Annville Inn
4515 Hill Church Road
Annville, PA 17003
888-868-4515

Annville Inn Home Page

July 2007

Welcome to www.weloveourlife.com. This is our page dedicated to our experiences while staying at the Annville Inn in Annville, PA.

Accommodations

	We stayed in the English Manor Suite – it was brand new, and we were only the second guests to stay in this suite. There was an extremely comfortable king-size bed with sheets that felt like butter. There were a couple of skylights with built-in shades and a ceiling fan over the bed. There was a loveseat in one corner.
	There was an elevated double Jacuzzi in the corner and the room was divided by a see-through fireplace that could even be used in the summer (nice glow but no heat). On top of the fireplace was a flat-screen TV that swiveled to be viewed by just about any angle in the room.
	The bathroom had a nice size shower and a vanity that was made from an old mantle. Atop the vanity was a sink that looks like a bowl, and the faucet looked like an old pump – very cool. The room was stocked with plenty of nice towels and extra bathroom amenities. It was a comfortable suite.

Inn Amenities

	The inn really shines when it comes to amenities. We would call the décor Craftsman-like. There is a large dining area full of beautiful wood, with a little wet bar tucked back into a corner that contains a guest refrigerator with water and soda, as well as coffee, tea, and snacks. Next to the dining room is a four-season room with wicker furnishings and plenty of plants that looks out over the meadow and towards the mountains. There are puzzles, books, and CDs.
	Guests can step outside of that room to the beautiful in-ground pool area. There are lots of gardens and water features around the property. There is a hot tub outside as well (although we didn’t use that while we were there – they were doing some maintenance). We spent plenty of time enjoying the refreshing pool.

Downstairs is a finished basement with a pool table, games tables, and a computer. Adjacent to that room is an unbelievable home theater. The hosts have a nice selection of DVDs to watch in the home theater. We enjoyed a private showing of National Treasure.

Inn Food

This is a bed and breakfast and breakfast is the meal they serve. They had one seating at 9 a.m. when we visited. A selection of juices was offered along with coffee. They brought everything out on one plate, which was actually a nice idea, because if guests were anxious to get going, they didn’t have to sit through a long multi-course breakfast. One morning we had a mixture of fruit, a crust-less quiche, delicious turkey bacon, and chocolate and nut muffins. Another morning we had fruit, apple pancakes, and a soft-boiled egg with Canadian bacon. If you let them know any dietary concerns/preferences ahead of time, they do their best to meet your needs. Lori is allergic to mushrooms and they were careful not to serve her anything with mushrooms. One woman we dined with couldn’t have dairy, and they came up with excellent substitutes.

Inn Bar/Lounge

There is no bar save for a wet bar with non-alcoholic beverages provided for guests. The innkeepers are happy to supply glasses, ice, and ice buckets.

Inn People/Service

Rosalie and Craig George are the energetic, friendly innkeepers. Craig did quite a bit of work on the place himself. There are whimsical touches throughout. They are continually improving the place (although it is great already). They take the time to show you around when you arrive, greeting each guest warmly. They happily recommend things to do and restaurants. They also print out directions for you – a handy thing to have. They appear to really love what they do and it shows. We met a couple who were staying at a B&B for the first time and they loved it and said they would return.

Area/Attractions

Annville is close to Hershey (home of the famous chocolate). Hershey Park is only 10 minutes away. Harrisburg is about 20 minutes away. There is also a college in town (Lebanon Valley College – where Lori initially went to school). We’re sure this will be a popular place for parents of students. It’s also not far from Mount Hope (the winery and location of the Renaissance Fair). One afternoon we drove to Palmyra (a 5-minute drive) and went to see The Simpsons Movie at the local theater.

We stopped in at West Hanover Winery (7646 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg, PA 717-652-3711) and did a tasting. They had plenty of wines available to taste. We bought a few bottles of white merlot (yes, strange as it sounds it is good and is a white wine that can stand up to bold meats), a couple bottles of dry red wine, and a chardonnay. The winery was about 15 minutes from the inn.

Dining

What If .. of Hershey - 845 East Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, PA 717-533-5858
What If Home Page
We had dinner here on a Saturday night. Reservations are a must on a weekend, as it was packed. It is on the lower level of the Spinners Inn, right on Route 422. The décor was mostly black and red. We split a bottle of sauvignon blanc (all of the bottles of wine seemed to be reasonably priced). Lori had pan seared scallops (with lentil fondue, red curry emulsion, and peanut dust) as an appetizer, and Keith had the fruit and cheese – which turned out to be a very generous helping of strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, and blueberries, accompanied by a garlic spreadable cheese and water crackers. For his entrée, Keith chose the Veal Frangelico (Frangelico-flamed mango, veal stock reduction, hazelnuts) and Lori had the lobster ravioli. As you can tell by the selections, the menu was creative and the food was imaginatively prepared. Our server was very professional and was excellent. We recommend this place as a nice dining experience.

Bluebird Inn - 2387 Cornwall Road, Cornwall, PA 717-273-3000
Bluebird Inn Home Page
We had dinner here on a Sunday night, and it was packed. Apparently the place is regularly packed. They have a two-level deck outside and a round bar that is a nice gathering place, and we decided to eat outside. Unfortunately, one of the worst rainstorms of that summer chose to interrupt us while we were eating; we just moved to a table with a larger umbrella and continued to eat. Keith had the lemon pepper chicken, which served with a salad and over a bed of pasta with a (hefty) side of taste garlic bread. Lori had the shrimp etouffee – something rarely seen on a menu in Pennsylvania. Lori estimates there were about 18 shrimp, sautéed in a Cajun sauce, encrusted with cornbread and andouille sausage breadcrumbs and baked. It was yummy. This place has a great beer selection. As we got to the end of our meal, we made a break for cover and dashed inside to the bar. All interior areas are non-smoking (as of 2007 Pennsylvania still allows smoking in public places so this is a nice change). We sat at the bar and had a drink hoping the rain would calm down. It didn’t – so we figured we’d better take off. The food here was good, extremely reasonably priced, and the people were really great. Cornwall seems to be trapped in time – a cute little village out in the middle of farm country. It’s a worthwhile diversion. Lori had been living in the area a couple years (back in the 1980s) and wasn’t even aware this very old tavern even existed.

Nightlife

This is Pennsylvania Dutch Country so nightlife isn’t the forte, although there are certainly bars and bands to be found. One may have to go closer to Harrisburg. We were staying at a nice place, so there was no need to stay out late at night.

Weather

South central Pennsylvania in the middle of summer can be pretty stifling, and our visit was no exception. Daytime temperatures were in the 90s and the humidity was considerable. There were several downpours/thundershowers during our visit. Night time temperatures only dropped into the 70s. Air conditioning is a must-have in the summer. Note that Hershey Park does have a water park for hot days.

Tips/Suggestions

Do listen to the locals – they can tell you the good places to go. We did listen to our hosts and they steered us in the right direction when it came to dining. If you visit on a weekend (especially in the summer), reservations for dinner are recommended. If you plan to visit Hershey Park, try to do so during the week (the crowds won’t be as heavy). If you must go on a weekend, try to start earlier in the day when it is cooler.