Just one hour from Philadelphia but on a peaceful and secluded 19th-century farm, Glasbern is the perfect place for a romantic getaway. This BedandBreakfast.com Diamond Collection member features an on-site spa and a farm-to-table restaurant.
Owner Al Granger kindly took the time to answer these questions for us about what makes his B&B and farm unique, why travelers should stay at B&Bs, and much more.
1. What do you enjoy most about being an innkeeper?
I enjoy the satisfaction of watching our guests enjoy a lodging and dining experience that is very different from most B&Bs and hotels. Because we are also a sustainable farm, things are peaceful and slow-paced here. By sustainable, we mean that we do not use any hormones, antibiotics, herbicides, or pesticides, and we practice rotational grazing.
2. How long have you been an innkeeper?
For 26 years.
3. What was your inspiration for your creating your inn?
Glasbern was created as an alternative lodging experience for the business traveler. We have always done our best to provide hotel conveniences in an upscale yet informal environment.
4. Why did you choose this inn and this city?
I wanted to live in the country, but still be close enough to businesses to have a market. At the beginning, Glasbern was just a rundown farm--things have come a long way.
5. What sets your B&B apart from others?
We're a destination for both dining and lodging because we raise a large percentage of our food on Glasbern's farm. Whether it is breakfast, lunch, or dinner, our guests will find plenty of choices on the menu straight from the farm. We raise Scottish Highland cattle, Katahdin sheep, Berkshire pigs, chickens, laying hens, and organically-grown year-round greenhouses.
6. Why do you think travelers should choose B&Bs over hotels?
If a traveler is looking for experiences that are unique--whether it be for personal treatment, great food, relaxation, comfort, history, or another reason--B&Bs provide that.
7. Does your B&B have any special history?
It is a renovated 19th-century farm, with the farm buildings converted into upscale accommodations. Our restaurant and a number of guest rooms are in the original barn, with towering fieldstone walls, 28-foot timbered ceiling, and 150 year-old posts and ladders.
8. What makes your town worth visiting—are there any interesting local attractions or activities?
We are very near to trails and viewpoints of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, local Lehigh Valley wineries, and antiquing on the backroads to our west that lead into the Pennsylvania Dutch country. There is also unique and historic downtown shopping in nearby Emmaus and Bethlehem, and numerous covered bridges and local parks.
9. Do you have any food specialties (for breakfast or otherwise)?
Glasbern's full country breakfast features our farm eggs, house sausages, homemade granola, and too much more to list here. Our signature lunch sandwich is the Piggie Panini, featuring our own Berkshire pork and dinosaur kale, plus aged provolone and cranberry. Glasbern's dinner menus change almost daily--right now our farm-raised lamb shanks braised sous vide for 24 hours are a guest favorite.
10. Do you have any special offers coming up?
We have a "Love is Blind" special for Valentine's Day to help you surprise your special someone with a romantic getaway. We will mail you a blindfold to whisk them away. When you remove the mask at check-in, you're entered to win one of a few gift certificates, and then in your room is a complimentary bottle of champagne. Just ask for the special when you make your reservation.