Reynolds Mansion — Hotel in Bellefonte

Little did we know that when we stepped through the door of the gray-stoned castle that is Reynolds Mansion we would be stepping into a weekend retreat that defied any ordinary expectations for a simple getaway. If you’ve been to a BnB, you know to expect nice rooms, courteous staff, a little history, the odd antique or two, and, of course, tasty breakfasts. But if you’re planning to come to the RM, get ready to have all sense of the ordinary blown away!

Cross the threshold and be transported back to genuine 1885 Victorian elegance as you move, wide eyed, from room to room, completely wow’d by the magnificently preserved, meticulously crafted wood floors, moldings, staircase, doors, and ceilings that house the period-perfect furniture, carpets, mirrors, wall coverings, and stained-glass windows. You are also transported back to a time when hospitality and customer service was an art form as your warm and generous host, Jess, and her delightful family sweep you into a space and experience of indulgence, pampering, relaxation, and reconnecting with the joys of being human.

Whether you are seeking quiet solitude alone with your partner or the chance to meet new acquaintances who will feel like old friends by the end of your stay, you will shed the stress and strife of the everyday and come away restored in body and soul. Each bedroom is its own themed adventure that delivers on the details - luxurious beds and bedding, plush heated towels, high pressure endlessly hot showers, and decadent jetted tubs. Each morning brings a different scrumptious breakfast highlighted by the cheerful smiles of Jess, her family and staff, enjoyed along side equally contented fellow guests. Anytime of the day can inspire your own impromptu billiards tournament, while in the evenings you can hide away in the Snuggery, nibbling on that day’s fresh-baked treats as you sink deep into timeworn leather club chairs sipping complimentary brandy into the night under the gaze of Reynolds family mementos, reflecting on how fleeting time is and how precious are the memories you are making during your stay here.

Also not to be missed is a chance to enjoy the magic hands of Lisa Mandetta of Cloud 9 Therapeutic Massage Studio, available right there on the second floor. No better way to start off your vacation, followed by many fun activities nearby, to include strolling around Talleyrand Park and waterway, touring the Caves, kayaking or biking around Bald Eagle State Park, or just lazily enjoying a cappuccino under the awning of My Cafe Buzz as the world slowly rolls by.

Jess attended to our every need and made it her mission to make sure we were happy. Mission accomplished! We will be back, and heartily encourage you, too, to stop putting it off and instead make the time to visit with Jess and the Reynolds Team for a truly memorable...

My husband and I just returned from a stay at the Reynolds Mansion. The location is set in a lovely area, the mansion itself is charming and rich with history, and the hosts were very lovely themselves, but unfortunately I can't give it a higher rating for the following reasons. 1) We stayed in the New York room, so bear in mind, if you stay in a different room, perhaps you'd have a better experience. The room itself was pretty outdated, not great décor, not a great bed, and overall just didn't feel at all worth the cost, didn't have many amenities which leads me into my next point, 2) Very important to note, if you book the NY room, you cannot take a bath in the clawfoot tub! This was off the bat very disappointing, as the host said when showing us into the room said "obviously you can't take a bath in this tub", I re-checked the description on their website to see if I had misread, but no. They advertise the clawfoot tub with absolutely no mention that you can only take a shower in it, pretty misleading. 3) I understand it's an older house with quirks, but I felt that they put a lot of the onus on the guests for this, i.e, the tub will over flow into the kitchen if you use it, and you can't put the thermostat past a certain temperature. On an extremely hot night, with A/C only coming through the bathroom (you had to leave the door open the entire time to get A/C in your room), we received a slightly passive aggressive note on our bed, asking us to not adjust the temperature as low as we had set it. Again, while understandable, telling your guests about that ahead of time reads much better than a disciplinary feeling note. It felt like we were constantly being asked to just work around the varying broken aspects of the house, and for the price, it was pretty off putting and far off from the worry free weekend stay we were looking for. 4) Our room was right across from their laundry room, and the workers would talk very loudly to each other all morning and most of the afternoon, not to mention very long and drawn out beeping noises as multiple loads of laundry were being done each day, and as the walls were very thin, it was hard to sleep in or feel any sense of peace/privacy. 5) Lastly, the one time they cleaned our room, it did not seem to be done very thoroughly. Big things were missed, the bed wasn't made well, and over all didn't make me feel very confident/secure in their cleaning processes during COVID-19. Overall, it was a fine stay, and perhaps could've been better if we'd stayed in one of the other rooms, but in general I didn't really feel like it was worth the cost, and we probably...

Mixed Experience – Beautiful Property, But Lacking Professionalism

I appreciated the confirmation call from Jess ahead of my stay, especially her attention to detail and asking about food allergies for breakfast. That kind of personal touch stood out in a good way.

However, what I didn’t appreciate was being chastised during that same call for booking through a third-party site instead of directly with the B&B. As a first-time guest, I wasn’t aware that direct bookings were preferred. While I completely understand and even sympathize with the desire to avoid third-party fees, the way that message was delivered felt more like a scolding than a helpful tip—like getting my hand slapped by a teacher.

Upon arrival, my sister, who wasn’t a guest, was warmly welcomed and given a tour of the property with me, which was a nice touch. But the check-in experience left a lot to be desired. The staff member who greeted us was in pajamas and slippers. I understand this is a family-run business and also their home, but there’s a line between casual and unprofessional, and this crossed it.

The stay itself was quiet and comfortable. The room and bathroom were immaculately clean, and the room was very peaceful—you could hear voices in the hallway, but not from inside the room. Footsteps on the stairs were audible, but rather than being disruptive, they added to the charm of the historic building.

I checked out early and skipped breakfast. When I left, I couldn’t find anyone to notify in person, so I called about 30 minutes later to let them know. Once again, I was scolded by Jess—this time for not coming down for breakfast. Frankly, that was baffling. I'm an adult and a paying guest. I don’t need to explain why I chose to have breakfast with my family instead of with strangers. It felt like my personal time and choices were being judged, which was off-putting.

To sum up: the property is beautiful, the hospitality is genuine, and the attention to detail in the accommodations is excellent. But the overall customer service lacks professionalism and sometimes crosses the line into inappropriate. I would still recommend staying here—with the caveat that the atmosphere may feel more like being in someone’s home than a traditional hospitality experience, for...