Red Cardinal Bed and Breakfast

We visited Carlisle, PA for the car show and while that was a great (but tiring) event, the highlight of our weekend was the stay at Red Cardinal. Joann and Bill are the best hosts ever, the countryside is just unbelievable, the food was divine and abundant, Molly (the resident pup) is so incredibly sweet and smart we wanted to bring her home with us (and we already have a dog and a cat). Every need was anticipated and I wouldn't go to Carlisle again without staying at the Red Cardinal. I've actually missed everything about it since we returned!

We stayed here from 9/14-9/16 2012. Billy and Joanne were very accommodating, especially since we arrived an hour earlier than we thought. The room was clean and cozy. Billy gave us a tour of the property and a history of the house, making us feel as though we were family, from the very start! I worked with Billy and hadnt seen him since he had moved to PA, so it was a nice reunion and a beautiful place to stay. Joanne was accomadting to my food allergies and made my breakfast, with that in mind. It was wonderful to be able to go someplace and not worry about my food allergies. We had to leave extra early on our departure day, so they both got up early to see us off and even offered to make us a meal to go! We are hoping to get back to Carlisle next year, and this time, to stay longer than a weekend! Of course I couldn't forget about Mollie....beautiful dog and very entertaining! Every time she saw us, she needed to show us the chickens. She would run to them, then turn around to make ure we were following! Ilook forward to our next stay!

I lived in Carlisle while attending law school, decades ago, so I know something about the area. After one night at the Red Cardinal, I am convinced that I will return for my next visit to this historic area. I arrived by MOTORCYCLE to a warm welcome from Bill (Billie), and was able to park my bike in their garage. Traveling alone, I was comforted by Billie's hospitality and warm welcome. The Red Cardinal is set in a lush green valley, not far from Pine Grove Furnace park, where gentlemen Farmers reside; and every morning is a wake up call with nature. Breakfast on the patio was my best meal on a five day trip, and I enjoyed the view as much as I did the company. I stayed in the Bluebird room and had wonderful views out windows front and back.. Recently completed, the Bluebird room is a 5-star experience. Joanne is a wonderful cook, and sets a welcoming table. I was quickly accepted as a member of the family on what was the most memorable stay of my travels. I highly recommend this inn. It is ideal for people returning to Carlisle and not far from Gettysburg.

After two stays over the last three years, we can declare Red Cardinal perhaps the most congenial and unique B & B in which we've ever been welcomed; and that includes a passel of accommodations all over Ireland and Great Britain. The hosts, including Molly, are generous in their sharing of the facility, the setting, and the history and culture of the area. Our room even had a featured photo of one of us from a previous stay. That sort of personalization is typical of all aspects of our stays. Coupled with the consummate comfort and finish of the ensuite room, this degree of friendliness and thorough-going preparation. make Red Cardinal a sheer traveler's delight.

Bill and Joanne were very hospitable and gave us helpful info on the surrounding area and things that we wanted to see. The room was extremely clean and comfortable and the location offers a lot of peace and quiet. Our breakfasts were delicious and they weren't kidding about the fresh eggs ( right from the hen!). We highly recommend this B&B.

We had never stayed at a B & B before and so glad we decided to try this one. Joanne and Bill go out of their way to make you feel comfortable and right at home in their home. The friendliness and warmth was outstanding. Breakfast was great and if you didn't get enough to eat, it was your own fault. Molly greeted us and showed us the chickens and even wants you to play with her. We would definitely stay there again and highly recommend the Red Cardinal B&B.

Joanne, Bill and Mollie(their dog) warmly welcome you into their home. They literally meet and greet you at the door. Their hospitality and friendliness is very welcoming in these days. Mollie will be anxious to show you "her" chickens. The B&B is a real find for this area. We travel and stay a lot in the Carlisle and surrounding area due to family and friends and activities we attend. We like this B&B because it is off the beaten path of hustle and bustle, but, within minutes of being able to hop on the highway and do what you came to do. The rooms are comfortable, nicely decorated and a great value for the price. Joanne will make you an outstanding, hearty breakfast with fresh ingredients, including some of those eggs laid from some of Mollie's buddies right at the B&B! You will not go away hungry. All served up by Bill who will engage easily in lively conversation with you. We will be recommending Cardinal B&B to our friends and relatives looking for a nice place to stay for any getaway. When you leave, Joanne and Bill treat you like family. They offer to help take things to your car, walk you out to say goodbye and take a picture for a memory of their guests. Really, really outstanding. You won't go wrong with this one. Thanks Joanne & Bill for going above and beyond to provide a nice retreat during a stay.

