Brampton 1860 — Hotel in Chestertown

I have had the opportunity to travel and stay in lovely accommodations around the US and in Europe, and our stay at the Brampton Inn was one of the most pleasant and romantic stays I’ve had anywhere.

Our drive to the Brampton was a long transition, starting in a big city (Washington) along busy highways (Route 50), to secondary roads, and through small towns. By the time we drove through Chestertown, the anxiety that seems to permeate our urban lives had dissipated noticeably; our pace had slowed – figuratively and literally. We fell into a mood to take our time, to look around, to turn off our cell phones and to be “present.” We turned off the two-lane road and onto the grounds and the transition entered its final stage: we passed through a narrow gap between holly trees and our eyes became fixed on the stately old mansion – the jewel in the crown of meticulously kept grounds. We walked up the stairs to the front porch, a wrap-around with a 12-foot ceiling and lovely wicker furniture that beckoning us like sirens. When we took the last step – into the 150-year old inn – it was as if it had cast a spell on us, for the city where we’d started, the traffic we’d endured, the hectic routines we’d escaped – all the reasons that prompted us to book a couple days at the Brampton seemed no longer to exist.

If the journey from home to the Brampton blotted out the world we’d come from, the accommodations themselves replaced it with surroundings that took us to an entirely new world, one that combined the privacy and solitude we craved for our anniversary get-away with the thoughtful luxury that would ensure we wouldn’t want to leave our romantic retreat. We had the pleasure of staying in one of the Brampton’s cottages, which are hidden behind an old barn and surrounded by privacy walls and a meadow. Our cottage was unpretentious but extremely welcoming: comfortable furniture, a small kitchenette, and a two-person table suitable for sitting down to a small snack of wine & cheese (we also dined in on carryout from a restaurant in town). The bathing accommodations – oh my! – included a steam shower, a two-person soaking tub, and a spa tub – all spotlessly clean and furnished with fluffy towels. If this cottage doesn't melt away your tension, then you are no mere mortal (or you're there with the wrong person).

Finally, I would give 4 stars to the breakfasts at the Brampton. Sitting on the front porch of our cottage, we enjoyed fresh eggs, croissants, seasonal fruits, local sausage, coffee and juice. It was at least 50 miles from the nearest Starbucks and a cold donut – but it seemed much further than that!

It took a 25th anniversary for us to find and book a reservation at the Brampton, but it will not take us long to book our second visit. Treat yourself; you'll be...

'Had our wedding at the Brampton Inn this past weekend and couldn't have asked for a better experience, especially during a pandemic. We rented all 7 rooms (outside cottages excluded) which I would highly recommend as it seemed to make the experience even more intimate for my husband/me and my guests. The rooms were just as expected from an historic inn....the Yellow and Blue rooms were my favorites, so bright and sunny. And Covid protocols of cleanliness were maintained to make us feel our guests were safe and secure. The wrap around porch, complete with wicker furniture and porch swings, were made for daytime socializing with guests. And the fire pit, stocked and ready to light made night time gatherings during crisp fall evenings just perfect!

The Innkeepers, Dave and Hilary couldn't have been more personable and accommodating. Their staff was gracious and warm. You have no idea how touched I was the morning of our wedding to see their grounds keeper giving the wedding arbor a final cleaning, and decorating it simply with flowers from their garden. How unexpected, and appreciated. Oh, and not to be forgotten, Squeaky the (black) cat who is their greeter extraordinaire. If she wasn't such a grand part of the experience (and so well taken care of and loved) I'd have packed her up in my suitcase and taken her home!!

The food for breakfast, our wedding brunch, and tea was amazing...bravo to both the chef and pastry chef. If you have a sweet tooth do not miss the croissant bread pudding (on the wedding brunch menu), or the sun-dried tomato roulade. Or the lemon blueberry pound cake at tea. My then boyfriend, now husband and I stayed last August and were served heirloom salsa at tea time, straight from their garden, and everything peach for the season (peach muffins, peach pie). The wedding cake was adorable and the Italian buttercream perfectly not-too-sweet. No one will walk away hungry nor without the thought of what they'd like served again at their next visit.

And finally a shout-out to Chestertown itself...a undiscovered gem. Liberal, creative, it's a place you long to live. Don't miss the shop “Create” as a place to find that one treasure you must purchase to remember your trip to this lovely place, or the 2nd hand bookstore, Book Plate (also complete with black cat).

What can I say Brampton Inn....see you for our first anniversary...if we can...

Brampton Inn is a place near and dear to our hearts, thats why it pains us to have to write this review. My husband and I got married here 4 years ago today. Since then, we've made it a tradition to come back every anniversary. Previously, we've stayed in the Mulberry Cottage, the 1 room apartment, and the Sunset Cottage. This year, we decided to stay in the main house, and the room we chose was the Emory Room. We were even more excited because this year, we opted for the seafood pie and we couldn't wait to taste it. We've had some issues previously but nothing like this before. We were in bed, settling down for the night when suddenly my husband began itching. We noticed a raised patch on his arm that was warm to the touch. He decided to take a shower to feel better and got back into bed. When the itching continued, we went to a local gas station to pick up some Benadryl because we thought maybe he ate something there that contained walnuts, and he was having an allergic reaction. I'd just fallen asleep when my husband woke me up freaking out. He said he kept itching and felt like something was biting him. He turned the flashlight to his cell phone on and that's when he saw what he described as a "brown crumb". We then turned on the lights and discovered the brown crumb was a BEDBUG. We both jumped out of bed, and I called the emergency number. I told whoever picked up what we found, and he asked if it was still in the bed. I responded back with "yes, my husband is attempting to capture it in a water bottle." We immediately began checking ourselves and then got dressed. Approximately 10 minutes later, one of the owners came to the room. He took the water bottle and apologized. I told him we were leaving, requested a full refund, and we gathered our belongings. He agreed and left shortly after. It didn't take long being as though not much was unpacked. We are horrified and disgusted by this experience. We are also worried about bringing these creatures home with us. My husband now has 2 huge raised lumps on his arms that continue to be warm to the touch. Brampton holds a special place in our hearts, and the memories we have will never be forgotten but sadly, and needless to say, we will not be returning. I guess we will need to come up with a new anniversary tradition and make more...