The Wilderness

We really enjoyed our stay at The Wilderness. The Inn is just beautiful with period furnishings and gardens. Ellen made our stay inviting, especially with a delicious breakfast. The beds were very comfortable, and while the antique chairs or settees are lovely, they aren't the most comfortable to sit in for a long period of time. I would certainly recommend The Wilderness and hope to return.

It was a great experience...the whole house was impeccable, the cats gave to the house a sense of ownership, the surroundings outside and inside was a step in the past...for a minute I was day dreaming on the activities at that time, the food cooked in the old stove in the kitchen, the rooms decorated with candor, the white vintage dress left out hanging at a room's door as an evidence of time...it was perfect

My two daughters, mother, and I stayed at the lovely "Wilderness" on a spur of the moment get-away. It was a delight from the moment we drove up the long driveway and caught sight of the beautiful old house. We stayed in the Blue and Gold Suite, which was very spacious and easily accommodated the four of us. (In fact, the only slight downside was having to pay extra for my two daughters, age 7 and 12). Ellen had left us an afternoon treat, and then we explored Ellicott City. The breakfast the next day was delicious - homemade, somewhat unusual goodies - in a good way -- made even better by the location on the back porch, surrounded by her flowers and birds at the bird feeder. A true country retreat - hard to believe how close to Baltimore!~ I would definitely return. Ellen runs a first class B&B and is the epitome of hospitality.

Facebook, twitter, e-mails, internet chatter, incessant digital cacophony of life...it all disappears in a flash when you spend a little time at The Wilderness. So restful and peaceful, I could while away the day just sitting on the patio watching the endless parade of goldfinches and hummingbirds, reading the paper on the lovely wraparound porch, or just laying about in the lovely Sullivan Suite, reading a book, feeling the muscles and mind relax. Aaaaaaaaaah. Thanks, Ellen.

I came in town for a wedding this month and spent 2 nights at The Wilderness. I love old houses, and this one is well preserved and beautifully decorated. The bed was really comfortable - I wish I had one like it at home. Food was very good, lots of sweet things when I was there - although it's my understanding that Ellen (the inn keeper) will cook for special diets when requested. All in all, I highly recommend this B&B, the location is great and the house/suite very very nice. Although I don't travel to this area very much, I would definitely stay again if I return for some reason.

was a nice quick escape from the daily grind.. close to Ellicott City for some nice dinner and drinks... house was quiet and grounds were nice..

Nice large room in an old house, with central air. Very comfortable bed. Furniture age appropriate but not in very good condition. Every old chair had worn out springs, and was uncomfortable. Freshly prepared baked goods daily for serve yourself breakfast. Very private, rural setting.

Innkeeper Response
Your point regarding the chairs in one of my suites is well taken. I've made some repairs and will spend a few weeks/a month this summer hunting for some comfortable, but period appropriate easy chairs for one suite. The other 3 suites have comfortable seating available. I appreciate your feedback!

- Ellen (innkeeper)

Really enjoyed Ellen, the proprietor. She was very welcoming and such a pleasure to get to know. The surroundings are just beautiful.

The suites were very spacious and beautifully decorated. Ellen is a kind and caring host. The property is so wonderful and peaceful. Breakfast on the porch was delicious and was only topped by the sweet symphony of nature outside. We will be back! Thank you Ellen.

This was our first visit to The Wilderness B&B, but it won't be our last. The innkeeper is a wonderful person - not intrusive, but friendly and helpful. The house itself is a treasure, and the bed was VERY comfortable!

Our suite was spacious and lovely and the inn was an excellent location, convenient to all our destinations but off the main road in a gorgeous wooded area. Ellen was a marvelous host especially considering there were some difficulties with our reservation (which seem to have been my fault(bad spam filter!!!)) We will definitely recommend!

My husband and I were highly impressed during our stay at the Wilderness. The rooms were large, clean, tastefuly decorated. Ellen was wonderful. Breakfasts were freshly made and tasty. We are just waiting for a reason to stay again.

