Tilghman Island Inn

So we had had fruit flys in 2 of our drinks. Bartender had to be taught the basic drinks. And horrible service. Never going back.

Client service is so important. I had to write to thank all the staff members that helped us out. Especially Luckicia (I hope I am spelling that correctly). We booked this hotel and then had to cancel. We booked through Expedia (a company that I now realize uses unethical practices to take advantage of travelers). Expedia made it impossibly difficult to cancel (something I had experienced with them once before), even though they advertise an easy cancellation policy. We were on the phone with them five times over a 5 day time period – over 1.5 hours of wasted time repeating our request for cancellation. Each time, Expedia would verbalize the cancellation was successful but then send an email stating that we need to call back to confirm the cancellation. This vicious cycle happened over and over and by the end, we were speaking to a manager who was finally able to cancel the reservation but then mysteriously sent an email confirmation with a completely different booking number and confirmation number. When I inquired about the different number, he had no explanation. I demanded a cancellation email with the correct booking number. When the cancellation finally went through Luckishia called me to let me know it was finalized cause she knew how frustrated I was. This is something she did not need to do and it showed me that their customer service is stellar. I will definitely be booking with them at some point in the near future.

I hate to complain, but at $ 825.00 for 3 nights I will. From what we’ve heard, this used to be a good place to lodge. It is old and run down, but old could be nice if it was maintained. The restaurant was closed because the chef and his staff quit, but the bar was open. The staff was very friendly, helpful and doing the best they could with what they had. Our room was clean, but the A/​C unit was cooling, but not dehumidifying so everything in our room was and felt damp. The grounds were lush with all kinds of plants and trees, but we’re being overtaken by weeds. Not one boat was docked or stopped in and the docks were in rough shape. It’s going to take a large investment to restore this former gem, but it could be done. My suggestions: add a floating dock to launch and rent kayaks, make it into a boutique pet resort where the owners can stay too, get the boaters back as they spend dollars. So many people told us how nice it once was, but without investment in upkeep and without a good customer satisfaction driven philosophy, it’s doomed. We’ll be back to Tilghman Island as it is beautiful in so many ways, but we’ll lodge somewhere else.

Great place to stay! We stayed here the weekend my fiancé proposed to me and not only was the room so beautiful and cozy but the staff was so generous during our stay and did everything to congratulate us on our engagement!

How I heard of this place: When we checked in to our own little Inn at Knapps Narrows, we requested some recommendations for great eateries in our corner of the Chesapeake and were offered this as the Islands best fine dining establishment.
Type of cuisine: «Dining. Ah, dining. Where do we begin? The usual descriptors just seem to ring hollow when applied to the dining experience here at the Tilghman Island Inn. The physical location of the Inn, in addition to being so visually enchanting, is also the source of its culinary distinction, the palette on which our chefs create a medley of both traditional and innovative dishes. Seafood fresh from the water’s edge and produce from surrounding farmlands are the basis for a menu whose style and sophistication evolves subtly as the seasons change. For us to proclaim the excellence of our cuisine, of course, is easy. On the other hand, earning Wine Spectator’s prestigious Award of Excellence for the last several years in row is not.»
Ambiance: We entered the Inn to the loud and happy sounds of old money in the extensive bar. White-​haried men in navy blue jackets with gold buttons half seated on bar booths, others milling about the space between tables, half-​listening to the pianist at the shiny, black grand in the corner made up the population of the bar. Windows looking out onto the tall grass at the edge of the Chesapeake waterway, presumably a part of the Miles River extending down the shore from St. Michael’s («the second Hamptons»). We follow the owner’s black poodle from the rose-​colored room into the dining area of sponged blue walls and paintings of the Eastern Shore landscape in single file around the room. A copule of steps lead up to the walled loft seating area for larger parties, while the rest of us dine in the paired seats at tables for two along the diagnoally set wood panels along the wall. The dim glow of recessed lighting, the sun setting beyond the sliding glass doors at the far end, the lone tealight candle in the middle of each table setting, the clinks and clanks of utensils against diners’ plates, and slight sounds of shuffling servers along the terracotta and blue stone-​tiled floor below, all contribute to the setting of this fine dining establishment.
What I ordered: We sat down just as two bowls of soup were being delivered to our neighbors’ table and couldn’t help but order the same. Two orders for the soup of the day: Pumpkin Pear Bisque ($ 5.50 each), cranberry juice ($ 2) and a creamy, cheesey Caesar Salad to start ($ 9.50). For our main entrees, I opted to stick with a Tilghman Island favorite and selected the Crab Cakes ($ 32) for two large pillows of crab, each served over a crispy, fried green tomato alongside asparagus risotto in a pool of lemon beurre blanc. My husband chose the Lamb Chops ($ 32) seared and served with basil mashed potatoes, haricot vert with whole grain mustard demi. Too full for dessert, we were sad to have missed the homemade ice creams and sorbets, but less than compelled to suffer a bloated stomach for the options at hand.
What I loved: The basil mashed potatoes! Who knew a little fresh herb would add so much mouthwatering flavor and such a delightful burst of color to a plate? On my plate, the carpaccio-​thin fried green tomato wowed me! However, of all things we consumed at the Tilghman Island Inn, I have to say that my absolute favorite was the Pear Pumpkin Bisque. What a stellar combination of sweet and savory, creamy and rich yet light with flavor and smooth going down.
Why I loved it: I loved a little bit of everything: the romantic, candlelit setting in an otherwise casual space, the live sounds of a piano in the background, a friendly server, smiling neighboring diners and hearty comfort foods.
Cost: Average to high ($ 19 — $ 33 per dinner entrée)

