Pheasant Run Farm Bed and Breakfast is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Four rooms are available for overnight guest reservations, with one room on the main floor and three rooms upstairs. Each suite has a private bathroom, and the most popular suite, according to the owners, is Henry and Anna’s Room due to its fireplace, private balcony, spacious size, and king-size bed. Breakfast is served each morning from a seasonal menu rotating between sweet and savory dishes. Usually served in two courses, breakfast starts with a fruit dish followed by the main course. The most popular breakfast is baked croissant French toast, according to Deeann, who runs the bed and breakfast. Lancaster has several notable attractions, including the Amish and Mennonite communities, former President James Buchanon’s Home, named Wheatland, and Enola Low-Grade Trail, which is a rail trail. Art Galleries, a wine trail, an ice cream trial, covered bridges, antique and quilt shops, distilleries, breweries, theaters, trains, and public parks are some of the many interesting things to experience in Lancaster County. Deeann and her parents, Vivian and Bob, hope that guests will feel comfortable and enjoy their stay at the bed and breakfast.
Situated on 48 acres of land in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is Pheasant Run Farm Bed and Breakfast. The stone bank barn of the farm has been converted into a bed and breakfast. The interior is decorated with antiques and reproduction furniture. While the exterior retains the look of a barn, the interior has been re-designed to look like a home, with some exposed stone and beams, revealing the building’s former design. The walls of the suites have hand paintings painted by local artist Mary Beth Shenk. On the grounds, there are two additional outbuildings that have decorated sitting areas, which Deeann, the daughter of the business’s owners, states that guests are free to use at their leisure. Lodging guests of the bed and breakfast are free to walk the grounds. The owners' intent was to create an estate-like atmosphere with designated walking trails on this southern Lancaster County farm. A landscaped waterfall is at the edge of the woods, which can be accessed by a white arched bridge. The waterfall is often used as the backdrop for weddings hosted on the premises. Woods and farm fields surround the buildings, which are in the middle of the property. A long lane provides privacy from the country road. Twenty-three acres of fields are still used for farming, with the typical crops being alfalfa and corn.
Inside the bed and breakfast are four rooms available for lodging reservation. One room is on the main floor, and three rooms are up a flight of wide wooden stairs. A separate entrance on the other side of the building opens to the business’s event space on a lower level. All of the guest rooms offer various amenities, depending on which room a guest stays in. For example, each room has an ensuite bathroom; however, one room also has a jetted tub. Additionally, two rooms have fireplaces, and two rooms have canopy beds. According to Deeann, the most popular room is Henry and Anna’s Room, the room on the main floor, because it is the largest room, has a private balcony, a sitting area, a fireplace, and a king bed. It “just has a lot of nice features,” Deeann summarizes.
Breakfast is served every morning in the dining room of the establishment. The breakfast varies daily, as well as the tableware and place setting. Porcelain and China Dishes were collected by Vivian, the owner. Breakfast is usually a variety of cuisines ranging from sweet to savory in flavor. Meals are typically served with a side of breakfast meat, such as bacon or sausage. A fruit dish is served first, which could include bananas foster and pineapple boats, among others. Deeann says that while the menu changes depending on the season, a popular dish among patrons is the bed and breakfast’s baked croissant French toast. Those with dietary restrictions are asked for their requirements during the reservation process. Guests unable to or who prefer not to eat particular foods are able to make their restrictions known, and adjustments are made for their breakfast.
Pheasant Run Farm Bed and Breakfast is a few miles outside of the city of Lancaster, which Deeann says “has something for everyone.” She goes on to say that there is a notable art and music scene within the town and that interested people can visit a number of eateries, breweries, and distilleries in the area. There are a few theaters in Lancaster as well, with Deeann specifically mentioning Sight and Sound as one of them. Sight and Sound is a Christian theater that often puts on productions aimed at recreating scenes and stories from the Bible. Outside of the town, those desiring more physical activities can hike or bike on local trails, visit the nearby Susquehanna River, or explore parks such as Lancaster County Central Park. Patrons of the bed and breakfast seeking recommendations for restaurants in the region are typically directed towards the Greenfield Restaurant and Bar and Belvedere Inn. Dieners is often recommended to those seeking Pennsylvania Dutch-style food.
According to Deeann, the thing the Pheasant Run Farm Bed and Breakfast is most known for is the repurposed barn. Deeann describes the property’s location as “off the beaten path, but we’re close to everything.” Deeann and her parents, Vivian and Bob Abel, hope that guests will feel comfortable and “happy to be [at Pheasant Run Farm].” They do their best to help people feel this way through their attention to detail and striving to offer visitors the best experience they can. Aside from hosting patrons, the bed and breakfast regularly serves as the venue for weddings, private parties, and events. Wedding ceremonies often take place in front of the landscaped waterfall on the property, followed by an outdoor social time on the house’s patio and dinner inside the event space.
In order to sustain a relatively comfortable environment for all their patrons, the Abels have put in place a few important policies that visitors are expected to follow. Among the most important of these is that no smoking is allowed inside the bed and breakfast. Pets are also not allowed to stay on the property, and children staying on the property must be over the age of 12. Finally, events need to be completed by 10:00 PM at the latest to respect the property’s quiet hours. With regards to when it is the busiest, Pheasant Farm Run Bed and Breakfast, which is open year-round, sees its largest number of patrons in October when the trees are changing color, and the temperature is cool and comfortable, according to Deeann.
Prior to serving as Pheasant Run Farm Bed and Breakfast, the building was a traditional Pennsylvania stone bank barn housing farm animals, hay, and farm equipment. The barn was built in 1809 by Jacob Burkholder. The farmhouse was built in 1842 by Henry and Anna Corley, after whom the main floor guest room is named. Vivian and Bob Abel bought the property from Jason and Catherine in 1985. Jason and Catherine raised their children and owned and operated the farm for 50 years between 1935 and 1985. When Bob and Vivian moved in, they were accompanied by their three teenage children, Vivian’s mother, and her sister. They renovated the house, working on one room at a time; it was near completion in 2000, with one room left to complete. In 1997, the barn needed a new roof, and during the replacement process, Vivian decided that she wanted to turn the barn into a bed and breakfast, something she had dreamed of. The decision coincided with her transition into retirement.
The bed and breakfast’s construction was completed in 2002. Some of the building material, like flooring, was from other barns that were being torn down. The Abels wanted to decorate the barn with items that could have been there in 1809. Since opening in 2002, other renovations have been made, with the most recent addition being the back patio in 2020. In 2019 solar panels were added to another barn on the farm; the bed and breakfast is operated by solar power. Deeann, the daughter of Vivian and Bob, is the one who primarily runs the business now, assisting her parents in the day-to-day operations. She says that “it’s nice connecting with the various people that we meet” and that she enjoys being able to learn more about her guest’s unique stories they bring with them.
200 Marticville Road
Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17603
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Bob & Vivian Abel
