Black Sheep Inn

I loved everything about our weekend here. My girlfriend apparently planned the whole trip months before it happened. I had no idea. I thought were just going to the Finger Lakes for kayaking and hiking and I didn’t even know where we were going to stay. I was so excited when we arrived at The Inn. The building, rooms, and quiet location near Lake Keuka are charming. It was neat to flip through the photo book in the central living room area and see all the work that went into the Inn. The owners are super friendly, open-​minded (very LGBT friendly), and knowledgeable. They treat their guests like friends. They helped plan a perfect weekend, including winery, brewery, dining, and activity recommendations. All of the recommendations were on point and tailored for our personal preferences. The fresh, organic breakfasts created by chef and co-​owner, Debbie, are amazing. She made literally the best blueberry pancakes that I’ve ever had. Her coffee has a light, floral or citrus-​y flavor and was delicious. The breakfast sandwiches were also fantastic. I was the recipient of a surprise hot air balloon ride, where we got engaged. :) The balloon ride was awesome and blew my mind. I also enjoyed our private candlelit breakfast on the patio. I can’t wait to return for anniversaries. :)

We recently stayed here for our anniversary. We had a fantastic time! Breakfast was yummy and the owners are SO sweet and helpful. They helped us pick out some fantastic wineries to visit and made our stay incredible. Our room was gorgeous and so comfortable.
They set up an outside fire for us as well. The breakfast was super healthy and yummy. Overall, a fantastic experience and we can’t wait to come back!!!

A bit off the beaten path in the lovely «hamlet» of Hammondsport, NY. The Black Sheep Inn is a rustic, delightful and authentic Inn under the watchful care of Debbie and her husband. They Inn itself is gorgeous with period touches and modern accommodations. The rooms are spacious and very comfortable. The grounds are impeccable with a fun fire pit on the back patio for late night toddies and/​or desserts. Speaking of food, Debbie is a master chef who prepares delicious meals and fun surprises during your stay. My wife and I found the energy and environment relaxing, delightful, refined and lovely. Highly recommended.

The Black Sheep Inn was delightful. The architecture is intriguing and the house has phenomenal common space to explore. We enjoyed the comfort of our room and our bathroom. The breakfasts were a unique artisan blend of recipes.
There is also an old Wulitzer piano in the main parlor. The piano is out of tune, but it still loved to be played.
We are big fans of being outside. There are spaces to be outside with good quality tables and chairs. However there are very few flowers and the yard could use some manicuring to match the grandeur of the house.

Black Sheep Inn is located in Hammondsport, NY, at the southern tip of Keuka Lake, New York’s premier wine district. The Inn is really beautiful and it’s apparent the owners put a lot of love in renovating this 155 year old home. Personally, I had absolutely no problems with The Black Sheep’s policies, however, I can’t completely disagree with the previous review in the sense that some guests are not left alone to simply enjoy their stay.
From the perspective of an introvert, I didn’t want to spend my entire physical time on the premises socializing with other guests or the owners, pleasant and hospitable as they were. I think they have to take cues from their guests because some people are natural social butterflies, while others, like myself, are cordial but want to maintain a distance. To be fair, they just wanted to be friendly and I really didn’t have the heart to just say that I’d like to be alone. The only way to achieve this was to remain in my room, otherwise it’s understood that the common area would be for socializing. (This probably speaks to my own inexperience with staying at a true B & B, I guess).
That said, The Black Sheep is far from a 1-​star establishment. At 155 years old, the house is a landmark lovingly restored by the owners Debbie and Marc. From the antique furniture to the elaborate crown moldings; every architectural detail, like the gorgeous skylight in the second floor common area, the restored hardwood floors and outsize windows whose dimensions you hardly see in houses anymore, suggest that the owners want to take you back in time.
They weren’t kidding, and I was mildly shocked to find no TV in my bedroom. (Sometimes you want a little Bridezillas marathon to go with your Emily Dickinson trappings.) After getting over that, I did enjoy my room. It was small and a bit tight, but comfortable nonetheless. A lot of detail went into the furnishings, almost to the point where I felt like I was sleeping in a museum. I got over that too, and enjoyed the warm tones, iron frame bed with plush sheets and comforter, and a bathroom with a tapered corner that actually features the side of an exposed brick chimney.
All in all, my experience at Black Sheep was comfortable, if not a little fussy at times. For instance, I explained that for my check out day, I would leave very early, around 5:30am. The owner insisted on waking up at the same time to see me off with a breakfast sandwich. It was an amazing thing to do, but this time I was very clear that I didn’t want her to get up on my account. This also illustrates the level of customer service detail that some might appreciate while others might find overbearing and controlling.
I really think I’m just a B&B virgin and the experience took me out of my comfort zone. I hear some people describe B&Bs as visiting your Grandmother’s haunted house. The Black Sheep is a fine establishment, but with this place it comes down to a matter of preference: if you enjoy personalized service and attention, along with creature comforts of a bygone era (don’t worry, they still have AC) this place will be right for you. However, if you want a place where you can just lay your hat while you go on about your business, you may want to reconsider. For better or worse, the Black Sheep doesn’t know how to do anonymity.

Although the Black Sheep Inn is an interesting historic establishment near the quaint Finger Lakes town of Hammondsport, we won’t stay there again. When we return to this region, we’ll look for more welcoming establishments in New York’s premier wine district. Many are as conveniently located to this area’s outstanding wineries as is the Black Sheep Inn.
If what you want when visiting a B & B is to relax in the privacy of your room, as we did, to take a break from your public self and enjoy some time alone with your partner or friends, this might not be the place for you. Why? «Food or beverage in guest rooms is prohibited,» reads the policy, which is strictly enforced. Therefore, if you’d like to enjoy some wine and cheese (or, for that matter, a bag of chips, a soda, or a bedtime snack) while you are curled up in your pajamas in the privacy of your room, forget the Black Sheep Inn. Your coming and going will be monitored. Don’t imagine that you will enjoy some romance coupled with a bottle of champagne on your anniversary, or that you’ll sip a cup of coffee as you dress for breakfast. Although you can order handmade chocolates for a celebration, you won’t be allowed to enjoy them in your room; neither can you use the candles sold in their store.
Having stayed in many bed and breakfasts over the course of many years, my husband and I have never encountered such practices before. In this regard, the Black Sheep Inn is truly a black sheep.
Unfortunately, we didn’t read the inn’s policies before we arrived, simply assuming they were similar to those we’ve encountered previously. The link for their policies is at the very bottom of their webpage. (You won’t find it in the menu.) We are public professionals who don’t smoke, don’t have small children, don’t own pets, pay our bills on time, own our own spacious and hospitable home on several acres, and didn’t expect anything unusual in terms of policies.
We did abide by the inn’s policies and ate in one of the public rooms, hoping to have some degree of privacy. However, while trying to relax and enjoy our food and wine, we were checked on, often, ostensibly to make sure that our needs were met. Having spent more than $ 500 to stay there, we were very disappointed.
Whereas I am impressed by the time, energy, dedication, and money this couple put into renovating – and saving– this beautiful building, my personal philosophy remains, «people before things.» The next time I visit the Finger Lakes, I’ll visit an inn that might have less architectural significance but greater personal warmth.