The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort

The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort is a grand old hotel and golf resort nestled amid the scenic beauty of the Pocono Mountains, right on the Delaware River. Built in 1911 by New York businessman Charles Campbell Worthington, it features a 27-hole golf course designed by the renowned course designer A.W. Tillinghast. The legendary Sam Snead was once the club pro and the course hosted the 1938 PGA Championship. 

The original inn is housed in a stately white building, featuring an expansive front porch with white rocking chairs and American flags hanging from the railings. The elegant lobby parlor has brown leather sofas, yellow-striped walls, dark-wood furnishings, a grand piano, landscape paintings, and bookshelves. This quiet, serene resort primarily draws golfers and lovers of vintage grand hotels, but outdoor aficionados will like the wide array of activities on-site and in the area. Couples appreciate the elegant and scenic setting, and the resort hosts many weddings.

The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort sits directly on the Delaware River in the scenic Pocono Mountains on the Pennsylvania-New Jersey border. The resort is off the beaten path, and there aren't a lot of evening activities in the immediate area, but it's a great spot for golf lovers and outdoor aficionados who want a quiet retreat. Shawnee Playhouse is a 10-minute walk away, while the Shawnee Mountain Ski Area is a five-minute drive. The Pennsylvania Welcome Center and I-80 freeway are also within five minutes by car. There are tons of amazing hikes to be had in the area, particularly in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which includes Mount Tammany and a portion of the Appalachian Trail. Located a 10-minute drive away, Stroudsburg has shopping, dining, and a movie theater. Bushkill Falls is a 20-minute drive from the hotel. It's about 90 minutes Newark Airport and a bit farther to midtown Manhattan.

Shawnee Inn has 103 non-smoking rooms and suites spread across multiple buildings. Rooms and suites come in a wide variety of categories and bedding configurations. The look throughout is country-colonial. Some rooms have hardwood floors and fine rugs, and those in the Delaware Lodge, Legacy Collection, and Evergreen House are handsome and modern, with on-trend paint jobs, sharp hardwood furniture, and a charming blend of rustic and contemporary decor. Less updated rooms, like the Second Traditional Double Room that we visited, have wallpaper borders, mid-tone wood furniture with antique lines, and floral curtains that don't look particularly fresh. 

Plush beds feature thick mattresses, duvets, triple sheeting, pillow menus, and nightly turndown service. All units come with mini-fridges, coffee- and tea-making facilities, bathrobes and slippers, and flat-screen TVs with DirecTV. Many units also offer some combination of microwaves, live plants, living rooms, gas fireplaces, iPod docks, and entertainment centers. Bathrooms vary and while some are roomy and even have jetted tubs, others feel compact and provide limited counter space around the sink. All have tile floors and bathing areas, and we did spot a bit of moldy grout in some rooms when we visited. Between late April and late October the resort offers "glamping" (glamorous camping), with high-quality furnished canvas tents, breakfast, and campfires with s'mores. 

The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort is loaded with excellent leisure facilities. Framed by views of the Poconos and the Delaware River, the iconic 27-hole golf course has 24 of its holes on an island in the Delaware River. The resort also has a six-hole pitch and putt course, a driving range, a putting green, a golf academy, and a pro shop, and guests can also play at the nearby Jack Nicklaus-designed 18-hole Great Bear Golf Club. Other outdoor activities include bocci, archery, horseshoes, hayrides, a playground, campfires, sand volleyball, and tennis. Resort staff can also arrange for off-site activities such as canoeing, kayaking, river rafting, fishing, and hiking. 

Other resort features include an indoor freeform pool that's big enough for a genuine lap. The resort has a sandy beach on the river, a sun deck, a hot tub, a good-sized fitness center, a full-service spa and salon, and a video arcade. Business and event facilities include free hotel-wide Wi-Fi, a business center, a conference room with catering and a ballroom that's popular with weddings. Dining and drinking venues include a fine gastropub using local and seasonal ingredients, a more casual brewpub with wood-fired grill items and beer brewed in the resort's own brewery, a bakery and cafe, and a golf course grill restaurant with outdoor patio. Breakfast is not included in room rates. There's also a craft brewery on-site. Free outdoor parking is available and Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.