Publick House Historic Inn and Country Motor Lodge

We have stayed at the Publick House 25-30 times over the years. It is nestled in the heart of historic Sturbridge and a short drive from both the Massachusetts Turnpike, U.S. Route 20, and Interstate 84.. There are several different choices of rooms. You can pick the historic inn, complete with creaky wooden floors and a classic 18th century feel; the Tillyer or Chamberlain Houses, which combine a modern clean room with a well-furbished public sitting area; or the very affordable country lodge, a series of motel located atop the Publick House property. Mornings include free coffee and a selection of delicious pastries from the bake shoppe; I enjoy getting up early and bringing a book while savoring this fare. Lunch and dinner are served in the historic tap room, where you can sample roast turkey, seafood, and other New England fare. The staff is always friendly and helpful. The place is bristling with activity at all times and is a popular setting for weddings. Please do not listen to the critics who will invariably appear on Tripadvisor pages; they do not represent the vast majority of people who enjoy this wonderful place. My wife and I have never had a bad experience at this inn, and we will come back here again and again. It is our personal favorite and one of New England's most unique lodgings.

If you like historic inns, this is the place for you. I stayed in room 34, which is in front on the second floor but also along the driveway that runs to the back parking lot. There was a wedding and a meeting going on at the inn, but sound wasn't an issue. There are lots of stairs winding around to the rooms, dining room, and down to the bakery, which was an excellent place to have coffee and a free pastry in the morning. There's also a lot of parking. The downside is that it's creaky, the sink was clogged, and there were a couple of bugs in our room (a ladybug and a spider). I found lots of dust in the corners that hadn't been swept in a while. My wife liked the hotel but I prefer newer and cleaner places. Staff was nice especially in the bakery. My brother in law was comped the bridal sweet as their room wasn't cleaned yet on arrival.

VIBE= Very, very busy wedding venue. Several wedding events happening simultaneously throughout the property, every day/night. Impressive for sure, but definitely caused really crowded common areas. DINING = Historic Tap Room is very quiet and only open for lunch. Ebenezer’s Tavern is a little more lively, opens at noon, and serves food until 9pm I think. We ate at Ebenezer’s once and the food was good enough. The Bake Shoppe is tiny/crowded, has complimentary coffee, tea & baked goods every morning, but very little seating. Took the coffee & pastries back to our room every morning. As there is no breakfast on site, you have to leave the property if you want to have more of a traditional breakfast. ROOM - We were in a suite so we had plenty of room to stretch out. No daily room service. Could control our own heating/cooling unit. Shower had inconsistent temperature and inconsistent pressure. Could absolutely hear all the wedding noise from around the property every night, but it really never went past 10:30. TV in the bedroom and another one in the sitting room. Plenty of cable channels to choose from, including HBO. King bed was extremely comfortable with plenty of pillows and blankets. Lots of closets and clothing storage options. LOCATION - Perfect. 10 min off the Mass Pike. Sturbridge Village is 5 minutes away. Sturbridge Flea Market and other vintage/antique shops are also 5 minutes away. Sturbridge Town Common is across the street. Plenty of really good restaurants to choose from that are also 5 minute drive.

First, let me say that rugs in the hallways and stairways were filthy dirty second, they sent you 2 miles away basically through that whole hotel and in to go get a cup of coffee or tea and something from the bakery top shelf only terrible choices they had and you get one one piece. Do you want something else to pay for it? Cheap cheap cheap no juice no fruit no banana no cereal no choice of anything. No eggs, no nothing terrible terrible the way they treat the people for that price.

This place is amazing. I saw some bad reviews & am absolutely blown away that anyone would have anything negative to say. It’s quaint & quiet & exactly what we imagined New England to be. The staff, especially Christy, the front desk manager, was incredibly kind & hospitable. The room (Tilyer House) was fresh & clean. The decor in the Historic Inn is beautiful. The Tavern is cozy and the food was amazing. The Bake Shoppe, also amazing from the complimentary pastries to the pies & cakes. We didn’t stay in the Country Lodge buildings but they’re nestled back in the trees and surrounded by gorgeous landscaping. We loved it so much we’re planning a trip back to stay longer. 10/10 recommend.