaways, but if you’re looking for somewhere to rest your head with a bit more history, check out these spots.
You will love the Victorian decor, antiques, music — and even romance — at these cozy inns and B&Bs in the Poconos.
For nature lovers
1870 Roebling Inn on the Delaware
The digs: The inn, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a unique bed and breakfast catering to history buffs, hikers and outdoorsy types.
Built in 1870, it boasts spectacular views of the Delaware River and is known for its proximity to attractions such as Roebling’s Delaware Aqueduct (the oldest suspension bridge in the U.S.) and Minisink Battleground Park (site of a 1779 Revolutionary War Battle).
It’s also a 10-minute drive to the Kadampa Meditation Center, a Buddhist temple offering daily tours in a tranquil setting.
Tip for guests: Innkeepers say the sprawling front porch is a favorite place to birdwatch (hello, hummingbirds!). Look close enough and you may spot a bald eagle or two, often perched in a riverbank tree.
The rooms: The main house has five guest rooms (two with fireplaces) and a one-bedroom cottage (with small kitchen and fireplace).
The eats: Continental breakfast 7 to 9 a.m. daily.
Average rates: Starting at $159 (queen bed or two twins); $169 per night( for room with a river view and fireplace), and $194 (for one-bedroom cottage).
Info: 155 Scenic Drive, Lackawaxen, 570-685-7900, roeblinginn.com
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And all that jazz
Deer Head Inn
The digs: A must-stop for music lovers, this intimate hostelry is home to one of the longest-running jazz clubs in the United States.
Established in 1950, musicians who have performed at the club include saxophonists Al Cohn and Zoot Sims; Four Brothers members Stan Getz and Phil Woods; George Young and Nelson Hill; pianist Keith Jarrett; trombonist Urbie Gree; guitarist Harry Leahey, bassist Steve Gilmore; drummer Bill Goodwin; saxophonist Dave Liebman, and pianist, songwriter Bob Dorough (of School House Rock fame).
In addition, John Coates, Jr., Phil Woods, Keith Jarrett, Dave Tofani, Jerry Harris and Nancy Reed have recorded live sessions throughout the years (Deer Head Records is the in-house label). Woods is among the founders of the Celebration of the Arts, a jazz and performing arts festival that takes place across the way and just celebrated its 43rd anniversary in September.
Located in Delaware Water Gap, the Deer Head has live music Fridays through Sundays (plus some Mondays).
Popular among hikers, the inn is located less than five minutes (by car) to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
The rooms: The inn features eight guest rooms and two suites with a mix of rustic, country and modern decor. The third-floor rooms feature 12-foot ceilings. When you reach the top floor, you are in a mansard roof, which gives rooms a cozy feeling with smaller windows and lower ceilings.
Leave the technology at home: There are no TVs or phones in the rooms.
The eats: Open for dinner during jam sessions (5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday to Saturday and 4:30 to 7 p.m. Sunday, call ahead for Monday hours) with menu items such as Thai ginger salad, shrimp scampi, eggplant rollatini and pork Florentine, plus wine and artisan cocktails.
Breakfast/brunch is served on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon and Sundays 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Average rates: Starting at $90 for double room, $150 for suite.
Jazz packages (a two-night stay for couples) includes lodging and a $65 dining voucher, available on Fridays and Saturdays.
Info: 5 Main St., Delaware Water Gap, 570-424-4000, deerheadinn.com
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Traveling back in time
The Dolon House
The digs: For a unique B&B experience, look no further. Not only is the breakfast unforgettable at this Jim Thorpe destination, but it has an impressive collection of antiques and artwork (dating back to the late 1800s) mixed in with modern amenities.
This charming Victorian home, built in 1888 for millionaire John C. Dolan (banker for The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, and founding member of Second National Bank of Mauck Chunk), also features jeweled, stained glass windows, hand-carved woodwork (peep the rails on the beautiful grand staircase), and Italianesque mosaic entry floor.
