Consider a stay at Bee and Thistle Inn and take advantage of free full breakfast, a garden, and a fireplace in the lobby. Treat yourself to spa services, such as aromatherapy, a facial, or a deep-tissue massage. The on-site American cuisine fine-dining restaurant, The Chestnut Grille, features garden views and dinner. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi, and guests can find other amenities such as a bar.
Additional perks include:
Free self parking
Wedding services, tour/ticket assistance, and luggage storage
Free newspapers, meeting rooms, and multilingual staff
Room features
All guestrooms are individually furnished, and include comforts such as premium bedding, as well as thoughtful touches like free WiFi and free bottled water.
More amenities include:
Bathrooms with free toiletries
Languages
English
Similar properties
The Answer - Charming, Unique, Tidal, Riverfront Escape - Kayaks, AC Firepit
The Answer - Charming, Unique, Tidal, Riverfront Escape - Kayaks, AC Firepit
Free full breakfast available daily 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM
A bar/lounge
A restaurant
Coffee and tea in common areas
Restaurants on site
The Chestnut Grille
Conveniences
Free newspapers in lobby
Limited-hour front desk
Luggage storage
Guest services
Concierge services
Housekeeping (daily)
Multilingual staff
Tour and ticket assistance
Turndown service
Wedding services
Business services
Meeting rooms
Outdoors
Garden
On a river
Picnic area
Spa
Aromatherapy
Couples treatment rooms
Deep-tissue massages
Facials
Hot stone massages
Swedish massages
Treatment room
Accessibility
No elevator
More
1 building
3 floors
Built in 1756
Designated smoking areas
Fireplace in lobby
Georgian architecture
Room amenities
Bedroom
Premium bedding
Bathroom
Free toiletries
Private bathroom
Food and drink
Free bottled water
Room service
More
Individual decor
Individual furnishings
Policies
Check-in
Check-in time starts at 3:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out
Check-out before 11:00 AM
Special check-in instructions
The front desk is open daily from 9 AM - 9 PM
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property ahead of time using the information on the booking confirmation
If you are planning to arrive after 9 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Access methods
Front desk (limited hours)
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children 16 and younger are not allowed at this property; All guests older than 16 are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available
Property payment types
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards
We should mention
This property does not have elevators
This property's policy is to refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, including pre-wedding stag/bachelor and hen/bachelorette parties
Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments; reservations can be made by contacting the property prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
Children 16 years old and younger are not permitted at this property
Property is also known as
Bee & Thistle Inn
Bee & Thistle Inn Old Lyme
Bee Thistle Inn
Bee Thistle Old Lyme
Bee And Thistle Hotel Old Lyme
Bee Thistle Inn Old Lyme
Bee Thistle
Bee and Thistle Inn Inn
Bee and Thistle Inn Old Lyme
Bee and Thistle Inn Inn Old Lyme
Frequently asked questions
Is Bee and Thistle Inn pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much is parking at Bee and Thistle Inn?
Self parking is free at this property.
What time is check-in at Bee and Thistle Inn?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Bee and Thistle Inn?
Check-out is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Bee and Thistle Inn located?
Situated in the historical district, this spa inn is within a 15-minute walk of Florence Griswold Museum, Old Lyme Historical Society, and Lawrence & Memorial Family Medicine. Connecticut River and Ferry Landing State Park are also within 3 mi (5 km).
Have a question?
AI iconBeta
Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.
Bee and Thistle Inn Reviews
Reviews
8.8
Excellent
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 55 out of 87 reviews
10 - Excellent
55
Rating 8 - Good. 18 out of 87 reviews
8 - Good
18
Rating 6 - Okay. 7 out of 87 reviews
6 - Okay
7
Rating 4 - Poor. 4 out of 87 reviews
4 - Poor
4
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 87 reviews
2 - Terrible
3
9.4/10
Cleanliness
9.0/10
Staff & service
4.6/10
Amenities
8.6/10
Property conditions & facilities
Reviews
2/10
THEY ARE OUT OF BUSINESS!!!! YOU BOOKED ME A HOTEL THAT NO LONGER EXISTS!!!!!
Verified traveler
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2021
2/10
Verified traveler
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2021
2/10
Dean
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2020
8/10
Verified traveler
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019
8/10
Verified traveler
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019
6/10
I was billed twice for my final payment. First when I checked in and then when I checked out.