Wanted to spend a weekend away at the spur of the moment this fall, and we found The Wilderness on the Bed and Breakfast website. We arrived at night time, and were glad we took directions Ellen sent us, since it could have been tough to find without them. We walked into this fabulous entry way and it was love at first sight! The house is great, Ellen is friendly, the food was tasty and her little black and white cat was just wonderful. I'm not sure if we'll be back soon since it was a splurge for us, but we had a great weekend and have recommended it to all of our friends. We want to see it at Christmas time, it must be just wonderful. Thanks for a great weekend!!

we had the family in town for a celebration and put them up at the Wilderness -- Ellen was very accommodating, the B&B was lovely, and the family was thrilled.

very nice and spacious room; great location; continental breakfast could have been better-ok that it was a cold breakfast but granola, better fruit, juice selection, etc

My husband, our Rotary exchange high school student, and I stayed at The Wilderness recently for the first time. I found it on the internet as we needed a place to stay when visiting my mom at Charlestown. The house is beautiful and inviting. Our suite was perfect since our student could have her own room. Breakfast was delicious - just perfect. And, Ellen was delightful - a great time. Hope we have a chance to visit again!

Loved the house, loved the decor, loved the garden and the environment. Altogether lovely!

Although only 5 minutes from our home this beautiful spot provides us an idyllic sanctuary that takes us completely out of the hectic day to day and connects us to another time where we can sit, talk, breathe and relax.

Great location and pricing. Breakfast was smaller than I thought it would be but it was spot on delicious.

Our short visit at the Wilderness was very relaxing. The property was beautiful, our suite was large and very unique, and the innkeeper was more than accommodating. We enjoyed breakfast and great conversation with the other visitors while taking in the amazing view from the cozy screened-in porch. We would love to visit the Wilderness again!

My husband and I stayed at the Wilderness Inn for 2 nights in August and had a very nice visit. The house is old and well maintained and the rooms are oversized. Our suite consisted of 2 huge rooms and a gigantic bathroom. The bed was comfortable. Ellen was available without being intrusive and prepared lovely breakfasts for us, everything was made fresh. We were the only guests at the time which was nice. We sat on the screened porch off the kitchen and enjoyed the view of the lovely garden while we ate. The Inn is tucked away on beautiful grounds, very private but you are only 5 minutes away from Historic Ellicott City and Patapsco State Park. We would definitely stay here again and would recommend it to others. One caveat...there are 3 full size cats in residence (not in the individual suites). We are cat lovers so for us that was a bonus.

Every year, I get together with some high school buddies for a couple of days. The Wilderness B&B was a perfect location and Ellen was a great hostess. Rooms were clean and beautiful. We had the place to ourselves and enjoyed sitting on the back porch and retelling stories going back 40+ years. This would be a great location for a golf trip too as room arrangements are perfect, reasonably priced and there are some nice courses nearby. Very nice place.

We are repeat guests at this beautiful home. Easy to come and go as you please. Or relax in the beautiful parlor or back porch. The forested grounds are full of all kinds of plants and flowers. Our host Ellen is like family to us now since we visit several times a year.

What can I say? Ellen has a beautiful home, and is very accommodating. Breakfast was a house special, beautiful, and very delicious and refreshing. The room was cozy, quiet, and just a nice retreat after a night on the town.

This was a fabulous place to celebrate our 29th anniversary. It was 5 minutes away from historic Ellicott City. We loved the decor, spaciousness and seeing deer outside our window. In the morning a lovely breakfast awaited us on the porch. We would recommend this place to anyone seeking a seeking a stylish b and b in the countryside near a major city.

This Victorian treasure was conveniently located and the room was comfortable, clean & affordable. Great hostess made the stay a pleasure!

Food & service wonderful.

The place was beautiful. Very peaceful inside a state park. Breakfast was delicious and the hostess was very helpful and friendly. It is also very convenient -it is located 15 minutes from downtown Baltimore and BWI airport.

