Wow. We came to the Debruce for the tasting menu and liked it so much we came back for the club room two days later. The staff was outstanding! They have all the details really dialed in. Ambiance — check. Wine list — spot on (with good natural wine choices). Menu variety — check. The tasting menu was beyond worth it and I’m still thinking about juniper oil, the mushroom dish, and the poached pear. I never knew I could love a pear entree. Also big ups for the rice pudding dessert! Almost didn’t pick it but the kind server brought it to us for free and I’m so glad he did because it was our favorite. I will absolutely return if we ever go back to the area.
We had a really nice time celebrating a birthday at The DeBruce. It far exceeded our expectations. The rooms were comfortable, the staff were friendly and accommodating, and the food was excellent. Hats off to Chef Eric for creating such inventive and delicious dishes. It was truly a nice retreat and I look forward to returning.
The DeBruce was the perfect getaway for my husband and myself after a year of not travelling due to the pandemic. The room was cozy and comfortable with a gorgeous view of the grounds. For the size of the hotel, I was amazed that I was not awoken at night or in the morning by any other guests. The hospitality was spot on from the welcome drink to the staff greeting me on the morning of my birthday with a friendly "happy birthday". We took advantage of the Saturday wine tasting with a few other hotel guests and Courtney, the sommelier, took us on an adventure through Piedmont and, while I can't say I retained everything, I do recall how delicious all of her wine picks were and look forward to purchasing what I can find back at home. The restaurant was an expected highlight of the trip - Chef created beautiful and delicious meals and the wine pairing on Saturday night did not disappoint. As this was something that my husband and I grappled with in preparing for the trip, I do want to note for anyone who likes to plan their trip like we do that the restaurant is not business casual as some of the other sites stated. We wore jeans and sweaters to every meal and felt comfortable in the setting doing so. Highly recommend for anyone looking to get away, especially get away among a beautiful natural landscape. I hope to return when the pandemic and my 10 month old baby allow us to!…
Four miles down a winding road parallel to a famous trout stream sits this renovated 1880s fishing lodge..built, it would seem, for warm-weather use and outdoor sportsmen fly-fishing from April through October..and rarely in their very small, poorly-heated rooms. One arrives in a parking lot with a one story trudge with baggage to the main floor front desk and two dining rooms..then..another one or two story steep climb to the 14 rooms. No elevator; no dumb waiter. Our tiny room was decorated in drear grey and white, matching the grey sky outside..with room for only one luggage rack (we had two bags )..no individual room heat or air control..just a small wall grille blowing a little hot air..so that we froze the first two nights..then, with a portable electric heater from reception..over-heated the third. A king-sized bed squishy like a half-filled water bed and squishy pillows to match..plus a sharp-edged wooden bed-frame taking about 40% of the room . needing us to squeeze past on either side..resulting in several bruises. Two slippery leather chairs..canted back 45 degrees making reading almost impossible..then a bathroom, also minuscule..with virtually no room on, around, or above the sink for toiletries or cosmetics. Downstairs is a very different story..a well-spaced dining area in greens and wood colors..and a rear addition with large windows looking out on a meadow, the trout creek and the wooded hills beyond. Superb, knowledgeable wait-staff, and very interesting food: a la carte some nights, tasting menus on others: Examples: wood pigeon with hazelnut and seaweed, venison with turnip and crab apple , boned trout, toro (tuna belly) with sea lettuce and citron, baked apples with vanilla creme fraiche, banana chocolate tart, and foraged tea bark tea. Curiously, breakfast (included) is delivered cold in a brown paper shopping bag with multiple Tupperware-like containers: yoghurt, granola, lox, berries, bread and butter. Staff throughout..in the dining room or elsewhere... is welcoming and totally with it. For reasons unknown, this facility has attracted a niche demographic...30 and 40 something entrepreneurs, digital executives, and artists, mainly from Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. Many international. DeBruce accepts few outside dinner reservations..so to eat downstairs..you need to stay upstairs. Assuming an average meal for two totals $350..you're paying an astronomical $400 per night for your bare-bones room upstairs. There is little to do in the neighborhood..hiking on soggy trails, full of slippery stones and tree roots (which I did)..no towns of note nearby. So the Inn is it !! In the end, any prospective visitor (or couple) needs to weigh the total cost of a stay (for us $3000 for 3 nights, including tips and taxes)..with the significant negative of the rooms..balanced with the Michelin-quality dinners downstairs. (And you might consider a nearby property run by the same family, where we also stayed: Kenoza Lake)…
My wife and I just got back from a wonderful night at the DeBruce celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary. The entire experience was perfect, and the staff were all warm, welcoming, and extremely accommodating the entire time. We stayed in the corner queen room and although the room wasn't huge it was really comfortable and the details/decor were simple but lovely (and the clawfoot tub wasn't bad either). Starting even before we checked in, the staff was very communicative and helpful in arranging a guided nature hike and relaxing spa treatment at their sister property Kenoza Hall, and even helped me shift around our reservations when rain threatened our hike. We also had dinner at the restaurant and both my wife and I thought the tasting menu was exceptional and a really special experience from beginning to end. Every dish was unique and delicious, and I'd highly recommend it. They even built us a fire in the sitting room to enjoy after dinner while we finished our wine. Incredible! All in all we would definitely recommend The DeBruce to anyone looking for a romantic getaway or special occasion destination.…
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