The Check-In: The Six Bells Countryside Inn
Is the nostalgic storybook-inspired inn worth the hefty price tag?
What began as a country-inspired home goods store in Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill has expanded to a whimsical 11-room country inn in New York’s Hudson Valley. From the outside of the 19th century brick building on Rosendale’s Main Street, you’d never guess the storybook-esque world that waits for you inside.
As any good author knows, you need a great backstory. Enter Barrow’s Green — the fictional town Audrey Gelman (inspiration for the character Marnie on HBO’s Girls and of the ill-fated and controversial women’s co-working space The Wing) dreamed up and now serves as the inspiration for The Six Bells universe.
From the moment you swing open the door and cross the intricately laid tile “mat” welcoming you to The Six Bells, you’re invited to suspend your disbelief as you quite literally step into a world of nostalgia.
First there’s the fictional town newspapers laid out on the coffee table in the lobby announcing the inn’s opening. Then there’s the hand-painted ceiling mural depicting the storybook village of Barrow’s Green. And of course the country wares available in the shop — everything from ruffled pillows and country quilts to floral nightgowns and beeswax candles.
The one thing that isn’t in line with the past — the prices.
Give it to me in a logline.
European folk meets early-Americana in a whimsical 11-room Hudson Valley inn.
How did we get here?
I just got back from a 2-night solo stay. Night one was still during their soft opening, and my second night was on their official opening day (June 26).
Let’s talk design, shall we?
Let’s be clear: this is where The Six Bells shines.
The Six Bells teamed up on the interiors with New York-based GrecoDeco to create a warm and whimsical story-book inspired inn that seeks to envelop you in a world full of nostalgia. Taking its inspiration from early-American and European countryside aesthetics, you’ll find things like meticulously hand-painted murals, Scandinavian box beds and Tyrolean chairs alongside copious amounts of ruffles, cafe curtains and wooden antiques. Woven throughout, of course, are adorable (albeit pricey) shoppable items from The Six Bells store.
If you’re a fan of cottagecore, you will absolutely love the design here. I know I did.
Rooms & Suites
Each of the 11 suites is one-of-a-kind and features beautiful details like The Six Bells brand quilts, archival wallpaper, and hand-painted armoires. Some even have custom ruffle-skirted sectionals or Scandanavian-inspired box beds. Each suite has its own backstory and color scheme, so your personal design preference will likely dictate the room you choose.
Something important to note when deciding on the room is where it’s located in the building. My advice would be to opt for a suite facing the back of the property, overlooking the creek, as opposed to the front (overlooking Main Street) or the side (overlooking the small parking lot).
I was set to stay in The Penny (overlooks main street and the property next door) but the room felt a little cramped and dark when I saw it in person so I asked to be switched to The Lamplight (overlooks main street and the parking lot), which I enjoyed much more.
While The Lamplight doesn’t have a great view, the gorgeous box bed, including a little window with cafe curtain, more than made up for it. I’m now convinced that I need to create an oversized reading nook in our home like this. Seriously, so cozy.
Amenities & Experiences
The inn is family-friendly and there’s even a little playroom for kids. There’s an on-site restaurant (Feathers Tavern) and a breakfast buffet is included in the room rate. At the time of my stay the outdoor deck (it looks to have both a dining section and bar) overlooking Roundout Creek was still in progress, but I think this will be a lovely addition to the property.
And of course, there’s the gorgeous shopping boutique.
How about the food?
The breakfast buffet was nice enough (scones w/ jams, overnight oats, hard boiled eggs, pickled green beans, tomatoes, cheese, olives, etc.), but nothing too exciting. I did go at the tail end of the morning, so perhaps things weren’t as fresh by that time. I was told by the assistant manager Ramy that since they only had a few guests the nights I was there, they served a pared-down version. Not a problem. When I asked if the overnight oats had dairy (they did), they offered to have a non-dairy one made for me the next morning, which I truly appreciated.
Dinner on the other hand was mostly fantastic. The Feathers Tavern is warm and cozy and they serve hearty comfort foods like corn fritters, country pot pie and Dutch chocolate cake. I had the corn fritters (looooved), oven poached hake (first time trying this fish -- didn’t love), and the Dutch chocolate cake (so good).
Standouts
The staff were warm, welcoming, willing to accommodate requests and very receptive to feedback.
The design. It’s definitely dopamine-boosting and feels pretty magical.
The food! I’ll be thinking about those corn fritters for years.
Room for Improvement
A lot, actually. Now I realize that the the inn has just opened and is still gaining its footing, but at this price point you should really get a more luxurious experience, in my humble opinion.
Here are a few of my gripes:
The Bathrooms - they are TINY and have tub/shower combos (similar to the ceramic ones from the eighties). I get that this could be a stylistic choice, and maybe I just have beef with shower curtains in hotels, but I hated this. There was also practically zero counter space (fine, but at least add a shelf above the sink to compensate).
Areas for Relaxation - The shop takes up most of the “lobby” area, which I think could be better utilized as a communal space like a library or living room for playing games.
Practical Details - I feel like so much effort went into creating amazing design moments that they overlooked a lot of practical things.
There wasn’t anywhere to put your luggage or hang things in the first room I had (The Penny), and in the second (The Lamplight) just a small area where you could maybe hang up some shirts (definitely not anything long) inside the hand-painted armoire.
There was no garbage can in my room (Lamplight) and had to ask for one to be added.
The windows had screens with gaping holes (both rooms).
It didn’t appear that there was complimentary water in the rooms, but after speaking to the assistant manager he informed me that the first two bottles in the mini-fridge were free.
As you can likely tell, I have mixed feelings about this place.
Is it adorable? Absolutely.
Is it overpriced for what you’re getting? I think so.
While I enjoyed my stay, The Six Bells in its current state feels like they’ve prioritized providing a shoppable experience over a truly luxurious retreat-like atmosphere.
Would you stay? Let me know your thoughts below!