Old Rittenhouse Inn is Bayfield, Wisconsin's first Country Inn Bed & Breakfast and gourmet restaurant offering 20 guest rooms in 2 Victorian homes and a private cottage. Accommodations include wood-burning fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and spectacular views of Lake Superior. A full service restaurant offers breakfast, brunch, and dinner, and showcases regional cuisine in season. The Inn is located blocks from Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands. This year-round getaway offers seasonal rates and special events.
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From the time I booked the weekend here to the time we checked out it was nothing but amazing. We stayed in room 11 and had a cheese tray, chocolate covered strawberries, and some gifts. The room was truly one of a kind and amazing . We had dinner there and it was exceptional with top notch staff and food. The grounds are perfect and close to everything and walking distance. To top it all off we had breakfast and again did not disappoint. Wow we won’t think twice to book this wonderful place again! Thank you for your hospitality Rittenhouse Inn staff for making our stay perfect .
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great B&B! You can’t get much better than the historic Old Rittenhouse Inn! Delicious breakfast in the mornings. Great customer service. I’m a huge coffee drinker so I enjoyed the early morning coffee they provided prior to our scheduled breakfast. We stayed in the Moroccan Suite which was spacious and comfortable. The jacuzzi and fireplace were nice for relaxing. The balcony faced the parking lot which was not so scenic, but we enjoyed sitting on the front porch with our coffee and reading materials anyway.
Overall Old Rittenhouse was a perfect stay for our honeymoon. We stayed for four nights here. The one change we would do with our trip is to break up our trip. We recommend only spending 1-2 nights in Bayfield then venturing on to another location. Bayfield is quaint and relaxing but there isn’t much to do in the town and there was only a restaurant or two open which made food options sparse.
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Decided to get away from the city for a day and boy did we pick the right place. Wonderful house, impeccably maintained wonderful layout and warm ambiance. we stayed in a room with a jacuzzi, fireplace, wonderful views of the lake and a steam shower. The innkeepers were wonderful and very accommodating. You can dine on site with a wonderful menu. Do yourself a favor and try this place.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our stay was fine, but not the fabulous as expected.
We booked two nites at the Old Rittenhouse Inn in Room VII. The outside of the Inn was beautiful in the fall foliage and sunshine when we arrived. Breakfasts were nice too. Unfortunately the room itself was disappointing. The redeeming factor is that it was large with a king bed and had its own bathroom. Compared to other vintage B&BS where we have stayed we found the decorating terribly dreary and totally dated with old-time bordered wallpaper and an usual collection of antique oriental fans on the walls instead of pictures. We knew that there would be a large 1980s-vogue jacuzzi in the room that we wouldn’t use. However, the online photos show a fireplace with a burning fire. Reality was a sofa pushed up against the fireplace so it could not be used even in October! There is no TV is the room, no mini-fridge nor a coffeemaker as is customary with a more upscale room. To perhaps maintain the period look of the Inn, if that is indeed the point of not having these amenities, all could be installed in the armoire or other furniture in the room.
Frankly with so many places in Bayfield closed due to Covid there is not much to do after 7:30 pm. So with no TV and difficult reading with the low wattage antique lamps we wished we had booked one nite instead of two. They also do not serve dinner now except on weekends. There were only two other indoor dining choices available in all of Bayfield while we were there midweek. Staff was friendly. Perhaps a suggestion to come down for coffee on the porch or to take back to the room before the appointed breakfast time would have solved the lack of a coffee maker for early risers. That doesn’t solve the tired look or lack of fireplace warmth in the room itself! Old Rittenhouse was OK, but when we come back we will stay elsewhere.
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Date of stay: October 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Not all it's cracked-up to be and decidedly more expensive than it deserves. For our meal, we were offered "Steak with Raspberry Sauce." When asked it we could get "Steak WITHOUT Raspberry Sauce," we were told "No, it would offend the chef...." Really--you want to please the chef and not your guests?? The salad had Ferns, yes, Ferns, like the kind that grow next to dumpsters and between garages. That was a "specialty" and they acted like we were hayseeds for not knowing better for their being cheap and scrimping at our massive expense. And the service was lousy on top of it all. Truly a terrible place that lives on in our stories as "The Old Sh!ttenhouse Inn." I wouldn't go there again if they paid me! A crummy Howard Johnson's would be considerbly better....at least I couldn't blame THEM for being truly one of the worst places I've ever stayed at a huge expense!
