Inn at Glencairn: What Sets us Apart from our Hotel Friends?

Bucolic Setting!

Since we are the only Bed & Breakfast in the Princeton area, we do not have to constantly compare ourselves to other Bed & Breakfasts. So we often compare ourselves to nearby hotels. When we first opened, we thought we could never compete based on location with the in-town places, but after hearing our guests comments and reading countless reviews, we have grown to realize that our setting provides something that an in-town location cannot: peace and quiet. Driving onto the property and viewing the barns and outbuildings immediately takes you back to another time - a welcome respite after a day of touring or hours of endless meetings.

Eggs Glencairn: Our version of Eggs Benedict

Being the only B&B in the area also gives us an opportunity to truly showcase how we are different. Have you seen the breakfasts that Lydia dreams up daily? If not, check out some of the pictures HERE! I would challenge you to find something comparable anywhere in town. Homemade granola AND homemade yogurt? Farm fresh produce and microgreens? Three choices daily to please just about any palate and appetite? Plus, we cater to any and all dietary restrictions!

You know something else you will not see in town? FREE PARKING!!! Chances are you have a car, and chances are you might not want to deal with a valet or endless loops around a parking garage. I LOVE Princeton, but have you seen some of these parking garages? Um, barely enough room to shimmy in and out without a scratch! Plus, overnight parking expenses can add up easily - even just for one night!

Our Great Room dates back to the early 1700s!

And, of course, we have history! Lots and lots of history. Our Inn dates back to the early 1700s. We have oodles of history. Our Great Room has a huge fireplace that you can literally walk into. This is the stuff you see in historical sites and museums - but when you stay at the Inn you are literally surrounded by it as long as you like. This is not a Disney-fied reproduction, this is the real deal and you can explore all the corners and quirky aspects of it.

Finally, we offer comfort and personalized service. We only have five rooms. Lydia is an expert when it comes to reading guests. Want to chat, she will chat. Want to wander around ALONE, she will leave you ALONE! Want to sit alone at breakfast, we can make that happen. Have allergies or sensitivities? We will cater to your requirements. Our rooms, beds, and bathrooms have all received rave reviews from our guests. We want you to be comfortable and we will go out of our way to make that happen. Call ahead if you have truly quirky needs and we will work with you!

So, go ahead and compare us to the hotels around. We offer things that no other property can. Book for visit now and see what thousands of our happy guests are talking about!

Spring Break: Eggs Benedict "Gone Wild"

It all started with Eggs Glencairn: Poached eggs, arugula, and crispy prosciutto atop a croissant, drizzled with Hollandaise sauce.

That version of Eggs Benedict (pictured here) placed in the top 10 for B&B breakfasts! 

As Spring approaches, Lydia is excited to shake things up again with a few of her latest versions of this classic breakfast dish. 

Here are five that she has lined up to try this Spring. Call ahead if you are interested in trying one and I am sure she will work it into the schedule!  

Italian Eggs Benedict: Poached eggs, grilled bell peppers, fresh spinach, fried Pancetta over a Polenta slice, topped with Marinara sauce.

Greek Eggs Benedict: Poached eggs, chopped fresh onion and pepper, Feta cheese, lamb sausage over a toasted pita, topped with Tzatziki sauce. 

Eggs Bollywood: Poached eggs, fried Paneer cheese, cooked spinach over toasted Naan, topped with Tikka Masala hollandaise.

California Eggs Benedict: Poached eggs, goat cheese, asparagus over toasted Sourdough bread, topped with avocado hollandaise.

PacNW Benedict: Poached eggs, cream cheese with chives and onions, salmon over Dave's Killer Bread, topped with Hollandaise sauce.

Puzzles, puzzles, and more puzzles!

You may have noticed Lydia's penchant for puzzles during your last visit to the Inn.  She is an admitted puzzle "addict" and was fully immersed into the craze during the pandemic!  Her favorite spot to piece them together was the dining room table. During the slow days of the pandemic this was ideal until the random guest would show up!