We had a pre-​paid room booked here 8 months in advance for a June 2014 stay. Three days before our reservation, we received a strange call from a third-​party company telling us that the hotel was closed for renovations and our booking would not be honored. We ended rebooking a room at a Marriott in a strip mall 40 miles away, overlooking an Outback Steakhouse. Blah!
A call to the hotel confirmed that the hotel was undergoing renovations and was in the process of being sold to a new owner. They promised us a refund after the sale took place in July 2014. Not surprisingly, we never heard anything. We have called several times regarding the $ 275 refund and never received a call back.
Finally, the new owners gave my husband an email address for the previous owner to ask for a refund. (Because that’s going to happen.)
We have not been offered any kind of compensation and there has been zero effort to make this right… no free night, no restaurant voucher… NOTHING! This hotel is shady and stole almost $ 300 from us. Do NOT stay there.

A Very Friendly Place.
We were warmly greeted when we arrived to spend a relaxing night and gourmet dinner at the newly renovated Tilghman Island Inn. The room was spacious with a balcony overlooking the water, where we could watch the local fishing/​oyster boats come and go. Our room had a large gas fireplace and a whirlpool tub. Lots of choices for pillows. We were impressed with the large bar/​lounge area with a roaring fire in the fireplace (thanks to Patricia). For dinner we opted for seafood (oysters, rockfish and swordfish) which were excellent. Best of all was the friendly service. We will be back.

Had lunch. Fish and chips had too much batter. Mussels dish was very mediocre and very few and small mussels. Ambience very good by the water. Not likely to rerurn.

We stopped here on our way down to Cambridge, MD by boat stopping for a few hours docked up at Tilghman Island Marina.
They had told our party that they weren’t used to groups our size (which I appreciated the honesty and it isn’t surprising sometimes when the boater fleet across all the boats moving was 20 people roughly). They had everything ready, and accommodated us just like they said they would!
The server was good but obviously a little flustered, which again knowing what they honestly told us up front made it acceptable.
The atmosphere was great, the restaurant is tucked away in a quaint little spot, with a nice outdoor eating area and bar, the inside was well kept as well. The bathrooms were clean and orderly. Our party ate outside under the covered area.
The only downfall I thought was the food was good but not great. The Nachos appetizer was awesome, but in general the group seemed to feel it was a good lunch stop but a few people were on the fence about their food (no one felt it was bad, you know just typical) and the rest liked their food a lot.
We will definitely keep this spot on the radar as a pit stop on boating trips after this stop!

Our company had a reception in the restaurant. We had a breakfast buffet which included bacon that was done just right; not to hard not too soft. After taking a boat tour we came back for lunch that surprised most of us. Another buffet and I had the southern fried chicken, green beans, mac and cheese and crab balls. Being from the south I never have good expectations for anyone southern food who isn’t my mom. This food was the real deal! If I hadn’t already mentioned how difficult my diet was I would have stormed the buffet for seconds. The restaurant is quaint. We had a laugh about how small the stalls were in the ladies room but the cleanliness made up for that.

Ownership has changed since we have eaten at the Inn… so… four stars for the prior business, more to come!

I entered hotel hell. I have to admit I wanted to run for the hills but I didn’t want to hurt my hubs feelings.
The brochure is a straight lie so don’t expect 5 star anything — no coffee pot, no frig, communication limited, the massage therapist is old and shaky.
Food and wine is 5 star and so was the receptionist thank god for them

