We enjoyed a serene getaway amid beautiful flowers and birds this past spring at the Inn at Honey Run, and I suspect this country inn tucked into the heart of Ohio's Amish Country would prove equally beautiful and relaxing at any other time of the year.
This bed and breakfast inn sits on 70 acres laced by walking trails, meadows and farmland in central Ohio's Holmes County, home to the world's largest Amish community.
The Amish communities of Millersburg and Berlin are close by, and we found the inn a perfect base from which to tour area cheese and country markets.
The Inn at Honey Run has about 40 guest rooms, suites or cottages. Many of the main lodge's two-dozen rooms have window walls or decks, but we opted to stay in one of the rooms in the Honeycombs, a unique building set into the earth overlooking meadow and farmland.
A soothing instrumental CD was playing as we first entered our room, and we spent time during our four-day stay bird watching and relaxing on our patio.
Bird watchers have identified over 100 species of birds visiting the habitat, bird feeders and bird houses that dot the grounds at Honey Run.
Spring is also a great time for checking out some of the 1,200 plant species folks have identified along the inn's nature trails. We were there just as the trilliums were in bloom, making for some nice photo opportunities.
Most of the nature trails at Honey Run are short, but a few of them can be a bit steep. Taking the trail up to the Honeycombs from the dining room was a bit of a workout after a full meal!
We ate breakfast at the inn every day during our stay and enjoyed dinner out on the deck one evening. Eating in the deck's treetop setting was a special pleasure as it was a bit cool and we had the deck to ourselves--kind of like having our own private dining room.
Tim enjoys dining on the deck
The restaurant recently announced the results of an ongoing renovation and rebranding under the guidance of Executive Chef Scott Fetty.
Fetty arrived at the inn in January 2010 after more than a decade as an instructor at the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh. He developed a new menu and new identity for the inn's restaurant, announcing the new name, Tarragon, earlier this autumn.
Tarragon grows naturally in the region, and the name evokes the nature and natural colors surrounding the inn.
The food was great during our visit, but I'd love to go back and check it out again when we could sample meats, fish or cheese from the inn's onsite smokehouse.
The inn is within two hours of Cleveland and Columbus, but it is miles away from the big city in location and in spirit.
Established in 1982, it is one of a handful of Ohio inns on the Select Registry of luxury B&Bs. There are about 400 inns on the registry, which conducts regular inspections of each property. We received a guidebook listing all of the Select Registry inns when we checked out at the Inn at Honey Run.
The Inn at Honey Run is nice for a romantic getaway, special occasion or small conference. Children over the age of 12 can stay in the main lodge, but rooms at the Honeycombs are adults-only.
Wi-Fi is available in the main lodge, but connectivity is pretty much nonexistent in the Honeycombs. That was all right by me, as I had no problem scooting down to the main lobby for quick online check-ins and spending my time out at the Honeycombs with the birds and the stars in the night skies.
Don't expect a hot club scene or neon-lit nightlife in the area, but do expect a great atmosphere to relax and enjoy all that nature has to offer at Honey Run.
Check out the latest news on the Inn at Honey Run's site, which features links to its newsletter and blogs from the inn's chef and horticulturalist. You can also connect with the inn on Facebook or Twitter.
Want to know more about our trip to Holmes County? Read Amish cheese and more in Holmes County, Ohio and Driving in Amish Country.
Learn more about the Amish and Mennonite communities in Holmes County with Holmespun: An Intimate Portrait of an Amish and Mennonite Community by Laura Hurwitz.
© Dominique King 2011 All rights reserved
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