Living in Pennsylvania, I am quite intrigued by the Amish, really from a sociological and psychological perspective (my degree is Psych so I tend to analyze people), but also because I just cannot fathom such a simple way of life. When we were invited to stay at The Inn at Honey Run and try out their spa, I quickly took to googling Millersburg, Ohio to find out what the area had to offer (I’ve only ever been to Columbus.) The location of The Inn at Honey Run is smack dab in the middle of Amish country (not strictly Amish, but actually Mennonite), which told me a few things: 1. It would be like stepping back in time, 2. It was guaranteed to be peaceful and relaxing and 3. I knew I’d be in an area I could explore and not get bored. So Bryan and I packed our bags for a weekend of de-stressing and headed west to Ohio.

It was a 7 hour drive through central and western PA into central Ohio, but the views of the mountains were spectacular, and I can only imagine how gorgeous it looks with the fall foliage. It was very clear once you were near Millersburg, because there are more horse and buggies than there are cars. There are long, winding and hilly roads with no stop lights or sidewalks, but plenty of scenic views of farmland where you could see the Amish working on their farms or seated at their roadside stands selling produce and handwoven baskets. My favorite part of course was seeing the little boys in their straw hats and suspendered pants and little girls in their bonnets, run and play. (I’m pretty sure I squealed each time I saw an Amish child, which Bryan found pretty funny.)

We arrived at The Inn at Honey Run and quickly remarked at how beautiful the setting was. No huge parking lots or towering buildings…simply tons of trees, plants and flowers and in the distance you could hear a babbling brook. It was peaceful and exactly how I envisioned it.

As you walk down the covered walkway into the building, there are carved stones that line it, which are for sale. Some stones are carved like a conch shell, others to resemble a birdbath and so on. Adjacent to the walkway is a water feature that is so pretty. My photography skills are null, so the picture I took doesn’t even do it justice. At the door is a bird feeder with a video camera pointed towards it, as The Inn at Honey Run has a “birdcam” that snaps pictures of the birds that come into feed (which are posted on their Facebook fan page.) Birds are truly a focus here, as you will see so many different kinds seated among the branches of the trees. The dining room’s wall is a large window looking out the the trees, the multitude of outdoor decks for guests to relax on, both on the top floor and bottom, give you such a great view…and our suite was on the end of the building and had so many windows (and a deck) to which we could look out and enjoy nature.

The room we stayed in was the Serenity Suite, it literally was as large as the first floor of my house (and I have a pretty big house!) It had a kitchen area, living room with fireplace, bathroom that was partitioned off by a hallway of sorts, a bedroom area and a very large deck. Aside from how large and cozy the room was, the part I loved most was how heavy the door was to the hallway and the fact that you could not hear anything! Anyone who has stayed in a hotel or inn know noise is the number one contributor to making or breaking your stay. At The Inn at Honey Run, you literally felt like you were alone in the retreat by yourself. I loved that.

Our suite was on the bottom floor, which also had a large recreation room at the opposite end of the hallway. It had a pool table (which I sadly lost 3 out of 4 games), comfortable couches and posh chairs, a large flat screen television, large rectangular windows along the walls where there were chess and checker boards set up, among other games, and an outdoor deck was partially enclosed with the deck above and glass overhangs so that if it rained, you could sit there and enjoy it. It was clear this area was meant for couples to really enjoy getting away and getting back to simple pleasures.

Breakfast will leave you full enough to skip lunch (have the oatmeal pancakes with fresh strawberries) and dinner is out of this world good..but dessert was definitely the best part! Definitely get the vegetable stuffed ravioli, Hanger steak and the Chocolate Peanut Butter Praline Caramel Torte. That was heaven in my mouth!

The Inn at Honey Run is on 70 acres and has many trails you can walk, one alongside a brook, as well as the spa and 2 other means of lodging accommodations on the property: Cottages, which are located on the hilltop and The Honeycombs, which are not only on the hillside, but IN the hillside as they are sheltered by earth. The main lodge (where our suite was) has 24 guest rooms and only children 12 and older are allowed at The Inn at Honey Run. Yet another reason why this is a perfect retreat–it doesn’t have that constant buzzing about of people.

The spa is very rustic and quaint. It has a beautiful waiting room (tell me this picture I took of it doesn’t look good enough to be in a interior design magazine!), and two spa treatment rooms. There was only myself and Angela, an esthetician, there when I arrived for my facial. I chose the Grateful Body facial ($100/60 minutes), as it included a hand and shoulder massage. Angela used the organic Grateful Body product line for my facial and also used their Midnight Oil for my shoulder and hand massage. She did a great job, as I drifted off to sleep a few times (which is always the sign of a good relaxing facial) and my skin had a glow to it when she was done.

All in all, this was a very rejuvenating trip. The accommodations were beyond my expectations, the food was decadent and delicious, the staff were friendly and courteous, the surroundings were magnificent and the spa was just what I needed to unwind. You can learn more about The Inn at Honey Run at www.innathoneyrun.com. If you’ve visited, please share your experience in the comments!