What a strange, quaint, little place. It’s right on the water– just a few steps from the dining room, you can sip your coffee in adirondack chairs right on the bay, watching ships scoot past and listening to the nautical clang of rigging in the wind. It’s quiet– except for the occasional traffic to the restaurant or a small wedding reception, hardly anybody but guests has occasion to come out here. It’s dog friendly– dogs are allowed in the rooms and the owners have a big old poodle of their own.
But, at least in the off-​season, the quaintness and quietness can also be a little creepy. The retro-​furnished bar feels a little bit like the scene of an episode of Twin Peaks or a British manor murder mystery on the foggy moors. The dining room was almost entirely empty, even on a weekend. The general mood was well-​preserved but battered.
That led to a strange combination of comforts and nuisances. The restaurant is acclaimed and award-​winning, but the food is a very strange combination of «hotel food» and «actually kind of tasty.» A tart key lime filling in an awfully stale crust. A fresh-​tasting asparagus risotto; a sticky-​sweet fruit compote served on top of a pork tenderloin. And then the continental breakfast– delicious, fresh, crunchy/​tender muffins with chunks of glorious fruit inside them; and. .. nothing else but boxed cereal, milk, and a tiny fruit plate. It was just what I wanted in the morning with my first cup of coffee (in the adirondack chair, of course). But I was hungry 90 minutes later, and it’s not as if there are a lot of other places to get food nearby.
I don’t really know how to rate it. Bizarre but nice; nice but bizarre.

I recently spent a weekend here for a wedding with my girlfriend and had an absolutely delightful time. The rooms were spacious and the scenery was amazing. Even if you do not have a room with a balcony, it is plenty nice to sit out back and watch boats of all sizes sail in and out of the harbor. It is a bit pricey, but that is to be expected for a place like this. It isn’t a cookie cutter, mass produced hotel chain. It’s pretty much a one of a kind. The staff overall was pretty nice and very friendly.
I wasn’t entirely impressed with the food selection here as I found it to be a bit pricey. I’m a kind of person who likes a lot of bank for your buck. I found myself still a bit hungry after I ate. Don’t expect to get wifi in your room unless you are close to the lobby and cell service, as a whole, is very tough on the island. The only major improvement I would suggest is that they figure out their deal with the hot water. At best, you get warm water for a few moments, then lukewarm water, and then no hot water at all. My room had a bathtub with water jets in them, but I was unable to use them because of the lack of hot water.
I noticed some reviews complained about loud wedding parties. I can see how that could be a problem. I may have been also a bit noisy with my activities on this particular weekend.

We went here for dinner. Eating right on the water (though we were inside that night) was very nice. The server was a bit gruff but efficient. I ordered wrong with quail (why is it so difficult to get off the bone?) but everything tasted good. I suggest taking a walk on the water after dinner.

My boyfriend and I spent his birthday weekend there. It really is a nice place, beautifully situated on the Bay. The staff is friendly and the lobby area is beautiful.
Our room was lovely, with warm woodblock prints on the walls and Oriental rugs on the floors. However, the entire suite — sitting room, bedroom and bathroom — were tiled with very cold marble tile. There were 2 rugs — on at the foot of the bed and one in the entrance. Otherwise, it was COLD marble underfoot. Sort of a weird note in the ambience. The other complaint about the room was the noise from upstairs. We never heard our neighbors to either side, but we sure heard the folks upstairs anytime they walked anywhere in their room.
Dinner was tasty, but each dish was a little sweeter than I like. Except dessert, of course, which was perfect! We split a chicken crêpe with cherry wine reduction — the sauce was too sweet and the chicken too dry. My green salad with goat cheese was lovely — I really liked the dressing. My BF got the mahi mahi, which he really enjoyed. I had the lamb chops — again the sauce was a bit too sweet. My chocolate covered cherry cheesecake beat his bittersweet chocolate cake with raspberry ice cream, but just barely.
The downside of the meal was that our server seemed distracted. She never took the chargers away; I finally put them in a chair. Her distraction continued when she brought us the wrong bottle of wine. It was the right label (Two Angels), but the wrong grape (Cabernet Sauvignon vs. Petit Syrah). I didn’t bring my glasses so the label was fine. It tasted a bit thin for PS, but it wasn’t bad so I didn’t object. Only after she left, my BF picked up the bottle and announced we had the wrong juice. Yes, I’m a dingaling, but that’s the sort of mistake a first-​class dining establishment would never make.
Combine that with the tiled room and you get 2 stars.

We held our wedding here in October and they absolutely couldn’t have been better. Gorgeous location, helpful and experienced staff who knew how to run a wedding.
Dave McCallum who runs the place couldn’t have been more generous with his time and willingness to work through the small issues that crop up when you are planning an event for 120 people.
Michael behind the bar is certainly in the running for the title of Best Bartender in the World.
And the food: people came up to us and said the food was one of the best meals they’d had not just at a wedding, but anywhere.
The atmosphere was absolutely gorgeous and their was plenty of space for everyone to party. The rooms are lovely, although they won’t quite hold a full wedding party.
Couldn’t reccomend more highly.