Verified traveler
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019
10/10
Lovely Inn and staff was very friendly and helpful. Dinner was beyond excellent!
Lynne
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019
8/10
Verified traveler
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019
4/10
Bee and Thistle was a huge letdown for us. The outward appearance of the property and grounds are very nice . The rooms however are a different story. Dark, dreary and desperate for deep cleaning and coat of fresh paint in cheery color. The bathroom is almost unusable. Small , dirty, shower that barely functioned. The bed was very uncomfortable , pillows etc. The owners need to give this place an overhaul. The dinner experience was also bad. A server touched our food with bare hands in front of us. We could not get coffee until 8 am so we had to go to a convenience store . 😭
Verified traveler
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019
10/10
Verified traveler
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2014
10/10
Bill
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
6/10
Overall we would have to say that this hotel was okay. Nothing special but also not horrible. It is a beautiful house that has a lot of charm to it. The grounds around the house are also nice to walk around. We had only a couple issues, though to us they were important. We knew we were going to arrive late, and called the day before to let them know. They contact us via hotels.com and informed us that if we arrived after 9pm then out keys to our room would be in the basket outside the front door. Easy enough. Well, when we arrived, around 11:30pm there was no key in the basket and no phone number to call. Luckily, the last restaurant worker was leaving, making sure the front door was locked, and saw us arrive. They were kind enough to open the door, find out key in an envelope that was inside the house (not helpful) and showed us our room. Definitely not their job, but they did it. Which was very nice. Unfortunately that was the last of the good customer service. The following day no one said hello, gave us a welcome talk or provided us with information. When we went to ask the front desk person didn't know the answers to most of our questions. The second issue was the bed, after two nights sleeping on it, our backs started to hurt. Could use better pillows as well.
However, otherwise we really enjoyed our visit to Lyme, the sites and the beach. It is a lovely area to explore.
Guillermo
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019
10/10
Friendly, helpful staff that provided great information about the area and things to do. Inn was a comfortable charming place with o stay.
Dawn
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019
10/10
Philip
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2018
10/10
Absolutely amazing place, very comfortable accommodations. Ate dinner there too, and it was probably the best I have in a long time. A little issue with the hair dryer early in the morning and no one around, but it was such a minor inconvenience I don't want it to detract from the review. I would absolutely book there again in a heartbeat. Staff have limited hours, but when they were there, they were so attentive without being overbearing. Wonderful musicians on a Sunday night during dinner, great wine selections, and chef has a real creative way of using local items. Bar tender also creative with drinks, though I loved the wine selection. Bed SOOOO comfortable. Enjoy!
Kim
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2018
10/10
Love the original art on walls, the garden with live music and happy hour. The restaurant was fantastic!
Sandiphoto
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2018
4/10
For years we have passed the Bee and Thistle and always wanted to stay there. What a disappointment. Great staff and location but boy is the place run down. It looks like there must be absentee ownership that has either run out of money or just doesn’t care anymore. Many areas badly in need of painting, filthy windows and windowsills, poor AC, threadbare carpets, water stains on ceilings etc., etc. Considering the condition of the property the rates should be a fraction of what they are. I’m aware of the term “shabby chic” but the current Bee and Thistle is just shabby.
Eli
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2018
6/10
No TV in the room or on the premises. The breakfast was outstanding.
Verified traveler
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2018
10/10
Unique place. Great outdoors
Pete
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2018
10/10
My room was nice and quiet, staff were friendly and assisted with local outdoorsy info .The breakfast was delish. I love the shore area in ct.and the inns along the coast
Bridget
10/10
Warner
10/10
Wish I had more time to explore the area, but the dinner at the restaurant was excellent and the breakfast was plentiful and pretty good too!
Verified traveler
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2018
10/10
Patric N
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2018
10/10
Great way to spend our anniversary....great food too
Verified traveler
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2018
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.
10/10
Very charming inn. Cookies were delivered to our room in the evening, and we received a bag with water and apples at checkout. The breakfast was very good, with an egg dish, bacon, toast, and assorted delicious pastries and gourmet coffee and tea. Staff was very friendly and helpful.Only negative was slow-filling tub on the third floor, but completely understandable with the age of the house.Lovely toiletries.