We stayed at this inn during Columbus Day weekend and had a really pleasurable visit. We made our choice after trolling the web and B&B sites, relying most heavily on TripAdvisor reviews. It's interesting to read reviews of a place AFTER you've stayed there to compare for yourself - I'm not sure we would have chosen the inn if we'd looked on Yelp based on just the two reviews here. I'm glad we didn't check, because we would have missed a great option for us. So we decided to post one ourselves, in case it helps you.
So, the stats:
ROOM: We stayed in the Victorian building, not the main Inn, and had the Peach room. The room was spacious, very clean, and had B&B coziness but wasn't overly fussy or feminine (In spite of the peachy name, which had worried us a little). It has an amazingly large and well-positioned private balcony. Though it rained most of the weekend and was chilly, we couldn't resist sitting out there at times. There's also a large jacuzzi tub/shower and a gas fireplace, which was a really nice feature and provided all the heating we needed despite the raw days. We didn't have to turn on the wall heating so I don't know if that's noisy or not, a complaint we often have with chain motels.
There is a TV in the room, which we appreciated, but an older model, not flat screen. Can be hidden behind cupboard doors for B&B purists. There's some bleed-through of sound through the walls, though we felt pretty private most of the time. Check about whether there is wifi in the room -- a guy using the small shared lounge in the building said he was able to get on, but our iPad was on the fritz so we couldn't check it ourselves. King-sized bed was very comfortable; also very high to climb into so if you have trouble with hopping up, maybe ask for another room. Good number of pillows and excellent quantity and quality of towels. Hairdryer was provided, soap and shampoo. Possible downside, though not for our vacationing purposes: no desk in the room. We glimpsed a credenza in one of the other rooms, so ask for room recommendations if you need that.
FOOD: We see that a year ago they may not have offered sit-down service for breakfast but that appears to have changed, or vary with the dish. The breakfast room is unusually spacious for a B&B because it's also a restaurant. Two mornings we were served right at the table (pancakes with a homemade red-fruit syrup, sausage & yogurt; excellent eggs benedict with cantaloup). Another morning, it was set up more buffet-style but the host was there to fill our plates for us (homemade bacon-spinach quiche, with a second meat-free quiche option offered) as we entered the dining room. The food was good, tasting like it was made in a home with a gifted mom at the stove rather than a more stiffly formal gourmet presentation.
LOCATION: Groton is a tiny town. The inn is a two-minute walk across a pretty stream to the block-long main street. No food options open besides the inn, and just a single hobby shop and gift shop (super nice proprietor!) in town open during our stay. A car is essential unless you plan to remain in your room, but Groton is conveniently well-positioned between the major finger lakes to get you to the variety of wineries, attractions, and walking towns in every direction. A five-minute drive will take you to some glorious lakeside scenery.
HOSTS: Really great. The two guys who run the inn handled the booking professionally, were friendly and funny yet not pushy during breakfast, and knowledgeable about the area. There when we wanted them, not in our faces when we wanted privacy. A real relief after some recent B&B experiences. For once, we wished we'd had fewer plans and more time to sit and chat with a host.
VERDICT: We almost always stay with family when we visit upstate plus there are many, many options in the area. This inn was not decadently luxurious or in a town setting with tons of walk-to-it options, but it ranks among the best of our many past B&B experiences, so gets a full five stars. If we opt for another inn visit when upstate and stay there, we'll be coming back for the comfortable and pretty setting and for the excellent hosting that was pretty much our ideal when it comes to B&Bs. read more