This is a beautiful property - with ambiance that almost has one confused - since when you enter the enclave you may think you are in New Orleans, or Savannah or Charleston...not somewhere along the Delaware River, deep in Yankee territory! John, the owner, is an affable man, who probably really did care about the place at one time. Now, what you see on their web is not what you get. The garden is run down, full of weeds, and the porch is a tad down on its heels. The manager or asst. manager (a younger, attractive woman) is a delightful woman - so friendly, helpful and accommodating. She showed us our room which continued with the southern grandmother's house look, you know the “old money of the south”, along with the dust and light bulbs hanging in the hall without a fixture when you go into the bath - yes it was missing a cover and some of the light bulbs were out in the brass chandelier over the bed - yes over the bed - but it was lovely, albeit dusty. It gave you a strange feeling - not bad - not great - just like you were in another time, which I suppose some would say this is the Inn's ambiance, well I am not sure about that. And I will never forget the drill sergeant who is there for breakfast - she is an older woman with a pony tail and grey hair - really, she reminds you of a character out of a Mel Brooks feature - the first morning we were a few minutes late for breakfast - since we forgot to set our clock – and she greeted me with "you know breakfast is over - but I can get you something" echoed her gruff tone on a lovely morning. So we got breakfast - Pillsbury Grande biscuits - I guess - or some off brand, scrambled eggs and bacon – and, well we got jelly – it was in its original brand labeled jar - that everybody had dipped their spoon in before us....what a way to start the day. The next day's breakfast wasn't any better. One reviewer said the "breakfasts are good and well planned" - clearly that reviewer likes Hamburger Helper too. But what must be said is that the owner and the younger manager or asst. manager are delightful and kind and very helpful giving recommendations. This place has a lot of potential - really it does, and if you can get past the dust and clutter and unkempt grounds you will be OK. It is a shame they don't spruce this place up and return it to its former glory since it has real potential. So try it - skip breakfast since there are a lot of little great places to grab a bite in the town.

My husband and I just got back from our long weekend stay at the Porches on the Towpath... it was the most romantic - secret garden - charming place! it has a "Great Expectations" (check out the movie) feel to it! Our first day there we almost stayed in. We were completely happy with just sitting around and exploring. Secret little romantic sitting areas everywhere! We will definitely be back sooner than later. LOVED IT!

I had a lovely time here. It was peaceful, serene and in a perfect location. It was exactly what I wanted. John and his staff were friendly, engaging, hospitable and helpful. Not to mention that John is a great cook! The breakfasts were delicious and clearly well planned. I found my room to be quite cozy, very clean and charming. Each room in the main house has its own private porch entrance and you can sit outside your room and enjoy the lovely garden below. I had the pleasure of staying in the "English Fox Hunt" room, #4, which had fab antiques and a very comfortable bed.

Recently, my husband and I went away for the weekend for our 6th anniversary. We chose Porches because of the good reviews.
Here is what it is really like :The outside was completely overgrown and uncared for. The furniture on the porches where broken and all of the outdoor pillows were filthy, some ripped. This was my first impression. Entering the room you can immediately tell they used some fantastic angles because it looked about half the size of what the photos portray. The antique wardrobe door was broken and so was the table. It had a huge crack on the top. I would gladly take the broken furniture if the place was clean, it wasn't. There was a thick visible layer of dust on everything. Unfortunately, I looked behind the bed which made it difficult to sleep. The sheets felt and looked like they were washed 500 times however, the quilt looked as though it was never washed. They had fake plants in vases all over the room. Not a good idea if you don't dust. We couldn't turn the fan on for fear of being covered or smothered by the dust. The bathroom shower looked like something you would see in a hospital and the knob was broken. The window by the toilet actually had a hole in it so they kept the shutters closed. The towels that were supplied were thin and looked like rags. It definitely put a damper on the romantic weekend getaway.