Stuff We Love To Do: Luxury Resorts
We recently spent the weekend at the Inn at Perry Cabin, in St. Michael's Maryland. We had been looking for a special weekend away along the coast and found this dog friendly resort.
I had hoped that it would be nice, and that the town would be quaint, and have enough activities to enjoy for the whole weekend. My expectations were high going in and they were far exceeded! First, you can tell the Inn has had a recent renovation and is well kept. The rooms are beyond beautiful and the grounds are the epitome of a chic seaside resort, but the staff and attention to detail are what really makes this place special.
When we checked in we got a little package with a dog treat, canine menu, and all the information you need about having your dog at the resort. Basically, they LOVE dogs and allow them wherever they can legally go (not inside restaurants or by the pool for food and hygiene laws), but they are allowed on the patios. The staff are also quick to give your pooch cuddles and love whenever you're out and about with them. Once in the room we saw a plush dog bed laid out for Piper, with a water bowl and treat waiting for her. Turn down service even included placing her favourite teddy on the bed and house-made special dog treats just for her! They were even bee shaped like her Instagram handle namesake a 🐝 for @Piper.Bee !
Another thing we didn't expect was how great all of the activities would be! We had read online that they had some activities but were unsure of how well run they would be or how much they would be of interest to us. The activities they offered were phenomenal! At any time you can use their bikes to ride around the town, or go paddle boarding and kayaking. I took Piper out on the paddle board and she loved it! Other activities included during our weekend there were: aerial yoga (off-site but nearby), paddle boarding lessons, fishing and crabbing, a grounds tour, wine tasting, guided kayak excursions, other fitness classes, lawn games, a cocktail mixology class (which my husband enjoyed), live acoustic poolside music, and an evening campfire with s'mores!
If none of the above activities interests you talk to their activities staff and they can arrange for everything from a crabbing excursion, to boat building lessons, to (likely) whatever you can dream up. The Inn also has several beautiful sailboats. You can book these for an extra cost to go for a sail around the harbour. After talking to Captain Jason, we decided we shouldn't miss this and booked an evening sail and took Piper along. It was beautiful and calm and we'll remember that evening for a long time to come. One of my favourite parts was pulling up to the Inn to see all of the guests out on the lawn, enjoying the evening, a glass of wine, on the white adirondack chairs dispersed across the lawn.
Something they don't advertise as an activity, but you must do is watch the sunset in the adirondack chairs along the waterfront. They light the fires near the patio and the small lights along the waterfront give the whole property a warm glow. Just put your feet up, give your furry loved one a cuddle, and the next thing you know a waiter comes by to take your drink order and you have a lovely glass of wine in hand to watch the sunset.
There's also a beautiful pool area and a spa on the property. While you go for a massage, you can even arrange for a small extra fee to have a pet setting service keep your pooch company.
If you want to explore a quaint little harbourside town with your dog this is the place to go! The town is beyond picturesque and seemingly the EVERYONE in town loves dogs. Piper got so much love we could barely walk down the street! There were doggie water bowls and treat dishes laid out everywhere. Most stores and patios were very dog friendly and often brought Piper a water bowl before we even got a drink (which was great!). We had actually planned a day trip outside of the town, since we weren't sure how much there would be to do, but we changed our plans at the recommendation of the Inn's staff who told us we had to check out Lyon's Distillery and do one of their tours. We aren't that into rum, so we hesitated, but we wandered over and are very glad we did! The tour of their distillery was both interesting and fun - and their lively staff are passionate about what they do. And did I mention that the rum was phenomenal? They also have a craft gin and vodka and I guarantee you're going to want to go home with at least one bottle of something. They're also dog friendly in the tasting room!
Just around the corner is St. Michael's Winery for wine tasting and Eastern Shore brewing where you can go for a pint and some live music on weekends. Both of these places are also dog friendly - so you've got a great afternoon all on one street. There's also a dog friendly coffee shop nearby, Blue Heron, and a pile of restaurants and cute little shops all just down the street. You can easily walk back to the Inn from anywhere in town, or take one of the Inn's free bikes. Or if you want to wear those nice heels you brought along, the Inn also has a car service and you can ask one of the valet's to take you into town and come pick you up any time.
There is so much to do both at the resort and in St. Michael's that I recommend you go for a long weekend so you have at least two full days to explore the area. This is truly the perfect place to go for a weekend getaway or to celebrate a special event. While we were there we saw a couple get engaged on the front lawn and the staff had helped by having their beautiful Labrador come and surprise the woman with a ring! Dog dads - take notes!
Fun Fact: If you've seen the movie Wedding Crashers this is where the wedding was filmed where the main characters meet - and the grounds and building are just as beautiful in person as they are in the movie.
What we love: This is the creme de la creme of weekend (or weeklong if you have the time!) getaways for your family and your fur-baby. Every aspect of the Inn at Perry Cabin is perfectly suited for a peaceful and relaxing getaway with your dog. There is a dog fee for staying here with your best furry friend, but in our opinion it was certainly worth while for the service and quality of your stay!
Dog friendliness: 5 paws out of 5. This is THE place to go if you're a dog. They're not just dog friendly, but dog loving and so is the nearby town - which makes exploring even more fun.
As an extra treat for my readers and followers the Inn at Perry Cabin has created a special just for you in honour of National Dog Day! So, until the end of September, 2017 you can book a stay at the Inn at Perry Cabin and save 10% and get a bottle of sparkling wine upon arrival when you use PIPERBEE when booking. Good for travel until the end of 2018!