Stayed in the upstairs room. Very light, very pleasant. Breakfast was excellent. Also, the company. Joanne and Bill are interesting people; they love to talk about the house, garden, neighbors, things to do, etc. Their garden is a special treat.

I highly recommend the Red Cardinal B & B. It has been a great home base as I travel through out Cumberland County, and to parts of Franklin, Lancaster and Perry counties. It is 30 minutes from Gettysburg, so I have visited there multiple times. Harrisburg is just up the road. It is in a wonderful location. The hospitality is fantastic. I stayed for three weeks while I did research in the area. Joanne and Billy were fantastic hosts; cheerful, helpful, just wonderful. I can truly say that I have made two new friends and I look forward to visiting them again. Joanne is a very creative and wonderful cook. For three weeks, she continually came up with a new breakfast for me. The food is delicious and plentiful and Joanne caters to her guests needs and affinities. If you feel like you have eaten too much, you just take a walk down the road enjoying the beautiful environment. Obviously, I can't say enough good things about my stay and Joanne and Billy. Thank you for a fantastic experience! I look forward to staying here again.

Wonderful home with gorgeous views! Loved the grounds, the chickens, and Molly the border collie. We especially enjoyed the Harley camaraderie with Billy and greatly appreciated the graciousness of our hosts with our late arrival. Breakfast was delicious and lovely out in the garden. We definitely will stop again!

Joanne and Bill made us welcome and comfortable from first encounter to saying goodbye. Wonderful full breakfeast served on the patio looking out over rolling hills and a garden filled with birds. Quite, but with the charming town of Carlisle with its excellent restaurants a short drive away.

Joanne and Bill were wonderful and very accommodating. Would recommend to friends and family.

Staying here felt like going home in the country to visit your favorite relatives. Billy & Joanne could not have been more gracious. They even invited our friends down the street to join us for breakfast (which was delicious). That was above & beyond. We enjoyed the charming country house, country road along a stream, chickens, border collie, and gazing over the farmland next door. Would stay here again if ever in the area.

If you are looking for a Bed and Breakfast experience that will take you back...or introduce you to...the quiet-paced, country-lane living that so many of us crave...then the Red Cardinal is the place for you! The minute you meet the proprietors, Joanne and Bill, you will feel as though they are long-lost friends. They truly cannot do enough to make your stay comfortable, peaceful..everything you would want on a get-away. The breakfasts are superb, the service great, the home is immaculate, the area is beautiful, and their Border Collie Molly is just an added plus! We will be back to stroll on their lane, chat with the owners, take photos of the fields and cows and sky...and Molly.

We had a great stay with Joanne and Billy! We didn't get to spend a lot of time at the B&B due to family commitments, but what a beautiful place. The location is country, but close to Camp Hill and Harrisburg which was perfect for us. The breakfasts were delicious and unique and made with fresh, home grown herbs and vegies and eggs from their chickens. I would definitely recommend the Red Cardinal!

Absolutely delicious breakfasts! Beautiful views from the patio dining area. Excellent service! Enjoyable stay!

We stayed at the Red Cardinal a year ago this month and had an absolutely wonderful time. The place is clean and very comfortable, located in a beautiful part of the area outside of Boiling Springs, Joanne and Billy are very kind and they took absolutely wonderful care of us! I would go back every single year if they weren't so far away from us here in California!!!! The breakfasts were huge and delicious and held us until dinnertime every day, and the quiet, serene location next to a large Mennonite farm was so much nicer than a hotel on the highway.

Bill and Joanne have a wonderful contry home which they share. Everything was just as you hoped it would be. CLEAN, COMFORTABLE and FRIENDLY. Molly the border collie was just as friendly as Bill and Joanne. The Breakfasts were superbly fixed by Joanne and served on the patio by Bill. We would readily stay again when we are in the area!

The Food was Better then you could ever expect from a small Inn. After the first day's meal we couldn't stop thinking about what Joanne's next breakfast would be. And she did not disapoint us.The grounds where breathtaking and the garden's where full of life, to take it all in we would need a week there. Joanne and Bill are very nice people and we had a wonderful time at there inn. I will be telling all my Famiy and Friends about what a great Bed and Breakfast this is!

