Bavarian Inn

About The Hotel

The Bavarian Inn is a 4-star Bavarian-themed inn and resort at 164 Shepherd Grade Road on a Potomac River bluff in Shepherdstown, Jefferson County, West Virginia. Rated 4.0 across 1,224 reviews with subratings 3.8-4.5: location 4.5 strongest, sleep quality 4.4 strong, cleanliness 4.3, service 4.2, rooms 4.1 solid, value 3.8 the honest weakness. Amenities include chalet rooms overlooking the Potomac River (recent 4-star guest spotted a bald eagle from the chalet balcony as soon as they stepped outside), pool, fire pit, on-site German-fare restaurant, bar and lounge, tennis court, banquet and conference facilities, highchairs, free parking and free WiFi. Recent 4-star praise: ‘great pick for Shepherdstown and Harpers Ferry - we had a room in the chalet overlooking the Potomac, room was beautiful with updated furniture and gorgeous fireplace, the balcony had fantastic views and we spotted a bald eagle as soon as we stepped outside.’ Recent 4-star mixed: ‘almost a 5 - staff and grounds were excellent, service food and cocktails were very nice.’ Candid 1-star flag: ‘the Bavarian Inn has gone downhill - the rooms are not well maintained or well furnished, the grounds maintenance is sporadic, and the German fare is inedible - for what they offer, prices are way out of line.’ Candid 3-star flag: ‘money needs to be put into this resort to restore to a higher rating - the room was spartan and the wooden balcony was falling apart, I paid for a river view but if you leaned too far on the railing you were likely to see the ground.’ Not every guest has this experience - book specifically a renovated chalet room type at booking. Shepherdstown sits on the Potomac River at the WV-MD border - the town crosses to Sharpsburg, Maryland via the historic James Rumsey Bridge. Harpers Ferry NHP is 20 minutes south, Antietam National Battlefield is 15 minutes north across the Rumsey Bridge into Sharpsburg. MARC Brunswick Line commuter rail runs from Duffields station (10 minutes east) to Washington DC Union Station. Best for Harpers Ferry travelers, Antietam battlefield history buffs, C&O Canal Towpath cyclists, Shepherd University family visits, Contemporary American Theater Festival attendees and DC-metro romantic weekenders wanting a Potomac-bluff chalet stay with candid heritage-property expectations.

What Guests Are Saying

“If you are visiting the nearby Civil War battlefield at Antietam or are anxious to experience the beauty of Harper’s Ferry, choose to stay overnight at the Bavarian Inn and be sure to reserve a chalet with a balcony overlooking the Potomac River. This is what a vacation is all about. Located at 164 Shepherd Grade Road in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, the Bavarian Inn features 86 rooms, three bars, a restaurant and swimming pool. I chose a spacious room in the Augsberg chalet with a king-sized bed, refrigerator, 50-inch flat screen TV, coffee/tea maker, outdoor porch, fireplace and tub/shower/jacuzzi with unique overhead shower head. Look for Nick, the property’s Mr. Indispensable, a maintenance man who is responsible for everything and everybody.” — Taylor B., 5 stars

“The hotel is such an all in one experience for our family. With the new waterpark, arcade and mingolf we never left and had a blast. Justin H. was working there and remembered our family from the year before, he was great with our kids and truly made us feel welcome on our trip. He helped us with multiple issues with a smile and was truly a pleasure. I highly recommend for a family vacation.” — Allison M., 5 stars

“We just stayed at the Bavarian Inn this past weekend in order to attend the CATF. It is perfectly located between the town and Shepherdstown Univ. You can’t ask for a better location. The grounds are beautiful and the room comfortable. The free “breakfast” is horrid. When we got there for breakfast, there were only 4 tiny pastries. And they called that breakfast. They should be ashamed. We ate dinner there the first night. We won’t eat there again. My husband had the special cucumber soup which was watered down and vinegary. I had the special crab soup. With all the flair in serving it, it tasted like Campbell’s cream of chicken soup poured over 3 little pieces of crab. And it was barely warm. To give credit, the brussel sprouts with peppers were delicious. Two horrible soups,bussel sprouts, 1 beer, 1 glass of wine and tip was $75. With all the great restaurants in town they need to do better.” — Kenneth B., 4 stars

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Location 4.5 subrating - Potomac-bluff chalet setting is the strength
• Chalet rooms overlooking the Potomac with bald-eagle balcony sightings
• On-site pool, fire pit, tennis court, bar/lounge and German-fare restaurant
• Walking distance to historic downtown Shepherdstown German Street and Shepherd University
• 20 minutes north of Harpers Ferry NHP and 15 minutes south of Antietam

Cons:

• Value 3.8 - honest weakness on cost-vs-experience
• 1-star candid flag: ‘gone downhill, rooms not well maintained, German fare is inedible’
• 3-star candid flag: ‘wooden balcony was falling apart - if you leaned too far you’d see the ground’
• Heritage property - ‘money needs to be put into this resort to restore to a higher rating’
• Not a marketed in-room-jacuzzi property - Potomac views and pool are the amenities

The Location

164 Shepherd Grade Rd, Shepherdstown, WV 25443 - On the Potomac River bluff about 5 minutes from downtown Shepherdstown, Jefferson County, Eastern Panhandle at the WV-MD border. You can find more details or book your stay on TripAdvisor.