The rooms: Chose from five-themed guest rooms such as Ellen’s Room (ground-floor one bedroom suite with spacious walk-in shower). Doc Dougherty’s Suite features six-window turrent, down-filled sofa, Japanese woodblocks, Chinese artwork, a restored 1917 master tub and a walk-in shower. The Blue Room is one-bedroom on the second floor with a view of the Opera House and featuring antique botanical prints by artists William Curtis, James Bolton and Shaw Nodder; a king-sized bed, tub and walk-in shower. And then there is the Turret Suite with its sitting room with an extensive collection of NW Pacific art, seriographs, baskets and textiles, a king-sized bed, antiques, and a bathroom with heated marble floor and double — hello, lovebirds — raindrop shower heads.
The eats: The owners have dubbed their breakfast “Coal Cracker Spa Cuisine,” (in honor of the local coal mining industry) and pride themselves on serving innovative menu items made with organically and locally grown food including meats from Thomson’s Meat Market in Walnutport and coffee and tea from Morghan Rake in Effort.
Tip for guests: If you happening to be staying at the Dolan on a Sunday, sip on a glass of wine or bubbly from Galen Glen Winery in Andreas.
Breakfast starts at 9 a.m. daily and lasts for an hour. For those who must leave early, a “breakfast box” is available to go.
Average rates: $230 per night for Ellen’s Room, $250 per night for the Blue Room, $290 Doc Dougherty Suite.
Info: 5. West Broadway, Jim Thorpe, 570-325-4462, dolonhouse.com/
Feeling ritzy
Hotel Fauchère
Sleep in the same suite as the rich and famous.
Hotel Fauchère is known for its notable guests, fine food and even better hospitality.
Among the prominent dwellers: Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, Mary Pickford, Rudolph Valentino, Mae West, Charlie Chaplin, Andrew Carnegie and Robert Frost. For the complete list, peep the walls for photos of the famous who have passed through.
The historic inn has a colorful history beyond its famous visitors.
It was built in 1852 by Louis Fauchère, known in town as the “Crazy Frenchman.
Fauchère emigrated to the states in 1848 from Switzerland and worked as an executive chef at the famed Delmonico’s in New York City. A few years later, he moved to Milford and acquired the property, which belonged to his wife’s family and was part of the French Settlement.
His descendants ran the business until 1976. It had been closed for 25 years until 2001, when Milford Mayor Sean Strub and Dick Snyder bought it with renovation plans. The hotel underwent a multi-million dollar restoration and, in 2006, it re-opened.
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When Snyder passed in 2014, Strub became the owner and in September he sold it to Milford Hospitality Group. It’s known for being in a prime location with walkable galleries and cute shops nearby.
Check out nearby picturesque Grey Towers National Historic Site, Milford Beach and trails at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
The rooms: Call it Paris in the Poconos. Guest rooms are modeled after Euro-style boutiques. Expect to find luxurious bed linens, heated floors and towel racks and complimentary robes and slippers.
Tip for guests: Best bet for your stay — and worth the splurge — is the premium room with balcony, located on the second floor with a view of the endearing garden area.
The eats: A delight any time of day, the Delmonico Room serves popular dishes such as salmon en paupette, steak frites, truffle fries, and bouillabaisse at dinner.
Brunch is available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
While temps are still agreeable, sit on the porch which serves items from Bar Louis. Check out Oyster Mondays, a popular mainstay among locals and visitors alike.
Rates: $359 superior room, $419 suite; $329 premium room with balcony
Info: 401 Broad St., Milford, 570-409-1212, hotelfauchere.com/
Editor’s note: All hotel rates listed are based on a one-night stay in November, 2021. Rates are subject to change.
Micaela Hood is a lifestyles reporter for the USA TODAY Network Mid-Atlantic features team and is based at the Pocono Record. Reach her by emailing [email protected]