We were only able to stay one night, but it was a perfect 24 hours. A great setting to cycle and walk. The property and gardens were lovely, our hosts could not have been more cordial. It was a summer evening I will remember fondly for a very long time.

I and my 2.5 year old daughter traveled to PA for a close friend’s wedding and we couldn’t have been happier with our lodging accommodations at the red Cardinal B&B. After an exhausting 9 hr flight from Germany, we couldn’t have been greeted with friendlier faces that that of Joanne, Billy & Molly . Joanne did not mind warming up my daughters evening milk although it was close to 2300. In fact, neither Joanne nor Billy ever hesitate to accommodate my daughters milk needs regards of the time and day, even in the middle of the night when she was having a nightmare. Promptly, every morning, at a prearranged time, we were greeted with a delicious homemade breakfast and the wonderful serenades of all types of birds in an outdoor patio. The room that we stayed in, the Blue Bird Room was clean spaces and filled with plenty of amenities to last both me and my daughter though out of 4 day stay. Knowing that we were flying in from overseas, Joanne went out of her way to draw makes and make simple to understand directions for us so that we would be able to enjoy the weeding events and still have time to enjoy a little of the local beauty. From the suitability and cleanliness of the room, to the country home friendly atmosphere provided by Joanne, Billy & Molly, to the reasonable cost of the lodging, I would definitely recommend the Red Cardinal B&B to anyone that is looking to enjoy nature in a peaceful setting strategically located in a central location to all of the area’s historical landmarks and attractions. Joanne, Billy & Molly, thanks for taking such good care of us, it was almost as if we had never left home. You will definitely see us again!

I found the atmosphere quite relaxing with the adjacent farm community next door. I'll be returning for sa second time very soon. It is convienient to the general Carlisle area. A plus is Molly, a wonderful dog and Joanne and Bill are great hostesses.

During a business trip I stayed at the Red Cardinal B & B. Maybe my stay could have been better, but I don't know how. The room and setting were excellent, the innkeepers were outstanding and the breakfast was superb. The innkeepers were accommodating of my schedule and my room had an excellent, quiet workspace. Five stars!

The owners were there to greet us and show us around. We left briefly for a previous engagement, but came back to a cozy living room with great company! Our room was very clean and extremely comfortable. The next day began with an incredibly, delicious and very filling breakfast. I could not eat another thing the rest of the day :) Afterward, we took a nice two hour walk along the beautiful countryside. It was awesome!

This was our second stay. The innkeepers could not be better: kind, helpful with very high standards for food and cleanliness.

During my last visit to Carlisle, I stayed two nights in the Red Cardinal room on the first floor. Both Joanne and Bill were on hand to greet me when I arrived, and I found them friendly, helpful, and generous in their hospitality. The room was lovely and included a small reading room off the bedroom. Just perfect! The room was quiet and the bed very comfortable. Breakfast was more than ample, and Joanne and Bill happily accommodated my vegetarian diet. I asked for fruit and cereal, and Joanne prepared a wonderful homemade granola, which was served with poached pears, and, later, a coffee cake. I had breakfast on their patio and enjoyed the company of the other guests, the sunshine, the gardens, and the open fields behind the house. The second morning, I left quite early and was not able to stay for breakfast. Although I did not ask for it, Joanne made up a breakfast to take with me--granola, fresh fruit, and carrot cake. I really appreciated that on my drive home! I would certainly return to the Red Cardinal B&B, and I highly recommend it to others.

What wonderful hosts Joanne and Bill (and Molly) are to their guests. Our room was excellent and the meals were over the top in both quality and quantity. Staying here was like staying with friends. I feel very comfortable "visiting" them again even solo when I need a break. We look forward to returning. Barbara and Buck

After receiving a promotion, I was told I needed to make a "pre-decision" trip to Carlisle PA to experience the area before I made my decision. I am so glad that I stayed at the Red Cardinal B&B! Joanne and Bill have such a beautiful home and as much of the other reviews say, they (including Molly) went out of there way to make me feel right at home. Every time I went out for the day to explore, I would mention whereabouts I was headed and they had quicker better directions, other attractions and hints on good eats. Speaking of, the food was amazing, I passed in my expense report to my supervisor and he says to me, "Mike did you starve yourself or something?! You spent under $100 for food! You sure this is right." I simply replied "I stayed at a Bed & Breakfast that fed me a 3 course meal every morning, I didn't have to eat lunch." I recommend this beautiful place to all that visit the Carlisle area.

