Travelers Rest Motel
3701 Old Philadelphia Pike
Intercourse, PA
Free Amish farmland tours, locally made donuts at breakfast, and a candy bar at check-in in Lancaster County.
This property is an Honorable Mention. It has been vetted and approved for our highest standards of cleanliness, safety, and operational excellence. While it is still evolving toward our full design-led designation, it is a proven, reliable anchor for any road trip. We recommend it with confidence.
About Travelers Rest Motel
The Travelers Rest Motel has operated on Old Philadelphia Pike in the village of Intercourse, Pennsylvania, since the early 1980s, one of several properties operated by the Bird-in-Hand Corporation, a family of locally owned hospitality businesses in Lancaster County's Amish Country. The single-story property sits at the center of the most visited stretch of the Pennsylvania Dutch corridor, half a mile from Kitchen Kettle Village and a short drive from working Amish farms, roadside produce stands, and craft workshops. The complimentary two-hour Amish farmland tour, offered Monday through Saturday, provides guided access to the working farmland and cultural context of the Amish and Mennonite communities surrounding the property. The daily deluxe continental breakfast includes hot selections, locally made donuts, and farm-fresh items. Every check-in includes a candy bar.
What Travelers Rest Motel Is Known For
The Travelers Rest Motel holds one of the highest sustained guest ratings of any Lancaster County property, across more than a thousand independent reviews. That number reflects a property where the operations are genuinely excellent: the rooms are consistently clean, the staff are consistently welcoming, the breakfast is consistently good, and the Amish farmland tour is consistently described as the highlight of the guest's day. In a county full of lodging options that trade on the landscape, the Travelers Rest earns its reputation through what it does every morning, not through what it looks like.
Amenities
- Breakfast Included
- WiFi
- Free guided Amish farmland tour (included at no charge)
- Complimentary daily breakfast with hot selections and locally made donuts
- Candy bar at check-in
- Firepit with complimentary firewood kits
- Gazebo and lawn seating
- Access to Bird-in-Hand Family Inn pools and recreation (3.5 miles)
- Discounted Bird-in-Hand Stage theatre tickets
- Exterior access with numbered parking spots at each room
What Guests Love
- The free two-hour Amish farmland tour is offered Monday through Saturday at no charge and is consistently cited as the highlight of guests' stays. Led by guides with detailed knowledge of Amish history and culture, it provides guided access to the working farms and community that most Lancaster County visitors see only from the road.
- The review record reflects consistent operations across every aspect of the guest experience: cleanliness, staff, breakfast, and the farmland tour.
- The breakfast includes locally made donuts alongside hot selections including sausage gravy and biscuits, waffles, and oatmeal. Coffee and tea are available throughout the day in the breakfast room.
Worth Knowing
- Front-facing rooms on Old Philadelphia Pike carry road noise. Request a rear-facing room when booking if this concerns you.
- The Amish farmland tour runs Monday through Saturday only. If your stay includes a Sunday, plan accordingly.
- Access to Bird-in-Hand Family Inn pools requires a short drive (3.5 miles). The Travelers Rest Motel itself does not have an on-site pool.
- Pet policy is not confirmed by current booking platform data. Contact the property directly before booking if traveling with a pet.
The Room
The rooms are on a single floor with direct exterior access and dedicated numbered parking spots at each door. Room configurations include two-double and king options, each with a private bath, refrigerator, microwave, in-room coffee maker, hair dryer, and TV. The rooms are clean, functional, and well-maintained: the straightforward design reflects the motel's character as a reliable base for Lancaster County exploration rather than a destination stay. Rear-facing rooms are notably quieter than front-facing units, which can carry road noise from Old Philadelphia Pike. Guests with noise sensitivity should request a rear room when booking. The property is entirely non-smoking.
The Grounds
The property is a single-story exterior-access motel on Old Philadelphia Pike, with numbered parking spots in front of each room. The grounds include a gazebo with lawn seating, a firepit with complimentary firewood kits, and a picnic area. The breakfast room is in the main building adjacent to the office. The surrounding landscape is the rolling pastoral farmland of Lancaster County: fields of corn and tobacco, white-fenced farms, and the occasional horse-drawn buggy visible from the parking lot.
