My Top 5 “Loves” of Ashford Acres Inn

Ashford Acres Inn • August 10, 2019

Ashford Acres Inn staff member, Chelsea Hill contributed this blog post. She has worked at the Inn since April and has been a wonderful addition to our team! Thank you Chelsea for taking a moment to write about what you love about Ashford Acres!

Chelsea Hill, Ashford Acres Inn Staff Member

Ashford Acres Inn has quickly become a home away from home for me, despite being my place of work. Not just the grounds or the home itself, but the people, including the guests, make it such an outstanding place to work as well as retreat. Prior to working with Ashford Acres Inn, my mother-in-law hosted a bridal shower for me there. It was love at first site… with Ashford Acres I mean (I love my husband too though)! From a list of what seems like infinite favorites, I have selected my top 5 favorite aspects of Ashford Acres Inn, most being the small things that may not make the headlines, but make ALL the difference in a getaway or wedding day!

Ashford Acres Inn. Photograph by Christian Giannelli.

My first favorite and perhaps the most obvious, is the grandeur of the inn itself. Its classic, original crown moldings, chandeliers, and fireplaces make for the most amazing backdrops for photos with little to no effort on the part of the guest. While the inn feels rich and grand, the staff are always there to serve with relaxed, southern hospitality, bottom line. They cater to your needs and wants, and tailor your experience to make it exactly what YOU are looking for. It was this outstanding service that made me want to be a part of the team at Ashford Acres Inn.

Biancke’s Restaurant in Cynthiana, Kentucky. Photograph by Shonda Judy.

Secondly, I love the small town experience. Cynthiana, Kentucky, where Ashford Acres Inn is located, is the definition of small town America. What once was a booming, river city has become a quiet and quaint town in all the best ways. You won’t find an Applebee’s around the corner or an Olive Garden up the street, but rather Biancke’s Restaurant, a hometown favorite full of mouth-watering, home cooked meals! Attached, The Station at Biancke’s, sparks nightlife in Cynthiana with a fantastic Old Fashioned made with Kentucky Bourbon and many more cocktails to choose from. These are just the beginning of the list of small town accommodations offered in Cynthiana!

The Sitting Room at Ashford Acres Inn. Photograph by Christian Giannelli.

Adorned with lovely antiques including classic children’s novels, silver pieces, even war medals from Jack Owen, the former owner of the house, the sitting room makes the house a home. It draws guests away from their rooms to enjoy a cocktail together, read a book by the fire, or play a game as a family. The attention to detail in this room with the warm quilts, comfy furniture, and large windows never ceases to entice you in. It is my personal favorite place to be on the grounds.

Dinner on the veranda at Ashford Acres Inn. Photograph by Ashlyn Riley Photography.

Privacy or fellowship, the choice is yours at Ashford Acres Inn. When dining at the inn you may choose to be in one of our in-house locations like the dining rooms or sitting room, where other guests may also be dining giving you the opportunity, if you wish, to share stories of travel, tips on destinations, or simply a cocktail. Whatever the conversation, I personally love the opportunity to engage with other travelers from other places! That being said, I have also celebrated my anniversary at Ashford Acres Inn in which case I wanted my experience to be a little more personal. We enjoyed a walk on the grounds together and cocktails on the veranda for more privacy! While we did not reserve dinner at the inn, if we had, I would have chosen to have dinner on the barn veranda overlooking the sunset. 

The Maple Suite at Ashford Acres Inn. Photograph by Christian Giannelli.

Lastly, the sheets. I know, I know, this one seems random, but you wouldn’t think so if you slept on these sheets! After all, this is a BED and breakfast so the sleeping experience is quite important. The sheets at Ashford Acres Inn are, simply put, phenomenal. Unfortunately, they set the standard and make sleeping on any other sheets mediocre. For your convenience, and sanity, we do have these sheets on sale at the inn.

The Garden Suite at Ashford Acres Inn. Photograph by Christian Giannelli.

Similarly, after staying at Ashford Acres Inn, you realize what you have been missing. It sets the standard for a vacation experience of its kind. We are sad when our guests leave, but love to see them when they return! So many of our guests have become friends, and in my case, employees, because, as I said above, Ashford Acres Inn truly becomes your home away from home.

