Amish Bed and Breakfast & Guesthouses

Staying at an Amish bed and breakfast or guesthouse is a unique and memorable experience for most of our guests, but it’s not for everyone.

If you choose one of our Amish bed and breakfast or guesthouse lodgings you will be the guest of  an Old Order Amish family. They are known for their traditional and distinctive manner of dress, for using horse & buggy for transportation, being off the public (electrical) power grid, they have no TV, computers, Wifi, and the phone is often outside in a “shanty” or barn. These lodgings offer a unique experience, but they are quite simple and without many frills. They do have refrigerators, lamps (battery operated) and some have solar or generator powered electrical outlets. A couple of the guesthouses have no electrical outlets for you to power up your mobile phone, etc.. Some of the Amish guesthouses are surprisingly modern – one even has an air conditioning unit in an upstairs bedroom. The guesthouses usually have several electrical fans for you to use. There is heat in the Amish homes but it may not be as warm as you’re used to. There are lamps but in some guesthouses the lighting is limited. Be prepared not to be pampered as you might be in a non-Amish bed & breakfast.
In the Amish lodgings the breakfast varies from place to place. There are a few where no breakfast is served but you may be able to get fresh eggs on the property. Most of the guesthouses have a full kitchen for your sole use. There are a couple where food for a continental breakfast is provided in the guesthouse. There’s one lodging where you may eat breakfast with the hosts in their kitchen.

There are a number of Amish families in Lancaster County who offer the possibility of having dinner with them in their homes. This is done on a free-will donation basis. The food is mainly homemade traditional “Pennsylvania Dutch” cuisine and there’s plenty for all. They might have anywhere from 5 – 20 guests at a meal from various lodgings in the area. If you’re interested in the Amish, it’s a rare opportunity to spend time with an Amish family in their home. You can ask about this when making your reservation and we’ll see if it can be arranged.

The opportunities for conversation with your Amish hosts also varies from one place to another depending on which guesthouse you stay in and how long your visit is. Some of the Amish hosts are more talkative than others. If you’re staying for only one night you shouldn’t expect too much interaction. The Amish tend to be private and very busy people so you won’t necessarily have loads of time to “hang out” with your Amish hosts. It’s also very important that you respect their privacy (for example, do not enter their home unless invited and don’t take photos of them).

Staying in an Amish bed and breakfast or guesthouse is ideal for those who are interested in observing the Amish way of life at close quarters, and who are willing to forego some of the creature comforts, conveniences & connection to technological gadgets that we are used to. For most, it is a very enlightening and memorable experience, but it’s not for everyone.