Elegant B & B Minutes from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor

Early each morning, basil, chives, and rosemary are gathered from Koinonia Farm—one of the oldest organic farms in Maryland—and spun into hearty breakfasts cooked up by Gramercy Mansion’s gracious staff. From 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., the first-floor dining room wafts with aromas of thickly sliced italian-bread french toast and omelets stuffed with farm-fresh veggies, each dish sidled up next to mugs of mulled cider and hot coffee.

Dubbed one of Maryland’s most royal sites by the Baltimore Sun, the restored Tudor-style mansion boasts rooms and suites that feature unique furnishings and varying themes. A king-size bed, a private sitting area, and a double whirlpool tub comprise the elegant Camelot room, with braided forest-green and nut-brown curtains wrapping like ivy around the suite’s circumference. In the Magnolia room, the namesake flowers take the form of a hundred shimmering gold-leaf wall prints. A fireplace, marble bathroom, and double-size bed round out the quarters.

Spread across 45 acres of verdant Maryland real estate, the Gramercy Mansion’s grounds possess walking trails, manicured gardens, tennis and basketball courts, the organic farm, and even a wildlife preserve populated by a diverse range of bird species. Guests can spot feathery friends with a pair of binoculars borrowed from the staff or practice jungle evacuation techniques on the old-fashioned rope swing.

Baltimore: Small-Town Charm amid Big-City Attractions

Both visitors and residents are drawn to Baltimore’s picturesque Inner Harbor, home to the city’s best museums and the National Aquarium, a modern glass construct known for its tropical-rain-forest exhibit and shark tanks.

Little Italy's nearly 30 restaurants preside in the east, and visitors can take in one of the neighborhood's Tuesday-, Wednesday-, or Thursday-evening bocce-ball leagues or seasonal slip 'n slides through pasta sauce. A collection of restaurants in the area—many along the water—provides the opportunity to sample both traditional and modern interpretations of the region's iconic steamed blue crabs.

Although Gramercy Mansion sometimes offers discounted rates on select rooms online, this Groupon is valid for more room types and offers the best deal available.