Waynebrook Inn 1865 — Hotel in Honey Brook

First, let me say this, WE LOVE WAYNEBROOK INN!

It was only by sheer luck we happened to find ourselves there. My husband and I were taking an extended road trip vacation. Just us, no kiddos for the first time and let me add that we covered 4000 miles on this trip with no real itinerary and no reservations. We knew it was a risky move, but oh, how it all worked out!

When we headed southwest into Pennsylvania, we knew we wanted to stay in a small, less touristy area, with charm and quaintness, but close enough to be able to venture out each day for sight-seeing and exploration of the area, so blessed be, we saw a little dot on the road map (yes, the big paper kind) that said Honey Brook. Honey Brook is a borough located in Chester County. The population, just 1,713. It is conveniently located 27 miles to Lancaster, 49 to Philadelphia and 53 to Hershey. Once we set our hearts on the town, a quick google search revealed that it would take a miracle for us to get to stay.

Well, let me say miracles happen! When Joe and I pulled into the parking lot of the Waynebrook Inn, my heart was sort of doing flip-flops. The building was beautiful, such a reflection of the area, choosing to preserve their amazing history. The gas lights on the exterior just added to the charm. We both knew it was a gamble, even attempting to get a room, but hey, we had nothing to lose.

When we entered the foyer, it just kept revealing the beauty inside. The rock work and lovingly polished wood floors continued to beckon us in. We knew this was it, if all worked out!

Cliff Long joyfully greeted us, as we inquired about an available room. He said he’d take care of us! He was a doll! Truly, we felt like we had been taken in to the fold, adopted by the family, so to speak. Paul Gilmore quickly joined in the efforts to see to our registration.

It didn’t take long before we learned that they had just taken over the establishment a short three weeks prior. What a coup for us!! During the next little while, we met the addition two owner operators, Samantha Wright and Wes Long. Each of them wanted to know our story, where we were from, how our trip had been so far and what our plans for their area included. They also made several great suggestions for places to go, things to see and where to eat. (September Farm Cheese Restaurant/bakery/creamery/store was amazing!!) Then we were granted a tour of the Waynebrook Inn and The Long Way Home Grill & Pub and with the Restaurant, from top to bottom.

OH WOW!!!! Although the restaurant and pub weren’t yet open to patrons (set to open in November ’17), it was easy to see what a treasure we had found! Not only were we shown all of the public spaces, including the private event area tucked in on the main floor, with the tavern back drop and very upscale “watering hole” feel, but the lower leveled proved to be a diamond in the rough! Again, the old architecture persevered; it was really awing how large the pub really was! Back upstairs, we toured the restaurant where our tour guides shared their visions with us.

It was finally time to see our Queen Parlor Room on the front side of the Inn. (One of the only times we used the elevator, to move our luggage, because using the beautifully banistered staircase was a must!) Our room was just as charming as we had anticipated. I know this may sound silly, but I love the deep windowsills. The weather was perfect, so we decided to forego the AC and open the windows to allow the breeze to blow in and listen to the clip-clop of the horses and buggies as the came through town.

Each day after our adventures, we were asked how our day was and what we had enjoyed. They truly were vested in our stay both at the Inn and around the area. During our four days/three nights at the Inn, we were welcomed and loved! That’s the only way to describe it! There are upgrades in progress and a “long” list of enhancements planned for the entire establishment, we can’t wait to return and experience them...

My boyfriend and I booked a room here for 2 nights for a wedding and we checked out the morning after the first night. Simply put, the room was absolutely filthy. A radiator in the bathroom looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in months, and had a bunch of miscellaneous liquid drops and stuff on it. I took a moistened piece of TP and took a bunch of it off, so it wasn’t stains. The toilet was disgusting. The room had not been dusted in ages and there was a thick build up of dust in multiple places. The mirrors were not cleaned. The faucet in the bathroom did not appear clean. The carpet, towels, and sheets felt like there was a film on them. There was a smudge of some red residue on the do not disturb sign. We found multiple black dots on the sheets that could be brushed off so they weren’t stains but made me worried about what they were from. The ceiling had water damage and a tile was falling down. I could feel the springs in the mattress and it was concave in the center. The wallpaper was peeling off the bathroom walls on every edge. My boyfriend is much less picky than me and even he was grossed out. Within 20 minutes of getting there we had booked a room at a different hotel for the next night and only stayed the night because it was 10pm. When I checked out early, I talked to the person in charge of housekeeping, who I showed these pictures to and she said she would talk to whoever cleaned it. But this room hasn’t been properly cleaned in months, minimum. This much dust and residue doesn’t build up over a single hotel stay. She called the manager and told him I said the room was filthy and he didn’t seem surprised at all. They at least refunded us, but I had to call again to make that happen because it wasn’t processed the first time. In addition to these issues, the hotel is locked between 8-9pm and if you check in after that you need to call the number and wait for someone to let you in. The front desk seems unmanned all the time and just has a sign on it to call them. No one was manning it when we got there and no one was manning it the next morning when we checked out. So there isn’t much service to speak of, but at least they were willing to refund without argument. We ended up at the Marriott Courtyard in Coatesville, which was as close to the Brandywine Manor wedding venue in Honey Brook as this place, and has the regular amenities and housekeeping you...

Stay here if you don't need to sleep, I guess. Walls are PAPER thin, so be prepared to know your neighbors, and it's situated at the corner of a very busy intersection, so be prepared to listen to freight trucks and other fun road noise from 6 a.m. thru midnight, about 25 feet away from you.

We arrived around 6 pm on a holiday, so we expected a basically empty hotel and few staff. We didn't expect every door to be locked and a front desk person who couldn't understand our frustration at not being able to get in. Why is everything locked? we asked. "Oh, cus we're closed." But you're not closed--the restaurant is open and we have a room reservation. "You get in with your room card." We don't HAVE a room card bc we're not checked in yet. Just around and around in circles. Only reason we got in the building is bc she saw us through the window and physically got up to let us in; there was a number on a sign on the door to call but you're telling me you're gonna make your guests wait outside in the cold while someone drives all the way over from home, just to let us into the building? A building with an open restaurant attached to it? Come on.

Room was spacious but dated. Pretty clean. No tissues, not enough counter space in the bathroom. My husband thought the bed was fine but I thought it was rock hard; we both agreed there were not enough pillows and they were very thin. We didn't use heat or AC. There were drafts coming from each of the windows but it was pretty temperate in the room despite it being about 40 outside.

But the walls. This issue just spoke to thoughtlessness. Because it was a holiday, there were very few guests in this decently sized inn, but for some reason all the guests who were here all got clumped into the same corner of rooms, and they saw fit to place us directly underneath a family of elephants when we could have been in the far opposite corner. We heard EVERYTHING. I know our one neighbor's plans for the day. I know how our other neighbor liked their meal last night. I know sometimes hotels do this to make cleaning and servicing the rooms easier, but they noted that there wasn't any regular service--so was it really going to be a hassle to turn a corner or two to fix rooms up for the next guests if they'd just spaced them out a little better? Just thoughtless.

Never again for...