This review is for the restaurant.
I have to admit, I did not have the highest expectations considering you’re practically at the end of the world here. Seriously, it’s been a while since I’ve been somewhere with no cell phone reception.
I was not immediately sold on the décor either. You walk through what appears to be the breakfast room with old, dated furniture that was probably purchased from a Hampton Inn that went out of business. But then you arrive in the dining room, which has a very cool and relaxed ‘upscale beach’ feel to it. My husband and I were probably the youngest people in there by about 20 years, but that’s fine. The only real draw back was the glass block that covered half of the window with the best vantage point of the sunset. WTF? Isn’t this your selling point? But I can’t SEE the sunset!
Thankfully, the meal made up for all. We decided to splurge on the tasting menu $ 50/​person. I started with oysters Rockefeller — I’m not kidding when I say that this was the standout of the meal. So light you could actually taste the oyster, but still enough cheese and some sort of bachemel sauce that I used bread to get every drop of moisture from that plate.
Next I had duck (cold) with a fruit chutney on won-​tons. It was very flavorful, but I’m not a huge fan of cold duck. I may have had another course after this, but I’m pregnant and my memory is terrible — sorry.
Then I had the rack of lamb with asparagus and roast potatoes. Strangely, the asparagus were the best part of this dish. Everything was cooked perfectly, but I like a flavorful crust on my lamb… this was kind of plain roasted.
I remember dessert was an option of crème brûlée or something chocolaty, I can’t remember what I had, but I did like it.
The waitresses are trying their best, but don’t expect a high staff to diner ratio here. I think there were two waitresses for 10 tables? And I don’t recall any bus boys. But it was very pleasant, and at no point were we poorly attended to. One other thing that we really liked were the portion sizes — very manageable, but totally filling by the end of all the courses.

For my wife’s birthday this year, I got us a night at the Tilghman Island Inn. Normally, 1 night weekend stays are a no-​go during the season, but we lucked out and ended up in a nice water-​view second floor room. We also ended up having a great time at their bar and a wonderful meal at their restaurant — read on for more.
The Inn is small, but not B&B small — looks like they have about 20 rooms on two floors — half «water view» and half «garden view». As the gardens are really nice, that’s not a downside. But hey, you’re on an island, and water views are what you want.
The rooms are spotless and well-​sized for two. Ours had a jacuzzi tub and fireplace, and a little TV tucked away that we never even turned on. A little balcony with two chairs completes the picture. The balconies aren’t really ‘private’ — the walls dividing them from your neighbors are about four feet high. Also note that even on the second floor, people on the docks and in passing boats can see right in to your room at night — use your blinds unless you want to put on a show!
The views, in general, are great. The grounds are well-​seeded with deck chairs where you can watch the water, the birds, and the boats. It’s incredibly relaxing. If you’re into kayaks and canoes, they’ve got them for rent.
The staff is awesome — very friendly and accommodating. They really made all the guests feel right at home. Within the first ten minutes, we had met three or four of the staff, any of whom could have been the owner of the place based on the pride they took in it. In fact, I think one of them was.
They’re pet-​friendly at the Inn — there were a lot of guests with dogs — and apparently they have a babysitter if you want to bring the kids! They offer spa services as well, which we didn’t take advantage of.
The restaurant offers excellent American cuisine prepared from locally sourced ingredients. We had (between the two of us) oysters (both raw and Rockefeller), soft shell crab fritters, watermelon salad, salad caprese, bronzed halibut, filet mignon, molten chocolate cake, and peaches with lemon biscuit. All excellently prepared, fresh, and portioned well for a tasting menu. Needless to say, we were STUFFED. But we went to the bar anyway.
On Saturday evening the lounge hosted a guitar player who didn’t suck at all. We had a good time with the other guests and the bartender listening to music and sipping on our various libations.
Are there any downsides? Price may be the showstopper for a lot of folks. Figure $ 250+ per night, plus $ 60+ a head for dinner. Then again, the Tilghman Island Inn isn’t an everyday kind of experience — it’s certainly one to save for a special occasion.

You do not have a whole lot of choices on Tilghman Island. We heard a few good comments about the Inn based on other rating sites. The place has interesting décor. Art deco, 70’s, eclectic island décor. Very friendly people work here and openly greet you when you walk in. We had wine by the glass which was very average. I was not to concerned since we had some really good wine back at the house where we stayed.
The menu is simple, which I like. Offer a few good entrees that you are really good at preparing and not try to be all things. We ordered crab cakes and a filet Mignon. The Crab cake was excellent with hardly any filler. 98% crab meat. The filet was good, not the best I have had but very good. Sides were good and overall presentation was excellent. Service was excellent and I would go back the next time I visit this isolated location on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Buy the wine by the bottle, the house wine by the glass will disappoint.