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Feature Story : Oak Ridge Inn
The Oak Ridge Inn: A home away from home
By Victoria Frank
Leafing through the guest books placed in each room, you’ll find adjectives such as “outstanding” and “perfect” to describe The Oak Ridge Inn. The Oak Ridge, which features eight different themed rooms, can be found just off SR 39, in the quiet hills of Walnut Creek. Owned by Joe Miller, the concept of the inn was to create a place where people could retreat, relax and, most importantly, be comfortable. The moment a guest pulls into the driveway, they will feel like they belong.
“I wanted it to be like home,” Miller explained. “We just wanted to make it a special place that people can enjoy. It’s a destination place.”
Once inside, guests are greeted by one of two innkeepers, Ken Hamsher or Karen Burden. Both have been with the inn since 1997, when it first opened its doors. The overall staff count is low, with only seven individuals employed within the inn, and the familiar faces welcome their guests as they would into their own home, conversing like they have been friends forever. Hamsher believes that unique interaction between innkeeper and guest is essential to the overall atmosphere of The Oak Ridge.
“A lot of other inns can’t do that, whereas we’re small, so we can,” he explained. “We want people to consider driving here like driving home.”
Inside The Oak Ridge, no two rooms are alike. Each has a distinct theme centered around a type of wood, which Schrock’s of Walnut Creek used to create masterpiece furniture throughout the facility. The interior design of each room was carefully chosen to reflect style, and the classic country feel is extremely warm and welcoming.
The large rooms, aside from offering handcrafted furniture, provide vaulted ceilings, quiet central heating and air conditioning, televisions neatly tucked away inside beautiful armoires, and kitchenettes that include microwaves and small refrigerators. Several rooms have Jacuzzi tubs and cozy gas fireplaces, perfect for those chilly winter nights. Special attention was also given to sitting areas, and comfortable recliners and couches are not only a standard for The Oak Ridge, but replaced regularly.
Guests enjoy their complimentary continental breakfast each morning in the quaint lobby, with a small library of books available to browse, free wireless Internet and a television to catch up on the morning news.
Perhaps the most important elements, however, are the picture windows and private bricked patios found off each room, especially the suites. Guests can sit outside, enjoy the nice weather, and just take in the serene essence of Amish Country, without ever leaving the grounds.
“The window view of the meadow will always be imprinted upon our minds,” one guest wrote of her stay in the Miller Farm Suite.
And Miller himself believes the location is one of the greatest assets. Nestled among age-old oak trees, the quiet countryside offers something special for those looking to break away from hectic city life and truly relax.
Once a guest stays at The Oak Ridge, they always seem to want to come back. This fact is what makes Miller truly proud and he enjoys reading each individual entry in the guest books he provides. One couple visits all the way from Canada and stays several weeks every year. Another man described how, after more than 30 years with the state highway patrol, he spent his first night as a retired man relaxing at the hotel. And on occasion, even Bob Evans and Clark Kellogg found time to unwind inside the luxurious Miller Farm Suite.
In the words of Hamsher, “When people sing the praises of this place, you never get tired of hearing it.”
As a destination where people celebrate anniversaries, take pleasure in a weekend away from young ones, retreat from significant losses, or just venture throughout Amish Country, The Oak Ridge Inn offers the peaceful setting for guests to reflect on what is truly important in life and simply enjoy some quiet time to themselves.
One guest described it perfectly, “As always, we really enjoyed our stay here. The countryside, the staff, just the slower pace of life. God does bless our lives.”
