Publick House Historic Inn - Sturbridge, Massachusetts

Gary S.

We have stayed at the Publick House 25-30 times over the years. It is nestled in the heart of historic Sturbridge and a short drive from both the Massachusetts Turnpike, U.S. Route 20, and Interstate 84.. There are several different choices of rooms. You can pick the historic inn, complete with creaky wooden floors and a classic 18th century feel; the Tillyer or Chamberlain Houses, which combine a modern clean room with a well-furbished public sitting area; or the very affordable country lodge, a series of motel located atop the Publick House property. Mornings include free coffee and a selection of delicious pastries from the bake shoppe; I enjoy getting up early and bringing a book while savoring this fare. Lunch and dinner are served in the historic tap room, where you can sample roast turkey, seafood, and other New England fare. The staff is always friendly and helpful. The place is bristling with activity at all times and is a popular setting for weddings. ||||Please do not listen to the critics who will invariably appear on Tripadvisor pages; they do not represent the vast majority of people who enjoy this wonderful place. My wife and I have never had a bad experience at this inn, and we will come back here again and again. It is our personal favorite and one of New England's most unique lodgings.

Bob F.

We recently stayed at the Publick House for a wedding!! The wedding was great- great food, service and atmosphere! Our stay, on the other hand , wasn’t great!!! Let me start by saying our room was large and clean!!! I wish it had a coffee maker! The climate control was very tricky- we were either roasting or freezing!

The main negative of our stay was the onsite restaurant/ tavern ! The hostess was not at all friendly! We had multiple encounters with her on different days and all were negative! Five of us went for drinks at the bar on Saturday, prior to the wedding. Two
Of the drinks ordered were wrong and one drink was awful! We went back for an early dinner on Sunday! My husband ordered clam chowder before his meal- it was completely forgotten! Our turkey dinner was delicious but once again the same hostess was just downright rude! We headed back to our room and decided at 7:25 we wouldn’t mind a drink and my husband was still craving the clam chowder. We called the front desk and asked if the bar was still open and serving food. We were told yes! So we braved a miserable winter storm to walk from one building to the next to get a snack and drink! We sat at the bar and bartender said “ kitchen is closed” ! Just like that! No sorry or anything! We were pretty frustrated at this point ! We each ordered something to drink and it was basically slapped on the bar! We sucked it down because it was apparent by all the cleaning around us - they wanted us gone! Just very frustrating especially since we called the front desk to double check beforehand! Based on our negative experiences- I would not recommend or revisit!

Maureen R.

We went for a hospital/church fundraiser before Saint Patrick's Day. The food was exceptional.
The corn beef and the Irish soda bread were delicious, and I normally don't enjoy either of those items
There is plenty of parking in the back. Handicap parking in the front of the restaurant.
If you have a problem with stairs, your best bet is to be dropped off in the front of the restaurant unless you're dining in the Pub area behind the Bake Shop.

mike B.

We have spent several nights here while traveling with our dogs. It has a great location, and the grounds are great for walking the dogs. The staff are extremely friendly, and to top it off, you can grab a complimentary coffee and pastry from their bake shop in the morning. Highly recommend this place if looking for an overnight stay with pets.

Krissy S.

This is quite the hotel that dates back to the 18th century. I enjoyed staying the night here. It was very quiet. The beds are very comfortable. Sadly, we were just passing through on business, so we will have to come back when we can really enjoy the stay longer.
Ladies, if you're looking for a venue for your wedding, take a look here. It's absolutely beautiful with stunning scenery and plenty of room for the wedding party and any out of towner guests.

M B.

I'm reviewing the catering because that's all I have experience with. First off, I've never dealt with a NICER group of people. We were planning a birthday party for my elderly mother and got assistance from Cathy O'Brien in Catering. She was very helpful. We had the dining room and cake all set. Then the weather was forecast for snow and relatives were coming from out of town and my mother insisted on canceling the night before. I called up DeMarco and emailed Cathy and they didn't bat an eye. Super understanding. Hopefully we'll reschedule when the weather is better!

Eileen R.

My husband and I stayed at the Inn and had dinner. The room was one of the large ones and very charming, however, the refrigerator did not work and our food we did not finish was spoiled. The food we did manage to eat was delicious. The breakfast from the bakery was not. I had the crumb cake and it was dry and tasted like sand. My husband had a blueberry muffin and the blueberries were hard. They probably were dried blueberries. The muffin itself did not taste great.

K. Z.

Joined my parents for lunch. I loved the historic atmosphere. The food was ok, the service of waitstaff was not the best. They were all "busy" and did not revisit to ask if we needed anything.