Find your peace of mind 

The Inn at Starlight Lake

Across the road from the Starlight Lake, only a stone’s throw away from the blankets of lily pads, boat docks, and mostly tree-lined shore is the Inn at Starlight Lake, a romantic country retreat for guests in search of a setting to relax and unwind, without distraction.

Adirondack and rocking are situated on the large front porch to provide guests with an unobstructed view of the lake. Astilbe, daylilies, and varieties of ornamental grass and other perennials are tucked in corners around the perimeter of the inn and add to the charm and ambiance of this historic structure and country setting.

A Brief History 

Sari Schwartz and her husband, Jimmy, started coming to the Inn at Starlight Lake in 1974. Jimmy’s friend, an avid hunter, introduced them to the region.

“His friend had a problem with his car and didn’t want to stay overnight at the hunting camp so one of his buddies drove him around and they came across The Inn at Starlight Lake,” Sari Schwartz recalled.

When his friend returned to New York City, Sari said he told Jimmy, “We really should bring the girls up here some weekend.”

They spent their first night at the inn New Year’s Eve in 1974 and continued to celebrate the new year there for 19 consecutive years. “When life got in the way,” Sari said, “We stopped coming for a while until 2000 to 2001.”

Throughout the years, Sari and Jimmy became friends with the former owners, Jack and Judy.

“We were always kidding with Judy, when you’re ready to sell, we’ll buy it (the inn). We kidded one too many times,” Sari commented.

While the inn is off the beaten track in Starlight, PA, they were both in the hospitality business and bought the inn and property in 2005 with the intention to retire there.

“This was supposed to be our retirement,” she explained. “But Jimmy passed away in 2011.”

Aside from personalizing the interior with some of their own accessories and painting the exterior, Sari noted, “It’s pretty much the same. We decided we weren’t going to change the inn. That’s what we wanted to do.”

Fortunately, Sari runs the inn with the help of her daughter and son-in-law and support from the community.

“Life as an innkeeper is a lot of work but a lot of fun,” Schwartz said. “I’m a people person most of the time. I’ve been very lucky to have a great staff and to have a son-in-law who knows a lot about a lot of stuff. We’ve also always been very fortunate with the tradespeople in the area.”

A year round retreat

The inn is a four-season vacation destination but summer is their busiest time with fall close behind in popularity.

A July 4 barbecue is one of the events planned throughout the year.

Celebrate the holidays at an old-fashioned barbecue.

Schwartz said, “We observe the holidays. On July 4, we have always had a barbecue.”

The cost is $15 per person and $10 of that goes into a scholarship fund that Schwartz explained is given to the young people who work at Inn who are going to college.

“It has reached a point now where people actually give us donations for the scholarship fund. Even if it just buys their books, it something. We try in our own way to give back to the community.”

Four to five Murder Mystery Weekends per year, an illusionist, magician, and renaissance fair are a few of the special offerings.

Activities that will bring you back to nature

Don’t expect to find Wi-Fi, televisions, telephones, or air conditioning in any of the guest rooms. Wi-Fi is available in the public area of the Inn. But don’t despair. You’ll likely be too busy swimming, playing board games, hiking, paddling a canoe or kayak, or engaged in conversation with Sari or other guests. Be sure to ask for a complete list of activities when you book your reservation.

When it’s your time to dine…

The entire inn is family-friendly and so are the generous portions. Homecooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served in the bar, dining room, and enclosed sun porch. Breakfast is on-the-house for registered guests.

“People are telling me I should start to advertise the fact that we have a lot of vegetarian dishes on our menu. We will also accommodate vegans and guests on gluten free diets.” 

Visit innatstarlightlake.com to view menus and additional information.

“As an innkeeper, the people, her guests, have made this all worthwhile.” Sari Schwartz