The Great Valley House of Valley Forge is located in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and is a five-minute drive from the Valley Forge National Historic Park. There are a total of three rooms available for reservation, each with its own unique name that derives from significant people in the house’s history. All of the rooms offer cable TV, tables and chairs, a private bathroom, and wireless internet access. Breakfast is served each morning in the house’s dining room between 8:00 and 9:30, with dishes prepared by Pattye, the owner of the bed and breakfast. Pattye also offers guests tours of the premises, where she explains more about the history of the property and the area. Some additional attractions near the property include Longwood Gardens and historic downtown Philadelphia.
Situated on four acres of land is the Great Valley House of Valley Forge. The historic 18th-century structure is two stories tall and has three guest rooms available for guest reservation. Common amenities found in each room include a private bathroom, cable TVs, wireless internet connection, and tables and chairs. Each room has its own unique name, all being named after notable people involved with the history of the house, such as Fredrick Houseman, who completed the house in the late 1600s, or William Thomas, who lived on the property for a considerable amount of time. Those who may be interested in the history of the house can read more about it in a book containing the property’s history that is located in each of the guest rooms. The rooms also offer different sizes of beds, for instance, the William Thomas Guest Room contains a full double bed with a queen-size pullout sofa bed, while the other two rooms offer a queen bed with an additional twin.
Another area that guests can access is the house’s common area, where there are tables and chairs as well as a fridge containing complimentary water, juice, and soda. The common area also has an electric tea kettle that patrons can use to make their own tea. Tourist information about the region is provided for guests in the common area. With regards to access to the rest of the building, Pattye, the owner of the establishment, says that “if the rooms are open, people are welcome to go into them.” Outside there is a covered patio area with tables and chairs that guests can sit on as well as a swimming pool which they can use at their leisure. The entire four-acre property is open for visitors to walk, with a path that connects it to 20 additional acres of open space behind the property. Pattye offers guests a tour of the premises during their stay to teach them more about the history of the Great Valley House and the Valley Forge area.
Each morning a “full gourmet breakfast” is served in the house’s dining room between 8:00 and 9:30 AM, as stated by the owner. The breakfast is prepared by Pattye, who makes a variety of dishes such as soufflés, blueberry blintzes, and French toast. For those who may have dietary restrictions or allergies, Pattye asks that she be notified ahead of time so that accommodations can be made. Those needing breakfast served at an earlier time can also request it and receive a continental breakfast. During the winter months, the fourteen-foot fireplace in the dining room is utilized to provide additional warmth to the room.
The Great Valley House of Valley Forge is in proximity to a fair amount of relatively popular attractions, with Valley Forge National Historic Park being a five-minute drive away from the property. Winding through the park are 28 miles of trails as well as a museum that documents the history of the land’s use by George Washington and his troops during the Revolutionary War. Thirty minutes away from the property is historic Philadelphia, where there are a number of additional museums and landmarks related to the late 1700s and the creation of America, such as the Museum of the American Revolution, the National Constitution Center, and Liberty Bell. Some guests have also visited the Longwood Gardens, which have several gardens and greenhouses with various flowers and plants from different locales. For guests wanting to try restaurants, Pattey suggests that they try General Warren in Malvern, the Black Powder Tavern in Wayne, and Nectar in Berwyn.
According to Pattye, the owner of the Great Valley House of Valley Forge, most guests stay at the inn because “it is one of the few 17th-century houses still in private hands,” referring to the building being originally finished around 1690. One of Pattye’s goals for the bed and breakfast is for her guests to feel welcomed and comfortable during their stay. She works to provide this atmosphere by interacting with those who are staying with her and offering tours of the property to educate interested visitors about its history. In the evenings, Pattye frequently plays jazz piano on the grand piano in the house, and patrons can listen to her play if they would like. “People come to enjoy the ambiance of the property,” Pattye says.
In order to provide a welcoming and comfortable environment for her patrons, Pattye asks that those who stay at the Great Valley House observe a few important policies. These include no smoking anywhere in the house and no pets staying with guests. With that being said, service animals are allowed to accompany patrons provided that prior arrangements are made with Pattye. Children are also permitted to stay at the inn. The Great Valley House of Valley Forge is open year-round, with its busiest season usually occurring between spring and fall, due in part to the warmer weather, as reported by Pattye.
When asked about why she believes her business has been successful, Pattye attributes being “flexible” as the leading factor, working with guests to make their stay memorable. Many reviews that guests have left about their stay at the inn have been positive, highlighting the history of the house as being one of the most positive aspects of their stay, along with the quality of the breakfast. One former guest commented about the breakfast, in particular, saying that “the breakfast area is part of the original house built in the 1690s. It has a walk-in fireplace in the breakfast area. Pattye will spend time with you at breakfast, telling you all about the history of the house.”
The Great Valley House of Valley Forge is a “300-year-old pre-revolutionary stone colonial,” as stated on the property’s website. It was originally built in 1690 and was completed by Fredrick Houseman. Throughout its history, the Great Valley House has had a large number of owners and residents stay in it. The owner during the Revolutionary War, John Wilson, added tunnels underneath the structure of the home to provide an additional escape route for him, his family, and those who may be staying with them at the time if the British invaded their house. While these tunnels saw little use during the Revolutionary War, they were used more frequently in the 1800s when they became a part of the Underground Railroad.
Jeff and Pattye Benson, the current owners and originators of the bed and breakfast, bought the house in 1982, becoming the 39th separate owners of the property. Despite this, according to Pattye, they are the longest owners of the house, with the next longest being William Thomas, who lived there in the early 1800s. When they first bought the house, Jeff and Pattye intended for it to be a private residence for them and their family. However, after a year of living at the property, they decided to open the home as an inn. Since that time, the home has been maintained and updated to provide modern conveniences while still retaining the historic look of the property.
1475 Swedesford Road
Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Pattye Benson