After a few too many interruptions from the brave, infrequent guest and a need for the dining room table, Lydia finally treated herself to a really cool puzzle board (holding up to 1000 pieces and large enough for a 21" x 27" puzzle) that now sits in the Office.  Guests of all ages give her a hand on these puzzles while they visit, and she completes each one.

Flash forward to today: Lydia now has about 40 puzzles that she has completed and we are running out of shelf space at the Inn. 

PLEASE help us!!!!! 

Bring Lydia a new puzzle (that you have completed) and feel free to take one (or two) home from our office shelf. Forgot your puzzle, that's OK, just remember one the next time you visit. And, if you are a serious puzzle fanatic (or know one), Lydia is happy to share information on her puzzle board!  

Vote! Inn at Glencairn is nominated for a CN Traveler Readers Choice Award!

We are so excited to be nominated again this year for the Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Awards! We placed ninth last year for the Northeast Region and seventh in 2020 for the Mid-Atlantic Region. We are so appreciative to be nominated again among such fine lodging establishments!

We would be thrilled to place again this year. To vote, just go to: https://www.cntraveler.com/rca/vote and search for the Inn at Glencairn under Hotels & Resorts. (You will be asked to sign up for a newsletter but you can always unsubscribe.) And, please take a moment to recognize your other favorites. The travel industry continues to fluctuate with the whims of the pandemic and everyone could benefit from a little positive recognition! Thanks for your support!

The Slow Tourism Movement at the Inn at Glencairn

The pandemic has forced us to reevaluate our priorities. We were all forced to take a moment (maybe a year or two) of introspection and take stock of our existence. Some of us enjoyed having an excuse to work from home, or spend nightly dinners with our children and spouses, or put the brakes on our hectic lives. Travel and hospitality has followed suit. Travelers are wanting each and every experience to count because, you never know when you might be in lock down again. Guests are looking for an enriching experience, not just a mediocre bed and a run of the mill hotel to pass through. The buzzword is "slow tourism." Remember the slow food movement? Welcome to the slow tourism movement.

We at the Inn have been practicing slow tourism since we opened back in 2004. Walking through our doors transports guests back to a simpler time. As soon as you step in you realize this is not a cookie cutter hotel. Not everyone comes to us with their eyes wide open. Our favorite guests are the ones who walk through the door and have a skeptical look on their face. Maybe they were there because a spouse made the reservation, maybe a well-meaning travel agent assumed we were the Ritz because of our high ratings on TripAdvisor and Expedia, maybe a relative purchased a gift certificate as a gift. Not everyone walks in expecting a B&B in an 18th century farmhouse.

We recently had a guest who was "put up" at the Inn while giving a talk at a local institution. She was somewhat taken aback by the skeleton key. We know because she posted about it on facebook! What followed in the comments are priceless, ranging from, "18th century dungeon door key" to "do they require payment in schillings" to (my personal favorite) "is Narnia on the other side?" Well, on the other side was a well appointed four poster bed with a fluffy down comforter and silky softs sheets, a comfortable sitting area overlooking our back gardens, and a modern spotless bathroom with fluffy towels and handmade soaps. After one night, we had a convert and perhaps our biggest fan to date. She posted about the fabulous homemade breakfast featuring eggs benedict over baked prosciutto and arugula served with fresh jams, granola and a chocolate truffle along with a grapefruit dish that was so good "I wanted to cry!" When she left, she had a bagful of homemade granola and jams and our homemade laundry detergent.

When you walk into the Inn, you might be taken aback that it does not look like a hotel, it might have a few bumps and bruises because it is nearly 300 years old. We work tirelessly to keep everything maintained impeccably and our recent renovation brought the structure into the 21st century, but at its heart, the Inn is quite simply "an old farmhouse" and we celebrate it as such. So, make a reservation and come see what "slow tourism" is all about. You will not be disappointed.

Inn at Glencairn named top 10 Hotel in the Mid-Atlantic by Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Awards!

When we converted our 18th century farmhouse into the Inn at Glencairn, we knew it would be a labor of love. At the time, many nearby historic properties were being deserted, boarded up, and demolished. We wanted to preserve Glencairn and give it life as a sustainable enterprise.