The place was beautiful and perfect for what we needed it for. Breakfast was fantastic and the hostess was so friendly and nice. We really could not have asked for anything better. We live in the area and will definitely be back.

you will step back in time into a less complicated, more gracious, and quiet time. With comfort and delicious food, beautiful setting, creative comforts are met and you leave refreahed!

what a wonderful place! we loved walking around the grounds and sitting on the porch for our breakfast. a great way to relax! we enjoyed visitng with Ellen - she made us feel right at home - even got a great recipe from her! of course, the resident kitties were very hospitable, too!

Seven members of my family stayed in this beautifully restored mansion buried deep in the quiet woods off the winding turns of Thistle Rd between Catonsville and Ellicott City. There were other guests too -- and yet there was lots of room for everyone. The grounds are visited by humming birds and we heard a hoot owl -- it was a full moon. The owner is a very gracious, welcoming, and easy going hostess. Breakfast can be taken on the screened dining porch off the kitchen, or on the veranda you can see in the photo. The chocolate cake and cookies at bed time were great too.

A 200 year-old family home located in the middle of a state park managed by a creative and warm host.

The Wilderness allows one to feel the peace and quite away from all the hustle bustle of the daily grind. The space inside and outside of the home is so large and spacious one can kick back and pretend that they are truely 100's of miles away from civilization. It is so nice then to get rejuvinated and go out to dinner in near by Baltimore or Ellicott City.

It is like going into a different era and country even though it is only a few miles from Catonsville. The rooms are immaculate and very elegant. Ellen, the keeper is very friendly and informative and a great host. Her baked treats are fantastic! I would recommend the Wilderness to anybody who wants peace and quiet in an old historic mansion..............

I can't imagine a nicer place! The lovely setting, and the beautiful home, just took my breath away. Then, I went inside and felt like I had time warped back to another era. Fabulous! The chocolate cake was out of this world good. The Wilderness certainly has my vote for the best B and B!

This is the most ideal place in an ideal and tranquil setting! The owner is wonderful and quite helpful and her home-made baked goods are to die for! The inn is an old and beautifully restored home and the grounds are exquisite. I can't wait to return to the Wilderness!

This Inn is a find, as we are so lucky to have found it. We travel frequently to Catonsville to visit family and we look forward to our stay at the Inn. The house is full of history, and you are made to feel welcome and comfortable there and Ellen is a wonderful hostess. Thank you for sharing this wonderful house with all of us.

beautiful home, grounds, and garden. wonderful breakfast and baked goods which were always available.the hostess was very nice.

It meticulously kept. Food-great. Hostess was gracious and informative. Directions given by hostess excellent.

Less then a quarter mile from civilization, yet it feels 100 miles back in the woods, quiet, peaceful, in a house filled with old time luxury. The rooms are just wonderful, and Ellen is a great host. If you are looking for a peacefull, relaxing, place to stay, you cannot beat the Wilderness.

A wonderful place to relax. Beautiful house, great rooms, wonderful baked goods, friendly owner, and even more friendly cats. We really enjoyed our stay

Innkeeper Response
I can't tell you how much I appreciate your very complimentary review. I'm honored to be your first B&B experience, and trust you will have many more relaxing and enjoyable stays in B&Bs in the future. However, the kitties do want to be your favorite kitties in the world, so they hope you don't meet friendlier felines in the future.

- Ellen (innkeeper)

If your business or pleasure takes you to the Baltimore area, I can think of no finer place to stay. If you're looking for peace and quiet in an elegant, rural setting that's also close to a major urban area and quaint smaller towns, I would recommend The Wilderness and Ellen's warm hospitality. It was a wonderful stay!

This 1799 home is elegant and home-like at the same time. Ellen's hospitality is warm and comfortable. A most enjoyable experience.

The Wilderness is a beautiful home, but more importantly it is comfortable and Ellen provides a warm, inviting atmosphere. Sitting on the screened in porch in the back overlooking the wooded area makes all the tensions of the world fade away.

We have stayed at many B&B's over the years and rank The Wilderness as our favorite. We love the elegance of the home and grounds and Ellen's gracious hospitality and delicious goodies. Our stays at The Wilderness have always been a delight. Thank you Ellen.