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Date of stay: October 2020
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mark Phillips, General Manager at Old Rittenhouse Inn
Responded 16 Sept 2021
Wow, there's really so much to unpack here but we're glad you got this off your chest. Wishing you the best, the Phillips family.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This B&B, located on a hilltop in Bayfield is a short walk to town. The Rittenhouse has the feel of a small hotel, perhaps because the dining room is open to the public. (Our delicious breakfast was included in the room rate). Our room, on the 2ne floor, had a king size bed with a jacuzzi (in the room) and a long, narrow bath with a conventional tub and shower. We were told upon checkin that regular cleaning would not take place during our 2-day stay. I simply requested clean towels which I had to again request on day #2. I was given 2 fresh bath towels instead of an entire set. The dining room and front desk staff were lovely.
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Date of stay: July 2021
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The buildings and gardens are beautiful. Take time to enjoy the flowers. Every room we have tried has been great (I, II, V, VII, X, Turret, Tower, Guest Cottage). The are no TVs, which I think is great, as this is a place to escape. The food and service is excellent. It is fun to try the specials. If you like fish, it is always fresh and delicious, but so is everything else. We had trout and lamb and both were great. The staff always seems pleased to be asked for help with something, so don't hesitate. We have been coming for 28 years and it is one of the only places we go back to for vacations.
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Date of stay: June 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â Rooms 1 & 2 are very nice, and less expensive. Room X is the best. The Guest Cottage and...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed here three nights in the cottage, which is a block away from the main building and was basically a house that we had all to ourselves. Had our own parking even. The place was large. Big downstairs with two rooms, a dining table with chairs, sofas, and a frig and sink. Upstairs was the large bed, the very large whirlpool tub and the bathroom. Perhaps not the best choice if you are elderly or have trouble climbing stairs. We were fine with it. Lots of room and very quiet. Breakfast each morning was very nice. We had a different type of pastry to start us off, then our choice of several different main entrees and each was very good with different syrups and sauces for the pancakes and french toast every day. Yes it is pricey. Most expensive place we stayed... well no, that place in Split, Croatia beat it out easily, but it's a tourist town in a tourist area and you know what the price is before you go so yeah, it's expensive but it was truly very nice. Jim our waiter in the morning was also our waiter in the evening and he was very good. Friendly, efficient, funny and we really had a nice time here at this place. Not so keen about the area, but we did come on off-season so I shouldn't complain. Best part about all this is that we brought a third person along because his work extended his vacation and the staff accommodated him without issue and didn't even charge me for the extra breakfast every morning. That's how you get repeat business.
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Date of stay: October 2021
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Â book the cottage if you want lots of space and comfort
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Just what we look for in a B&B! Gorgeous historic home! We stayed in the original home in Rm 1 on the 2nd floor. Period antiques add to the charm in the rooms and common areas. Comfortable queen bed. Room was small but adequate with en-suite bathroom. Unfortunately they were not serving dinner the night we stayed (it is also open to the public for dinner and breakfast so make sure you make a reservation!) Many restaurants within walking distance as is the the Lake. Complimentary Breakfast was delicious - fresh pastry, choice of 5 entrees with a side, juice and coffee served in one of 3 small dining rooms. Beautiful grounds and off street parking lot.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Having visited Bayfield and stayed on Madeline Island we were intrigued by the Rittenhouse Inn and vowed to stay on our next visit. Although Covid hopefully is waning we felt safe to visit and staff were masked.
On arrival we were greeted by Hannah who showed us to our room. A surprise bottle of Chardonnay was very nice too. Suite X11 was even more than expected with beautiful antiques, fireplace, deck and 4 poster bed soo comfortable. A quiet Inn and no TV was great too.
Already planning to visit in 2022 and looking forward to another amazing visit and palate pleasers
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Date of stay: November 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â No Televisions
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed at the 2’nd location nearby, and yes, a coffee maker was there for the guests to use. We made a pot and they had a carafe to bring to the room.
Sorry, unless it is a service dog, we have a no pets policy at the Inn. There are some nice options for short term kenneling in nearby Washburn and Ashland.
There are more places to choose from in the Bayfield area.
PRICE RANGE
₹18,151 - ₹34,790 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
old rittenhouse hotel bayfield
LOCATION
United StatesWisconsinBayfield
NUMBER OF ROOMS
20
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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