With just five guest rooms, we knew the Inn could not compete on size with the big chain hotels in the Princeton area, but we also knew that those big chains could not offer the unique history, charm, and personality that a small country Inn can provide its guests. So, we focused on what we could offer: A respite from the average hotel stay. We set out to create an environment that would transport travelers to a cozy country estate owned by a favorite relative. 

Now, over fifteen years later, we are so excited to be a recipient of the Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Award! Being ranked in the top 10 for properties in the Mid-Atlantic really is such an honor. We are beyond grateful to our past and present guests who recognized us by voting. To be on the same list as The Rittenhouse and the Four Seasons is pretty humbling. Our staff, Lydia and Sindi, deserve the accolades. They are constantly striving to improve the guest experience and have been so resilient and dedicated, especially during the current environment. 

So, a big thank you to our guests and to our staff. We are beyond grateful to receive this award! Check out the list of winners for the mid-Atlantic below. 

Condé Nast Traveler’s full Top 10 Hotels in the mid-Atlantic ranking includes:

1. The Rittenhouse: Total score: 99.55.

2. Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center: Total score: 99.23

3. The Reeds at Shelter Haven: Total score: 99.04.

4. The MC Hotel, Autograph Collection, located in Montclair, New Jersey. Total score: 98.54.

5. Troutbeck, located in Amenia, New York. Total score: 98.31.

6. The Roxbury at Stratton Falls, located in Roxbury, New York. Total score: 97.72.

7. Inn at Glencairn, located in Princeton, New Jersey. Total score: 96.97.

8. The Ivy Hotel, located in Baltimore: Total score: 96.92.

9. Historic Hotel Bethlehem, located in Bethlehem: Total score: 95.63.

10. The Study at University City: Total score: 90.45.

Eco-Friendly Practices at the Inn at Glencairn

At the Inn at Glencairn, we have been incorporating sustainable practices into our business for some time.  In fact, our entire business model was built on the philosophy of preserving and restoring an 18th century farmhouse and filling it with beautiful antique and vintage furniture and paintings!

Since we first opened our doors in 2004, we had a towel reuse policy; as the years went on, we extended that to bed linens for guests who did not want their linens washed daily.  Also, since day one, we had programmable thermostats in guest rooms and an active recycling program.  We are fortunate to live in a town that recycles, and we take advantage of their programs.  Lately, we have started recycling plastics that are not typically included in the municipal program by taking them to recycling centers such as Whole Foods and local farmers markets.  More recently, we discontinued the practice of using plastic water bottles.  We have a highly inspected and regulated well on the property, and we enjoy our very own spring water!  You will also notice that we use real glass, china, and cutlery rather than disposable products.

We have begun to switch out less eco-friendly items for more sustainable products as their useful life ends:  We have begun phasing in LED lighting, and we have installed solar lighting outside where it makes sense. Where possible, we blend our own cleaning and laundry products using natural ingredients.  And, finally, in the kitchen, we endeavor to buy local and organic ingredients, and we have increased our daily breakfast to include two new options that allow guests with smaller appetites to enjoy a full breakfast without leaving a plateful of waste for the landfill. Plus, we are constantly adding to our list of “made from scratch” goodies such as baked goods, yogurt, granola, jams & jellies.

We look forward to adding new initiatives as the year continues.  The best part of being eco-conscious is that many of our initiatives take place behind the scenes without sacrificing the comfort of our guests, and in many instances it can enhance their stay.  We fully anticipate that the Inn will be around well into the next century, and we will do our best to minimize its carbon footprint so future generations can enjoy its unique history and ambiance.  

Better than Airbnb Sale: Stay five nights for the price of four! Weekends included!

It is time for our first "Better than Airbnb" Sale!  Book your five-night stay from now until April 2, 2020 and receive one night free. Take advantage of this great offer to stay at our award winning Bed and Breakfast!

The "Better than Airbnb" Sale cannot be combined with any other offers and must be made directly through us via phone. Face it: You know you are not going to get this fabulous breakfast at an airbnb!

Take advantage of our special and we bet you will be hooked! Need a reason to visit the Princeton area? Grounds for Sculpture, McCarter Theatre, and Palmer Square always have something exciting going on!