The Sayre Mansion Inn Bethlehem, Pa.

The Sayre Mansion is every bit as lovely in person as depicted on their website. As a matter of fact, the reality is even better than the pictures. The house has a commanding presence overlooking the city of Bethlehem and there is a Gothic magnificence that is unmistakable. In spite of that there is real warmth here and of course that is due at least in part to the warm welcome provided by the owner and all the staff. The house is located on over two acres of grounds and has been restored beautifully.

Breakfast is served from 7-9 a.m. during the week and from 8-10 a.m. on weekends and holidays. You can get room service if you prefer to dine in solitary splendor.

There are 19 rooms in the house and 3 suites in the carriage house. As a matter of fact, the last time he was in town to check on his restaurants at the Sands Resort, top chef judge Emeril Lagasse stayed here in the Carriage House. It was the second time he had chosen Sayre Mansion as the place he wanted to stay in Bethlehem. The staff admits to being a bit star struck but he is far from the only famous person to have stayed here.

In the mansion, the rooms are spread over three floors and vary in size and decor though when I was trying to choose what room I wanted to stay in it was very hard choice. All the rooms are gorgeous and at the end of the day, the fact that her room was on the first floor was the deciding factor.

Rooms number 11, 12 and 14 are in the same corridor. Room 12 is the library suite and is stunning. There are two separate rooms and one is a domed library with a chandelier. Number 12 was very pretty and spacious with an artificial electric fireplace, large armoire, leather love seat and a desk. There is also a small fridge which comes in very handy. Lights were scattered throughout the room including a pole lamp near the love seat.

The bed is a king size and so plush as to be almost too soft but when it came to sleep it was perfect. The bed literally cradles you and there are plenty of excellent quality pillows. Three large windows allow plenty of natural light to enter.

The bathroom is quite small with a shower only but has all the amenities that you might need.

There is a spring water cooler in the hallway if you need water. In the dining room there is an electric kettle and Tazo Teas. During the weekend, Starbucks Coffee was also offered in the afternoon as well as snacks including home-baked goodies. This was missing during the week and much missed since the rooms don’t have coffee makers.

The house was originally built for Robert Heysham Sayre between 1857 and 1858 and was beautifully restored in 1992 to create this lovely bed and breakfast. The current owner has been here 9 years and has done a number of updates that make the house even more comfortable. You will likely meet her and her Bichon Frise, Lola when you check in or at some other time during your stay.

A lot of thought went into the choosing of the Sayre Mansion for our stay in Bethlehem and it far exceeded what was expected. It is a place that I would certainly recommend to anyone who plans to visit the area and that I would love to revisit myself. The hardest part about a visit here is deciding which of the lovely rooms to choose. They are all gorgeous; you can’t make a bad decision. The bed and breakfast is a member of Select Registry.

For breakfast, you have choices. You start by getting your coffee or tea, juice, fruit, muffin, cake, or turnover and then a selection of cooked options is offered. The first morning it was apple blueberry waffles, cheese mushroom and spinach omelet, eggs your way and hot multi-grain cereal as well as bacon and sausage. The breakfasts offered change day to day so don’t worry about getting bored with the choices.

If you are planning to be in Bethlehem, Penn., The Sayre Mansion Inn is an excellent choice. The location is convenient, the beds are amazing and the food will not let you down. Nor for that matter will the very friendly innkeeper and staff.