Do you remember your first kiss? Who doesn't. This was our first B&B experience and it's just like that first kiss. Billy and Joanne went all out to make Linda and I feel right at home. The country breakfast, the lovely gardens, and the peace and quiet countryside are as charming as it gets. The location was perfect for our Chryslers at Carlisle event. Local dinners were both well in our budget and the food was excellent. And if Bill and Joanne weren't real careful, they might have had to find a new dog. Linda fell in love with Molly and was ready to adopt. We'll definately keep the Red Cardinal at the top of our list of B&Bs to stay at when visiting the Carlisle area.

My stay at the Red Cardinal was my first B&B experience, I was looking forward to getting away from the hotel routine. Joanne and Billy exceeded all my expectations for the weekend; the setting, the rooms, the comfortable bed, the delicious breakfasts, and foremost, their friendly hospitality and exceptional service. I was visiting Carlisle to enjoy the Chrysler Nationals. Billy patiently guided me as I backed and backed and backed again the 24-ft trailer into their driveway. When the trailer gate-ramp malfunctioned, Billy got his tools and helped me with repairs, sweating right along with me. It was a hot weekend. Breakfast, for me, was the highlight of the day. I've never been served so well as a guest, yet made to feel right at home. Joanne does miracles in the kitchen, everything was magnificient. When it was time to go to the fairgrounds, Billy prepared a small cooler of bottled water to go . . . outstanding. I know you'll be pleased with the Red Cardinal. I look forward to returning soon to visit my new friends and enjoy the idyllic pastoral setting.

Gracious and accommodating! The hosts directed us to the best local place for supper, the best shopping, and the best routes, all over a cup of coffee. The breakfast was delicious, room and bath very clean, casa most memorable.

My husband and I stayed three nights at the Red Cardinal B&B and were thrilled with the accommodations, food, and service. Joanne and Bill made us feel right at home the moment we arrived, provided us with excellent service, and the food was delicious each morning (more than was good for us to eat!). Though it is located off the beaten track, we enjoyed the country setting. We recommend this B&B very highly.

My wife and I recently stayed at the Red Cardinal both on our way to and from Florida and we couldn't have asked for better accommodation. We tried both rooms and they were both attractively furnished and very comfortable. The hosts were friendly and welcoming. They made recommendations for things to do in the area including local restaurants. The breakfasts were excellent and the owners made sure our individual tastes were looked after. We would not hesitate to recommend the Red Cardinal to anyone staying in the Carlisle area and plan to stay there for an extended stay to explore the area and attractions later this year. Well done Billy and Joanne.

My wife and I had occasion to stay for a couple of nights near Carlisle, PA and the Red Cardinal was suggested to us. It was absolutely wonderful. We were made to feel right at home and part of the family. The breakfasts were about the best we have had. More than we could eat and delicious. Would not hesitate to go back again, and to recommend it to all of our friends.

We just spent five nights at the Red Cardinal and had a wonderful time. Billy and Joanne were wonderful! They could not have been more gracious, kind, or hospitable. Breakfast each morning was delicious and hearty. The room was immaculate and nicely appointed. We felt so at home and will definitely return at some point in the future.

My husband and I spent 4 nights recently at the Red Cardinal B&B. We had never stayed at a B&B before; we always just stayed in traditionals hotels. We could not have been more pleased. Bill, Joanne (and Molly - their dog) were the most gracious hosts we could have ever asked for. Their home is beautiful and our room was very spacious and lovely. When they say they serve a hearty breakfast they aren't kidding - it was delicious food, great service and way more food than we needed. Bill and Joanne we so friendly and we felt like family instead of guests. Every time we even mentioned going somewhere or doing something special, they had directions or info printed and ready for us from the internet in no time flat. They made our trip to PA a wonderful experience. When we go back to this part of PA, there is no question where we will stay - Red Cardinal B&B here we come. If you are anywhere close to this area, I encourage you to stay here; you will not be disappointed in any way. Happy Travelers from Georgia!