The Deer's Head Inn - Elizabethtown, New York

British A.

Excellent food and service. Clean, flavorful, thoughtful menu with quality emphasized over quantity. Service top notch and welcoming atmosphere. Blew me away as I had zero expectations or prior knowledge. Well done!

Barb C.

After planning a weekend getaway a few weeks ago with friends, we chose to stay at the Deer's Head Inn. The reviews and pictures led me to believe that this was the place for us. 2 days prior to our stay, I reached out to the owner with regards to our 5 hout drive and a forecast of 16-20 inches of snow expected. The owner responded and told me that due to the less than 72 hours notice, he would have to charge us regardless if we stayed or not. This showed no regard for our safety.
Upon arrival, we were given a code to enter the building and a code for each of our rooms as there is no one to assist with check in.
Yes, the building is one of the oldest in the Adirondacks, and the history behind it is incredible, however, the rooms certainly needs some updating. The website description should disclose that the radiators don't always work depending on the downstairs restaurant temperature. Space heaters are provided in case this situation occurs which it did. It would have been nice to know that there were no tvs in the room. This wouldn't normally be an issue, but when you are snow bound it would have been a nice option. Many of the outlets did not work as well.
We stayed in room #1. The shades did not go all the way down, the floor was slanted and my phone stuck to the night table. For the price we paid for the night (just under $200) I would have expected a bit more.
We dined in the restaurant and found the staff to be exceptional and very friendly. The drinks were great. The food was very good but for the price, the portions were exceptionally small. It was very convenient to return upstairs due to the storm but the room was not conducive to being in a room by 9 with nothing to do. The walls of the rooms are exceptionally thin and you could hear any and all noises throughout the hallway. Our friend's room had an actual crack in the door which did not lend itself to quiet.
Overall, I would not be quick to recommend this establishment. Had the owner been more receptive to our needs with a more positive attitude I may have upped my review to 3 stars, but unfortunately, this was not the case.
*****IN RESPONSE TO OWNER'S COMMENTS REGARDING MY REVIEW***
A tv would be an added bonus when you are in an area with nothing to do at night. Your website does not say under amenities that you have TVs, but maybe disclose that you don't. You should also disclose that you don't offer heat unless one plugs it in themselves
As for canceling, it was a question posed 48 hours in advance, and referring back to our texts, I did not have a negative attitude. The owner was polite in responding that that was not the forecast he was seeing, and I positively responded with see you this weekend
Multiple rooms were not booked. It was a pair of rooms. Actually, 3 out of 6 rooms were vacant that night, so u can see your need to make some money regardless of how far someone needs to travel.
Funny how the slanted floor is all that your response picked up on, leaving off all else that was mentioned
My winter travels will be continue, but I will be sure that they have the overall needed necessities.
Funny how the negative reviews are always met on a defensive rather than simply apologizing for how the customer feels. Maybe this is were the negative attitude comes in.

Small S. G. P.

I needed a place to stay over to attend a retreat and enjoyed walking up to the second floor of the Deer's Head after eating so many delicious meals there during the summer.

This dinner was multi-faceted (scallops, beet salad, nacho fries (forget those commercials for TB!!), catch of the moment, and I ended with the dessert of the moment (pumpkin cheesecake with hazelnuts and brown butter.). And, the waitstaff were friendly and attentive.

We stayed in the library room, and there were so many books to choose from. It was also nice to listen to an lp (blast from the past.)

Check out the Champlain Valley (as well as the ADKs)

Joon O.

Spent all weekend hiking the ADK and used this beautiful inn for sleeping and eating. The inn has rooms upstairs and a restaurant/bar downstairs. After hiking all day, it was amazing having a hot shower upstairs and then walk downstairs to wind down with delicious food and drinks without having to drive anywhere. Highly recommend the steak, burger, and mussels. Also recommend their cocktail New York Sour. The owners are local and know the area extremely well. I picked hiking trails based on their recommendations. They also recommended this outdoor store which is the best I’ve ever been to. The vibe of the inn is amazing. Everyone is always having a good time at the restaurant/bar. I made many new friends. I also ran into hikers that I met on the trail at the bar too. The rooms are spacious and have very comfy beds. Shower pressure is great. Grocery store is next door! In my opinion, the rooms are just as good as any hotel in the area - but having a restaurant/bar downstairs is the real charm. Thanks Aaron and Rob! Will be back in a few months.

Matt C.

Absolutely incredible! Amazing space, delicious food, and the staff are second to none!! I was just passing through but someone recommended I check it out, and I couldn’t be happier that I followed their advice. You should do the same!

Jessica G.

A local staple. They always have sublime cocktails and dishes every season. The atmosphere strikes the perfect cozy yet night-out-on-the-town balance. Come as you are and you'll fit right in. It's easy to be a regular at such an excellent establishment!

Debbie S.

Really nice place to stay. Rooms are comfortable and the restaurant is excellent.|If you are a reader, the library is great. I have eaten at the restaurant several times and never had a bad meal. Beautiful area to explore in the Adirondacks. Put on the top of your list as a must stay.

Jamie R.

We are already talking about going back! We had the bloody gin drink, burratta salad, Caeser salad, beet salad, endive salad, sweet potato app, shepards pie, scallops, brisket ragu, burger, trio of nightly ice cream, and a pear crumble...all was amazing, ESPECIALLY the ragu!