Husband and I were looking for a nice, weekend getaway, and Elm Creek Manor looked like the perfect…read moreplace. Boy, we're we right! The property is beautiful and serene, they've absolutely nailed the old world style, and the FOOD--oh my God, I've never had anything like it. We stayed in the Austrian Haus, and splurged on the Ultimate VIP Package, and it was worth every penny.
The Room:
The Austrian Haus is very roomy and comfortable, with a beautiful old world rustic feel to it. I loved everything about it, ESPECIALLY the spa shower and sauna room. Large, open shower area, and an infrared sauna that my husband and I enjoyed so much, it's got us looking for saunas in our area. We came to Muenster just to stay here, and between that and the late July heat making the outdoors a bit more than we could stand, we ended up lounging around in here for most of our stay. Comfy seating, strong wifi, and satellite TV, so we didn't feel cooped up, at all. Loved it, and I'm seriously torn between a desire to check out some of the other accommodations next time, and just continuing to book this one, because we enjoyed it so much.
The Property:
Absolutely gorgeous farm, nestled in the woods. The Austrian Haus is right next to the garden, so we had an excellent view of a variety of fruit trees, and rows of vegetables. There are also chickens, goats, and some miniature donkeys nearby. We didn't get to enjoy the outdoors as much as we would've liked due to our brilliant decision to come in the hottest part of the summer, but what we did see was beautiful. I look forward to coming back in a cooler part of the year!
The Food:
They're serious about the farm to table concept, and it shows! Between that and Marcia's incredible culinary skills, these were honestly some of the best meals my husband and I have ever eaten. You can taste the respect for the ingredients in every bite. Everything on the plate shines, and the vegetables are NOT just sides--we found ourselves enjoying them every bit as much as the meat. Even the salads are so good, they had us scraping the bowl! The homemade cheeses are phenomenal, and have effectively ruined even the Whole Foods cheese counter for me. And the desserts! I didn't end up taking any photos during our 3 course dinner in the manner, but I should have. That apple blueberry crumble pie was INCREDIBLE, as well as beautifully plated. I could go on for paragraphs about the food, alone. If Marcia ever publishes a cookbook, I'll preorder.
The Add-Ons:
There's a number of different packages to choose from, and we went with the "Ultimate VIP Package", to try a bit of everything. Pricey, but SO worth it! To run through some of the items included in it:
1) The snack basket was fantastic. Things like this usually seem to have a few good items on top, but are mostly so-so filler, after that. Not here! We enjoyed everything in it, including some old favorites we hadn't seen in years.
2) The European chocolates are SO GOOD. I now understand why Europeans think our chocolate is garbage.
3) The farm gift we got was a jar of their delicious pickles! I haven't had homemade pickles like this since I was a kid, and don't tell my grandparents, but these are better.
4) We both got a 70 minute massage each, and I don't think we've felt more relaxed, in our lives. We've now decided these are essential, and are looking into local places.
5) The treasure hunt was wonderful. The clues aren't meant to be difficult, and lead you on a nice tour around the property. Each comes with a question or series of questions that had my husband and I sharing our feelings (big deal for him, given how emotionally constipated he normally is!), reminiscing, and laughing. And at the end, more delicious cookies!
6) That charcuterie board was TOP NOTCH. The homemade cheeses and summer sausage were to die for.
7) The private dinner in the library at the manor was lovely. Very romantic setting, and amazing meal.
The People: All were friendly and helpful. The owners are fantastic people. We got to chat with Brad a few times, as he goes out to deliver breakfast trays, himself. We only met Marcia at the Saturday night dinner, and enjoyed hearing about the methods they use to preserve food from summer, to use during the winter (they do as much as they can the way folks did 150-200 years ago, so lost of drying and canning!). The way we scheduled everything, we only got to attend one social hour, but I hope to spend more time chatting with them on future visits.
All in all, it was a fantastic experience, my husband and I had a wonderful time and left feeling refreshed and energized, and we've decided we're going to have to make this trip once every year or two, and in different seasons (to try out the different seasonal menus). We really want to see it in the winter! I highly recommend Elm Creek Manor, and look forward to future stays.