State House Inn
25 State Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-990-0024

State House Inn Home Page

February 2001

Welcome to www.weloveourlife.com. This is our page dedicated to our experiences while staying at the State House Inn in Annapolis, Maryland.

	We stayed in the King George room. There was a very comfortable king-size bed, a desk, a couple stuffed chairs, armoire, and mini-refrigerator thoughtfully stocked with a couple small bottles of spring water. There was a cable tv with remote and a good selection of channels. The oversized whirlpool tub was located back in a bright alcove (the two windows surrounding it were coated for privacy but allowed the light in). There is a vanity with two sinks and a separate compartment for the toilet.
	We had requested a bottle of champagne, which was waiting for us when we arrived. Each room has its own heat/air conditioning unit. Each room also contains dishes of candy and fresh flowers. We peeked in a couple doors of unoccupied rooms that were open when we arrived and all the rooms looked clean and comfortable and prepared for arriving guests. Our room had a 2-line phone to help accommodate those traveling on business.
	Our room was located on the top (3rd) floor, and has a nice view down Main Street and to the water.

We enjoyed our brief stay in Annapolis and would recommend the State House Inn.

Inn Amenities

The inn has a guest pantry on the first floor with an ice machine (buckets are in the rooms), microwave, refrigerator stocked with beverages, and an assortment of glasses, plates, bowls, etc. The comfortable parlor has soft classical music playing in the background. There were an assortment of menus located in that room as well (and breakfast is served there).

Inn Food

The inn serves a continental breakfast in the parlor (fruit, breads, cereal, juice, milk, coffee, and tea). Guests are free to enjoy breakfast in the parlor or use the provided trays to take breakfast to their room.

Inn Bar/Lounge

The inn did not have a bar/lounge, but they did supply us with a bottle of champagne to help us celebrate our wedding anniversary (requested prior to arrival).

Inn People/Service

The innkeeper, PJ, was there to meet us when we checked in. The innkeeper does not live on the premises, so he requests pre-arranged check-in times (a range of hours) to assure he is there to greet guests. He was very helpful and provided a visitor's guide to Annapolis, extra towels, and took the time to walk us through our room and show us where everything was.

Area/Attractions

Annapolis is the capital of Maryland and is a quaint, very old American city. Walking the streets can take a guest back in time, as the facades of the buildings and the brick walks are reminiscent of colonial America. We felt very safe walking around the historic district. Annapolis is also the home of the US Naval Academy, so don't be surprised to see men and women in uniform along the streets. Annapolis is known as "America's sailing capital." There are many shops and restaurants in the historic district and near the water that are very inviting.

Dining

Riordan's Saloon and Restaurant - 26 Market Space, Annapolis, 410-263-5449
Riordan's Web Site

We arrived in Annapolis around noon on a Sunday and went to Riordan's for their champagne brunch. Riordan's is a waterfront place with lots of wood and dark pressed-tin ceilings that does quite a business. Each brunch dish includes a glass of champagne or mimosa. Keith had Tenderloin Benedict, which is traditional eggs benedict, but substitutes petite filets for Canadian bacon. There was a side of potatoes and it was plenty of tasty food. Lori opted for the Waterman's Special, which included a wonderful crab cake (and of course Maryland is the place for crabs!), two eggs, potatoes, and a very tasty and fresh muffin.

Rams Head Tavern & Fordham Brewing Company - 33 West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401, 410-268-4545
Rams Head Web Site
Even though we visited Annapolis on a cold Sunday in February, PJ suggested we make dinner reservations, especially since it was a holiday weekend. We called Rams Head and made a 6:30 p.m. dinner reservation. Patrons enter Rams Head through an appealing bar. We were seated in a comfortable booth at the back of a dining room that had glass windows which viewed the tanks of fermenting beer (there are several dining rooms at Rams Head). Rams Head seems to be a smoothly run operation with highly trained personnel. Our mouths watered as we read the menu. Keith decided to try some of Fordham's beer: he started with the Helles Lager and then moved on to the Copperhead Ale (which he preferred). Rams Head is unique when it comes to micro-breweries as it also offers some 170 beers on a lengthy beer menu (in addition to its own beer). Lori happily chose a Blue Moon Belgian White to start the evening.

Keith ordered South Haven Potatoes as an appetizer (but note that the portion was big enough to be a meal). They were not traditional potato skins, but rather fresh sliced potatoes smothered with cheese and bacon and then baked and served with sour cream and scallions. Lori had a hot crab dip, which was served in a casserole dish and contained plenty of tasty crab, cheese, and spices. It was served with a long, skinny, fresh baguette. Lori had no problem finishing all of the baguette by dipping it into the crab dip and freely admits she would have probably finished off the plentiful dip if more bread was available (and we are sure the waiter would have provided more bread if requested, but Lori opted to save soom room for dinner).

For his entree, Keith had a filet served black and blue (blackened for a Cajun flavor, combined with Gorgonzola cheese). Lori ordered shrimp and scallops with farfalle pasta and Cajun sauce. The waiter informed us they were running low on scallops, and Lori happily opted for all shrimp. After her first beer, Lori ordered very reasonably priced splits of Frexinet sparkling brut. The food and service were excellent. We also noticed that in addition to couples, there were many families in the restaurant and the wait staff seemed to know exactly how to cater to the children, which made for a pleasant dining experience for everyone. After dinner, Keith tried a tequila he never tasted before, Triada (although he claims it is not up there with Herradura or El Tesoro; see our tequila page for more on tequila).

Nightlife

Middleton Tavern - 2 Market Space, Annapolis, MD, 410-263-3323
Middleton Tavern's Web Site
We were in Annapolis on a Sunday night and did not really expect nightlife, although there was an acoustic act playing at O'Brien's Oyster Bar and Grill (on Main Street). It was too crowded, so we kept walking, looking for a warm spot to finish up the evening. We stopped in at Middleton Tavern and Keith tried the Middleton Ale; Lori went right for the Frangelica to warm up.

Federal House Bar & Grill - 22-24 Market Space, Annapolis, MD, 410-268-2576
Federal House's Web Site
This was known as Griffin's Restaurant when we visited. They had a good selection of beer on tap (16 taps), as well as a wine cruvinet. The bar area was open and full of wood and had a bit more of a sports bar type atmosphere (but cozy and tasteful). Keith had his old favorite, a draft of Sierra Nevada, then his eyes lit up when he saw the Patron tequila and had a snifter of that. Lori was still cold, and hit the Sambuca. The bartenders were very friendly and the service was excellent.

Please note that Rams Head has an adjoining club they call Rams Head On Stage, and they feature many national acts (when we left, we lingered in front of the marquee checking out the upcoming shows).

Weather

Annapolis is located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the US, about a half hour southeast of Baltimore. As in all of the other Mid-Atlantic region, Annapolis experiences all four seasons. It is quite hot and humid in the summer, so dress appropriately and visitors will want to make sure their accommodations are air-conditioned. We visited in February, and it was a bit colder than usual, with temperatures ranging in the 20s (Fahrenheit), and a biting wind down near the water. We found the cold temperatures just right for walking around a several-square-block area of the city.

Tips/Suggestions

Parking is at a premium in Annapolis, and expect to pay for it. We parked in a parking garage off of Gorman Street (recommended by the State House Inn), and a couple blocks from the State House Inn. It is possible to pull up in front of the inn, drop off your bags, and go park the car, but we arrived early for brunch and had already parked, so we simply left our car parked and wheeled our luggage to the inn. While this was not a problem for us, it may be more of an inconvenience for those who have difficulty getting around.

Everything in the historic district is within walking distance (5-6 blocks maximum).