Historic Farnsworth House Inn

We came to the Frans worth house with friends who drove eight hours to meet us in PA. We’ve all visited Gettysburg many times and had really wanted to stay here, but the experience was terrible. We were out touring town most of both days and barely spent time in the rooms. On the first night, the guys smoked a cigar outside around 10 p.m. before coming in, with no issue. The next day was great, and we returned close to 10 p.m. Since the tavern closes at 10, the guys again smoked cigars outside to end the night. There was nobody around. We’d seen people smoking cigars in the beer garden during our stay, and we made sure to stay away from others. One night we were across the street, and the other we were in the back parking lot by our vehicle. Around 10:30, we went upstairs and the night manager met us with papers saying we could be fined up to $250. She accused us of smoking marijuana inside the Fransworth house, in the hallways and room, and said people in the tavern and other rooms had complained. We explained we’d just come in from outside and that the guys had only smoked cigars. We even said she could search our belongings, but she declined. She didn’t ask questions or investigate. If she’d gone outside, she would have seen we weren’t near the tavern. It felt like she just wanted to start trouble. The next morning, we wanted to talk with the manager on shift and ask to speak to the owner, but the office never opened at 10:00 as posted. We’ve tried calling since to let someone know what happened, but nobody answered. The trip ended on a bad note, and sadly we’ll never go back to the Fransworth house. I hope that manager doesn’t last long, because I’m sure she’ll ruin the experience for other guests too.

The inn and our room were beautiful, and the desk staff were sweet and helpful. Booking by phone and going back and forth with staff was easy too. This was a Valentine’s weekend surprise for my boyfriend, who’s always been into the history of the area and this particular house. We slept well, and the room was kept nicely. Before check-in, we passed the time at Sweeney's Tavern. The staff there ran it well, were friendly and well mannered, and the warm comfort food was very good and fairly priced. Gettysburg film memorabilia all around made it a treat. The ghost tour of the attic and basement was a big disappointment. There weren’t many of us, and the other guests seemed disappointed too. The guide took the ghost out of the tour by saying one of their favorite ghosts comes home to watch him and his roommate shower, calling it a creep, and talking about bisexual ghosts wanting to see us shower. It felt inappropriate. My boyfriend and I and the other guests kept exchanging awkward looks. We wanted to leave, but sat through it rather than be disrespectful. We’ve been on plenty of tours, from Key West to New Orleans to Paris, France, and this one didn’t feel spiritual or historical. The first red flag was putting down the rainy evening, which added to the spookiness. Then the guide said they weren’t sure the framed pictures were accurate and had just bought them at estate sales to look creepy. That really brought everyone’s spirits down. We’d been looking forward to our breakfast reservation in the dining area, but when we arrived a few minutes early, guests were sitting around looking at empty tables. One said the server was supposed to bring hot coffee, so we sat and waited about ten minutes. The server finally came in reeking of cigarettes with the coffee, rolled their eyes instead of greeting us or the other guests, then left again. There were only six people there, so it wasn’t busy. We decided to check out. We deserved a better dining experience to end the weekend. As we left, we saw the server outside on a smoke break. Unbelievable. The inn was a really cool place to finally visit, but the tour and guide should be looked into. People travel a long way to learn the history, and staff should make guests feel welcome at meals. You never know where they’re coming from or how special that meal might be.

We stayed in the Lincoln room for the weekend, and the staff made our late arrival from Philly stress free. My wife and I really enjoyed the room, and breakfast the next morning was great. We didn’t experience much unusual activity, unfortunately, but that was okay. Learning the history of the Farnsworth Inn was a pleasure, and we’ll certainly return. Maybe we’ll book the Sarah Black room next time, if we’re early enough.

We had a great time at the Farnsworth House Inn. The room was spotless, and the food and service were excellent. We stayed in the Sara Black room, at the front of the building, so there was a lot of street noise, though it tapered off around 9 to 10pm. No paranormal experiences for us.