Inn at Huntingfield Creek
4928 Eastern Neck Road
Rock Hall, Md.
410-639-7779
http://www.huntingfield.com

When Joanne Rich was in third grade, her teacher showed the class a geode. Rich was amazed that such an ordinary-looking rock could contain such surprising sparkle within. Years later, she uses the geode analogy to describe the design philosophy behind her inn. “I like the idea of using the element of surprise, the idea of revealing something within you might not otherwise expect,” says Rich, who runs the property with her husband, Jim.

Rich isn’t kidding. She has populated her inn with serendipitous “little environments,” as she calls them—lush vegetable and flower gardens, a wooded trail that leads to a scenic inlet, and a peaceful pond whose shoreline has seen its share of weddings.

Personally, I love the “birdhouse tree,” a collection of 20 birdhouses mounted onto an old tree stump, but my favorite “little environment” may be our accommodation itself—a contemporary cottage that, like a geode, is somewhat ordinary on the outside but positively radiant within. Even more surprising is that at this B&B, my wife and I are able to bring along our 3-year-old toddler and 6-month-old infant—a nicety since we didn’t have to bother with a babysitter. But still, we’re at a romantic B&B with, um, kids.

Innkeepers
Jim, an executive with Mobil Oil for 23 years, and Joanne, a caterer, had stayed in their share of inns before purchasing Huntingfield Creek and its 70 rural acres in 2004. They knew what sort of laid-back accommodation they wanted for their peace-seeking guests. “We see an awful lot of crabby people arriving on Friday,” says Joanne. “Our way of dealing with that is to give them a glass of wine and point them toward the sunset [over the inlet]. By Monday, they’re completely different people.” 

Rooms
The telescoping main house, which was rebuilt in 2003 after a fire, contains four guest rooms done up in antiques and contemporary furniture, refreshingly bereft of clutter. My recommendation, however, is to book one of the four private cottages. Our three-room Zen Cottage sports a clean, West Elm look, with a kitchenette, gas fireplace, and whirlpool tub—a favorite of the 3-year-old. “Why don’t we have bath gels at home, Daddy?” she asks repeatedly.

Diversions
The inn is located about two miles from downtown Rock Hall, but there’s plenty to do on-site. We spend our day swimming in the saltwater pool (no chlorine!), sampling blackberries from the garden, and lounging on a hammock. Java, the inn’s energetic chocolate lab, accompanies us on the short walk past the soybean and sunflower fields through the woods to Huntingfield Inlet, where two Adirondack chairs await at the end of a wooden dock. The view of the inlet and Chesapeake beyond is both peaceful and stunningly beautiful, and we could have sat there for hours. But not with a toddler and an infant.
What’s for breakfast
Breakfasts, served in the main dining room at a 12-seat, glass-topped table, “are always a big deal,” Jim tells us, and indeed, we are not disappointed in Joanne’s cheesy scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and an unusual peach cobbler, made with basil, lemon, and almonds.

Romance Factor
A private cottage with a whirlpool tub and fireplace is just the thing to spark a little romance. Note to self: Next time, just get a babysitter.

Cost
$175 to $279 per night.