The Golden Oak Inn Bed and Breakfast is located in Troy, Pennsylvania. There are a total of five guest rooms, each named after various historical figures or groups from the Civil War. Two of the rooms, the Lincoln Room and the Pennsylvania Room, have en-suite bathrooms, making them some of the more popular rooms among guests. With that being said, every room has Wi-Fi and a TV with cable channels. Every morning a three-course breakfast is prepared and served by Will, the owner. The breakfast varies depending on the preferences of the guests, as Will states that he strives to “make everything the same for everybody.” Nearby attractions include the Bradford County Farm Museum, which Will recommends people visit during their time there; Mt. Pisgah State Park; and various shops and restaurants in Troy. The owner hopes that his guests will “think of [the inn] as a cross between grandma’s house and a hotel” in terms of comfort.
Situated in Troy, Pennsylvania, is The Golden Oak Inn Bed and Breakfast, a Victorian-styled bed and breakfast offering five rooms for reservations. The building is three stories tall with a white wooden exterior and a front porch. Next to the house is a parking area with a total of five spaces for guests of the inn. Businesses, residences and forested regions encompass most of the land outside the borders of the property. According to Will, the owner of the bed and breakfast, these woodland areas are notably green during the spring and summer "with beautiful autumn colors in the fall."
Inside the house, there is a historical theme to the décor, as many of the pictures on the walls display scenes of Troy during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Some of the items on display are connected to the Civil War and provide additional history about the area. This historical theme extends to the guest rooms, which were almost all named after notable groups and people connected to the Civil War. These rooms include names such as the Lincoln Room, the Pennsylvania Room, the North Room, the South Room and the Clara Barton Room. Will mentions that the most popular room among guests is typically the Lincoln Room, as it is one of the two only rooms at the Golden Oak Inn to feature an en-suite bathroom. The Pennsylvania Room is the second most popular due to its location on the first floor and its en-suite bathroom. Some common amenities found in each room include a TV and Wi-Fi connectivity. It should be noted that the South Room’s bathroom is located a short distance down the hall from the guest room itself, and the North Room shares its bathroom with the Clara Barton Room. Due to this, the North and Clara Barton Rooms are reportedly more preferred among families and groups.
Each morning a three-course breakfast is served to guests of The Golden Oak Inn Bed and Breakfast. This breakfast is prepared by Will, who has culinary training and six years of experience as a commercial baker. When he is preparing the meal, he makes them with dietary restrictions in mind, saying, “I try to make everything the same for everybody.” Some of the dishes that are typically served include the first course of a bread or muffin dish, followed by the main entrée of eggs or protein, and the third course consisting of a fruit or yogurt dish. All of this is served in the house’s dining room.
Other areas that guests can access within the house include the Men's Parlor, Women’s Parlor, and a sitting area on the second floor, which Will refers to as the house’s library. People are free to gather in these places and outside on the patio area or the front porch. Nearby the inn, guests can also visit the Bradford Country Farm Museum, an attraction that Will recommends. At this museum, people can stop by to learn more about the history of Troy by way of a guided tour. Those interested in a more active attraction may enjoy Mt. Pisgah State Park. Within the park, there are trails for hiking and biking, which lead to natural structures, and a swimming pool. With regard to places to eat, Will usually directs people to the China Garden, which is a Chinese restaurant in Troy; Vinnie’s, which serves Italian fare such as pizzas, pasta, and sandwiches; and Building No. 9 Grille, which is a fairly new establishment in the region serving alcohol in a bar atmosphere and a full dining menu.
When asked how he wants his guests to feel while they are staying at The Golden Oak Inn Bed and Breakfast, Will, the owner of the property, says that he wants his patrons to “think of it as a cross between grandma’s house and a hotel.” He hopes that people can enjoy the hotel experience he strives to provide while also feeling like they are staying with family. One of the ways that Will helps his guests feel comfortable is by respecting their space and interacting with people as much as they prefer. Most of his interactions with guests occur each morning at breakfast and when they check in to their room. Getting to meet new people is one of the owner's favorite parts of running a bed and breakfast as he gets to “build friendships with his guests.”
A number of guests have left positive reviews of their stays. Some of these reviews mention how much they appreciate Will hosting them. One guest writes, “Will is very welcoming, engages with his guests, and his breakfasts are phenomenal!” Another adds that Will is “knowledgeable” about the surrounding area and in providing suggestions for things to do. Other people appreciated the décor throughout the inn, stating that “the rooms are gorgeously decorated and spotless with great antiques, old photos, and conversation pieces everywhere.”
There are a few policies that Will asks his guests to observe while they stay at the bed and breakfast. One particular guideline is that any child staying at the inn must be well-behaved and supervised by a parent or guardian. Additionally, pets are not allowed to stay with guests during their time at the Golden Oak Inn. While there is no official quiet time, Will also says that patrons should be “respectful of other people’s time to sleep each night.” He goes on to say, however, that people generally understand this when staying at a bed and breakfast.
In 1901, a family with the last name of Van Dyne built the building used as The Golden Oak Inn Bed and Breakfast and owned it. The Van Dyne family lived in the house until passing ownership onto several more families until it finally became a bed and breakfast in the 1980s. Following those transfers of ownership, there were a number of owners who ran the business. According to Will Hawrylo, the current owner of the establishment, one of the previous owners renamed each room to coincide with a different aspect or notable person of the American Civil War. The house was purchased by Will in January 2008.
Will was originally working in the mortgage industry on the west coast before working in the hospitality industry. Following a move from California to Washington State, he decided that he wanted to run a bed and breakfast and began looking for a suitable property. After looking in various locations around the country, Will found the Golden Oak Inn and settled on buying it partly because it had the Victorian style he desired. In the following years, a number of updates and improvements were made to the property to maintain it, including maintenance on the house, installing a new deck, and installing the parking area next to the house. Future plans that Will has for the property include replacing the wooden exterior of the house with vinyl for durability and keeping up on general maintenance.
477 Canton Street
Troy, Pennsylvania 16947
United States
Victorian
Will Hawrylo
