The Artist's Inn & Gallery has merited awards of distinction, and one respectable survey calls it "the best inn we have stayed at in 20 years."
Compare the stale, sterile atmosphere of many chain hotels and motels to a B&B experience like this one, where Amish and Mennonite horse drawn carriages clip-clop past the inn. American travelers are, at last, catching on to what Europeans have known for a long time. Perhaps it's the need for simpler pleasures in a world of over-the-top theme parks and high-tech wonders. A small bed and breakfast is tailored to your expectations.
The name "Artist's Inn & Gallery" stems from the fact that one of the owners, Bruce Garrabrandt, is an established artist and, when not involved with innkeeping, makes witty, clever colored pencil drawings that are on exhibition throughout the house. His wife, Jan, is a superb cook and ardent gardener whose four-course breakfasts keep guests satisfied to the point of skipping lunch. Walk through the front door of the inn and expect to say "wow" when you see the rich oak paneled hallway with its impressive stairway. The house was built just before the Civil War (the local historical society dates it to 1848), and there is more background about the era in the foyer. Jan and Bruce are only the fourth family to live there in all that time, and the house's colorful past is documented in various articles available in the foyer or the Puzzle Room.
Jan and Bruce were both newspaper people and acquired the inn eight years ago when they moved to Terre Hill from the Garden State. They are clearly happy hosts as they show a visitor to the second floor Garden Suite, complete with an English armoire (the Pennsylvania Dutch would call it a Schrank) made of burl wood in London. There are robes awaiting guests, and there is a strange contraption in the bathroom -- it is an old clothes dryer. From it hang some favorite linens that belonged to Jan's grandmother. The quilt in the suite was created by a guest. The suite has an old-fashioned private porch with its own entrance, but some prefer to enter through the inn's major portals.
That four-course breakfast is generally served at 8:30 a.m. in the dining room, but the hosts are flexible. Among the surprises in the house are a giant modern whirlpool tub and a massage shower complete with massage jets that move individually. It is a spa-like experience. Luxury and style throughout the inn are apparent, along with a feeling of complete cleanliness. There are luxurious sheets and fluffy and generous towels. In a word, the Garrabrandts have thought of everything, including a comfortable front porch and loads of flower beds. This an ideal place to see the world go by.
The inn recommends a variety of restaurants for dinner, among them a reasonably priced smorgasbord at the Shady Maple. Diners return to the groaning board for seconds and thirds of the Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. There are local favorite dishes, plus new ones, hot and ready for the diners' delight. Monday night is steak (Delmonico and Strip) night. Located just one mile east of Blue Ball, the Shady Maple is an obvious favorite with locals. For those thinking in terms of taking home doggy bags, a strongly worded sign reminds patrons that taking food out is the equivalent of shoplifting. So there!
For diversion, there is the tiny town of Intercourse and a charming bookshop, The People's Place. The Garrabrandts can also arrange for a buggy ride in neighboring Bird-In-Hand along private roads through working Amish farms or a chance to tour a home that was, at one time, an Amish house. A two-hour excursion with their Amish neighbors can also be arranged, as can visits to Lititz, where visitors twist their own pretzels and tour the Wilbur Chocolate Factory.
Bruce Garrabrandt is the author of a paperback called The Power of Having Desire. He has discovered the truth about success, which he shares willingly with guests: "You don't need to have talent; you're already gifted with desire." Commit to it, he says, and you can transform your life into a work of art. With the success of the Artist's Inn & Gallery, he concisely and forcefully proves his point.
For information and reservations, please call 1-888-999-4479 or visit www.artistinn.com.

Ralph Collier is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association.