The Experience
Staying in Intercourse puts guests in the center of the Pennsylvania Dutch country, within a short drive of the working Amish farms, roadside markets, and artisan workshops that draw millions of visitors to Lancaster County each year. Kitchen Kettle Village, a complex of 40 local shops and restaurants, is a half-mile walk. The Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market, one of the most authentic Pennsylvania Dutch markets in the county with Amish and Mennonite vendors, is four miles west. The free Amish farmland tour, led by guides with deep local knowledge of Amish history and culture, is the amenity guests mention most often and most specifically. It runs two hours, operates Monday through Saturday, and is included at no charge. For travelers coming to Lancaster County to understand the culture rather than simply drive past it, the tour is the practical version of that intention. As a Bird-in-Hand Corporation property, guests also have access to the pools and recreation facilities at the Bird-in-Hand Family Inn, three and a half miles away.
Details
Intercourse, PA 17534
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Travelers Rest Motel have EV charging?
No, Travelers Rest Motel does not have EV charging.
Does Travelers Rest Motel have WiFi?
Yes, Travelers Rest Motel has WiFi.
What is there to do near Travelers Rest Motel?
Kitchen Kettle Village: 0.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market: 4 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there. Amish Farm and House: 6 miles, about a 10 minute drive.
How far is Travelers Rest Motel from Kitchen Kettle Village?
0.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is Travelers Rest Motel from Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market?
4 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is Travelers Rest Motel from Amish Farm and House?
6 miles, about a 10 minute drive.
What is the Amish farmland tour at Travelers Rest Motel?
The Travelers Rest Motel offers a free two-hour guided Amish farmland tour for all guests. The tour provides guided access to working Amish farms and detailed context on the history, beliefs, and daily practices of the Amish and Mennonite communities in Lancaster County. It is included at no charge.
Is breakfast included at Travelers Rest Motel?
Yes. A complimentary daily deluxe continental breakfast is served every morning for all guests. It includes hot selections such as sausage gravy and biscuits, waffles, and hot oatmeal, along with locally made donuts, fresh fruit, pastries, yogurt, and cereals. Coffee and tea are available throughout the day.
How far is Travelers Rest Motel from Kitchen Kettle Village?
Kitchen Kettle Village is approximately half a mile from the motel and is walkable. It has more than 40 local shops, restaurants, and food producers.
What is the Bird-in-Hand Corporation?
Bird-in-Hand Corporation is a family of locally owned hospitality businesses in Lancaster County's Amish Country, including the Travelers Rest Motel, the Bird-in-Hand Family Inn, the Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market, and the Bird-in-Hand Stage theatre. Guests at the Travelers Rest have access to pools and recreation at the Family Inn, 3.5 miles away.
Is Travelers Rest Motel pet-friendly?
Pet policy is not confirmed by current booking platform data. Contact the property directly before booking if you are traveling with a pet.
Do all rooms have exterior access?
Yes. All rooms are on a single floor with exterior access and dedicated numbered parking spots directly in front of each room.
Are there quiet rooms away from road noise?
Yes. Rear-facing rooms are significantly quieter than front-facing units that face Old Philadelphia Pike. Request a rear room when booking if noise sensitivity is a concern.
Does Travelers Rest Motel have a pool?
The motel does not have an on-site pool, but guests have access to the pools and recreation facilities at the Bird-in-Hand Family Inn, 3.5 miles west.
What makes Travelers Rest Motel worth staying at?
The combination of a genuinely excellent free Amish farmland tour, a daily farm-fresh breakfast, a walkable location at the center of Intercourse, and consistently friendly staff produce a stay that earns one of the highest sustained ratings of any Lancaster County property. For travelers coming to Lancaster County to engage with the Amish Country culture, it is the most practical and well-reviewed base in the area.
Is parking available at Travelers Rest Motel?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available at Travelers Rest Motel.
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Things to Do Near Lancaster County, Amish Country
Kitchen Kettle Village
0.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
Kitchen Kettle Village is a pedestrian retail and dining complex approximately half a mile from the motel, with more than 40 locally owned shops and restaurants in a village-style setting. The complex includes jam and relish producers, a fudge shop, Amish craft vendors, bakeries, and a creamery. It is one of the most visited commercial destinations in Lancaster County and is walkable from the motel.
Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market
4 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there.
Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market, four miles west of the motel, is one of the most authentic Pennsylvania Dutch markets in Lancaster County, with Amish and Mennonite vendors selling fresh produce, baked goods, meats, cheese, and crafts. The market operates Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from April through November, with reduced winter hours.
Amish Farm and House
6 miles, about a 10 minute drive.
The Amish Farm and House in Lancaster Township is one of the oldest operating educational sites in Lancaster County, offering guided tours of a working 1805 farmstead and an Amish house that demonstrate the daily practices, beliefs, and material culture of the Old Order Amish community. The site provides historical context that complements the Travelers Rest farmland tour program.