By Ashford Acres Inn September 2, 2026
There is something about fall in Kentucky that feels almost made for a movie: winding country roads, historic small towns, rolling Bluegrass farmland, changing leaves, front porches, warm drinks and evenings spent around a fire. At Ashford Acres Inn in Cynthiana, Kentucky , you don’t just visit that version of fall - you get to stay in the middle of it. Located just 45 minutes from Lexington, about an hour from Cincinnati, 1.5 hours from Louisville, 20 minutes from Georgetown and 15 minutes from Paris , Ashford Acres is an easy Kentucky fall getaway that somehow feels much farther away from everyday life. A Kentucky Town Made for Fall Cynthiana has earned recognition as a top fall destination in Kentucky, and once October arrives, it isn’t difficult to understand why. Historic downtown Cynthiana delivers the kind of small-town autumn atmosphere that feels straight out of Gilmore Girls or a Hallmark movie. Spend an afternoon wandering downtown, popping into locally loved stops like Fibonacci Antiques, Uniques Antiques, The Next Chapter Bookstore, Maime’s Fine Wines & Gifts, or Pike Street Wine House - then leave town behind and drive just a few minutes into the countryside to Ashford Acres. That is what makes a fall stay here so special: you don’t have to choose between a charming Kentucky small-town getaway and a peaceful countryside retreat. You get both. Add a Little Ghost Story to Your Fall Weekend For nearly two decades, the Cynthiana Ghost Walk has been one of the community’s signature October traditions. The lantern-led walk takes guests through historic downtown before heading inside the historic Rohs Opera House, built in 1871 and described by the Ghost Walk itself as the third-most-haunted building in Kentucky . It’s not a haunted house filled with actors and jump scares. It’s local history, storytelling, reported paranormal experiences and evidence collected during previous investigations—all unfolding in the actual places where the stories originated. For guests who want to build an entire stay around the spooky side of Cynthiana, Ashford Acres now offers The Ghostly Getaway package for two. It includes Cynthiana Ghost Walk admission, The Ashford Files filled with stories, history and mysteries, a spooky arrival sip, lanterns for an evening walk, a fall treat, s’mores and a fire pit, a Halloween movie snack basket and a seasonal fall candle to take home. Or Spend 64 Acres in Fall If your ideal autumn weekend is less spooky and more cozy, our 64 Acres of Fall package was created for exactly that. The package includes seasonal cocktails or mocktails, charcuterie for two, s’mores beside your personal fire pit, hot chocolate or cider, a seasonal candle and a one-hour farm tour of Ashford Acres . And that farm tour isn’t simply a walk around the property. Ashford’s main house was built in 1858 , and pieces of the property’s history are still visible throughout the grounds—from the old carriage step built into the rock wall to the mill wheel and other remnants of generations who lived and worked on this Kentucky land. You’ll hear about the history of the home while also getting a look at what Ashford is today: a working 64-acre property with gardens, animals, hospitality, events and a team caring for it every day. Fall at Ashford Doesn’t Need an Itinerary Some of our favorite fall experiences aren’t scheduled at all. Take a walk along the grass trails as the leaves begin changing across the Kentucky countryside. Visit the animals. Find an adirondack chair with a beautiful view. Wander through the garden as it completes another growing season and begins its transition into rest and rehabilitation for the year ahead. Go fishing at the pond. Sit on the front porch. Bring a book outside. Watch the sun disappear behind the rolling hills. Later, order a seasonal cocktail made with house-made purées, local bourbons and thoughtfully selected spirits. End your evening with a fireside nightcap, hot cider or s’mores. The point isn’t to squeeze as much as possible into a weekend. Sometimes the best part of a Kentucky fall getaway is finally having somewhere beautiful enough to do absolutely nothing. Build Your Stay Around a Fall Event Fall is also one of our busiest seasons for experiences at Ashford Acres. Guests can visit our Events page before booking and curate an overnight stay around one of our seasonal events. Our 2026 fall calendar currently includes September reservation dining evenings, Spookeasy at Ashford on October 30 , our Halloween Festival and Halloween Tea on October 31 , and our annual Fall to Table Dinner on November 21 , among other experiences. Come for an event. Stay for the night. Wake up in the Kentucky countryside. Or make Ashford the home base for an entire weekend of exploring Cynthiana. The Kentucky Fall Weekend You’ve Seen in the Movies - Only Real Maybe that’s the easiest way to explain fall at Ashford Acres. You know the town in the movie where everyone wanders into local shops, knows the historic buildings, tells old ghost stories and celebrates the changing seasons? That’s Cynthiana. And you know the beautiful country inn just outside town where the characters retreat afterward…the historic house surrounded by fields, fireplaces, porches, animals, gardens, good food and enough quiet to hear the leaves moving? That’s Ashford. Except this time, you actually get to stay there. Whether you’re searching for a romantic fall getaway in Kentucky , a bed and breakfast near Lexington, KY , a quiet weekend away from Cincinnati or Louisville, or simply one of the best places to experience fall in Central Kentucky , Ashford Acres Inn gives you 64 acres to slow down and experience the season. Fall is waiting at Ashford Acres Inn. Explore our current lodging packages, choose your suite and start planning your fall stay at Ashford Acres Inn , or browse our upcoming events at Ashford Acres to build your getaway around something special. -Ashford Acres Welcoming Team
By Ashford Acres Inn June 16, 2026
"Cynthiana hospitality is warm, welcoming, and feels like family."
By Ashford Acres Inn May 2, 2026
"It may be no surprise to some, but the parts of wedding planning I have found sweetest, are those you can only do as the bride herself."