Tilghman Island Inn

I entered hotel hell. I have to admit I wanted to run for the hills but I didn't want to hurt my hubs feelings.
The brochure is a straight lie so don't expect 5 star anything - no coffee pot, no frig, communication limited, the massage therapist is old and shaky.
Food and wine is 5 star and so was the receptionist thank god for them

What a strange, quaint, little place.  It's right on the water-- just a few steps from the dining room, you can sip your coffee in adirondack chairs right on the bay, watching ships scoot past and listening to the nautical clang of rigging in the wind.  It's quiet-- except for the occasional traffic to the restaurant or a small wedding reception, hardly anybody but guests has occasion to come out here.  It's dog friendly-- dogs are allowed in the rooms and the owners have a big old poodle of their own.

But, at least in the off-season, the quaintness and quietness can also be a little creepy.  The retro-furnished bar feels a little bit like the scene of an episode of Twin Peaks or a British manor murder mystery on the foggy moors.  The dining room was almost entirely empty, even on a weekend.  The general mood was well-preserved but battered.  

That led to a strange combination of comforts and nuisances.  The restaurant is acclaimed and award-winning, but the food is a very strange combination of "hotel food" and "actually kind of tasty."  A tart key lime filling in an awfully stale crust.  A fresh-tasting asparagus risotto; a sticky-sweet fruit compote served on top of a pork tenderloin.  And then the continental breakfast-- delicious, fresh, crunchy/tender muffins with chunks of glorious fruit inside them; and . . .  nothing else but boxed cereal, milk, and a tiny fruit plate.  It was just what I wanted in the morning with my first cup of coffee (in the adirondack chair, of course).  But I was hungry 90 minutes later, and it's not as if there are a lot of other places to get food nearby.

I don't really know how to rate it.  Bizarre but nice; nice but bizarre.

I recently spent a weekend here for a wedding with my girlfriend and had an absolutely delightful time.   The rooms were spacious and the scenery was amazing.   Even if you do not have a room with a balcony, it is plenty nice to sit out back and watch boats of all sizes sail in and out of the harbor.   It is a bit pricey, but that is to be expected for a place like this.   It isn't a cookie cutter, mass produced hotel chain.  It's pretty much a one of a kind.   The staff overall was pretty nice and very friendly.  

I wasn't entirely impressed with the food selection here as I found it to be a bit pricey.  I'm a kind of person who likes a lot of bank for your buck.  I found myself still a bit hungry after I ate.  Don't expect to get wifi in your room unless you are close to the lobby and cell service, as a whole, is very tough on the island.   The only major improvement I would suggest is that they figure out their deal with the hot water.   At best, you get warm water for a few moments, then lukewarm water, and then no hot water at all.    My room had a bathtub with water jets in them, but I was unable to use them because of the lack of hot water.  

I noticed some reviews complained about loud wedding parties.   I can see how that could be a problem.  I may have been also a bit noisy with my activities on this particular weekend.