100% Gluten-Free Bed and Breakfast: The Inn Berlin

I am so excited to share with you the details of a new 100% gluten-free bed and breakfast: The Inn Berlin!

This post is sponsored by the Inn Berlin. I was invited as a guest to stay at the Inn with my husband for 2 nights and our accommodations/food were included in the stay. Please see my disclosure page for more information about sponsored posts. My opinions are my own.

Earlier this spring, I was contacted about a new boutique bed and breakfast opening up just outside of Ocean City, Maryland.

And the best part?

The Inn is 100% gluten-free, and the owner/innkeeper has celiac disease.

Shut. The. Front. DOOR!

Naturally, I was thrilled and began planning this collaboration with the Inn to share with you!

Our stay coincided with our 5 year anniversary weekend. Dylan and I are both vaccinated, so we made the decision to travel here to celebrate.

In this post, I'm diving into all the details about the Inn Berlin, a gluten-free bed and breakfast you have to visit!

The Inn Berlin: 100% Gluten-Free Bed and Breakfast

About The Inn Berlin: Gluten-Free Bed & Breakfast

Owned and run by the Tomasello family, The Inn Berlin is a recently renovated property in historic Berlin, Maryland. The innkeeper, Maya, has celiac disease and has been working in the restaurant business for most of her life!

The Inn has five rooms, located on the second and third floors. They also have beautiful common areas on the first floor: a parlor, dining room, front porch, back veranda with a pergola, plus a newly paved patio. Please be aware there are no elevators on-site due to the historic nature of the Inn.

The property itself is set back from the road so it's very peaceful. They also host private events and weddings (a great spot if you are a gluten-free bride or groom!)

Maya is friendly and welcoming, and boy does she know gluten-free food! She goes above and beyond for her guests to feel comfortable and pampered during their stay.

And our visit was no different.

Getting To Berlin, Maryland

Berlin, Maryland is roughly 15 minutes by car to Ocean City, Maryland. The closest regional airports are the Salisbury Regional Airport or Ocean City Airport. Since these both had limited flights from Boston, we opted to fly into Baltimore.

Our round-trip flights on Southwest were from Boston (in the middle of one of the craziest summers for domestic travel) and they only cost us $22. If you want to know how we did that, check out this post to learn my top five tips to travel like a pro, including how to "travel hack" for free flights.

From Baltimore, we rented a car and drove 2.5 hours to Berlin. We didn't mind the drive - it had lots of cornfields, multiple bridges, and tons of farmstands with fresh produce. We even stopped at one of the farmstands that had two beautiful sunflower fields.

The Rooms At The Inn Berlin

The rooms to the Inn are all named after flowers. We stayed in the Peony Room, which was perfect as I even had peonies in my wedding bouquet! (Read more about our gluten-free wedding on the blog here.)

Our room had special touches throughout, from the fresh flowers to 100% gluten-free snacks, as well as small symbols of the town of Berlin - the honeybee. There were honeybees on the drinking glasses as well as honeybee handles on the armoire.

The room felt luxurious but with all the comforts you hope for in an accommodation. The bed felt like sleeping on a cloud, the shower had shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, and terrycloth robes. Not only did we discover gluten-free snacks in our room when we arrived, but there was an area for additional snacks, tea, and cold drinks just outside our room.

The Property Of The Inn

The Tomasello family did a complete remodel of the Inn in 2020, which you can read about on the inn's website. This historic property dates back a few hundred years.

The outside spaces, including the veranda, front porch, patio, and gardens make for beautiful, relaxing areas that beg you to sit down with a glass of wine.

We enjoyed all of our meals outside. In the evenings, we got to watch the sunset and then spotted fireflies. Talk about romantic!

100% Gluten-Free Food

Where do I even begin to describe how delicious, scrumptious, and out of this world every single food item was during our stay?

Dylan and I were so full after every single meal. And for me to not worry about anything relating to food was such a special treat.

Here's what to expect of the food when you visit the Inn Berlin!

Gluten-Free Breakfast At the Inn

We enjoyed our complimentary breakfasts outside. Maya sends out a survey before you arrive to ask about your preferences, any other dietary restrictions, and questions like whether you prefer tea or coffee.

Both of our breakfasts began with tea/coffee and juice, plus a bowl of Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and something sweet. One morning it was an orange pound cake, the other morning it was raspberry and apricot pastries!

You can enjoy the breakfast special, get breakfast to go, or continental breakfast. The specials during our stay were Eggs Benedict and Biscuits & Gravy. Whatever you choose, it's bound to be delicious and will set you up for a great day.

Gluten-Free Picnic Lunch

Dylan and I opted for a picnic lunch to take with us to Assateague. This is an add-on option you can choose to include in your stay. Maya sent us off with two beach towels, two beach chairs, and two coolers stuffed to the brim with food and drinks!

We had sandwiches, beers, wine, grapes, salami, cheese, veggies, cornbread muffins, chocolate chip cookies, potato chips, and dried fruit. Dylan and I both napped on the beach after eating as we were so stuffed!

Gluten-Free Private Dining At The Inn

Both evenings of our stay we enjoyed private dining on the veranda and watched the sunset. This is also an add-on option you can choose to include in your stay. Maya can prepare a variety of cuisines for you based on your preferences!

The first evening we had a BBQ-style meal: St. Louis ribs, coleslaw, crabcakes (when in Maryland!), grilled zucchini from the garden, and cornbread.

The second evening, and our 5 year anniversary dinner, we had a Spanish-inspired tapas board with jamón, manchego, tortilla de patatas, melon, pan con ajo, pulpo, devils on horseback, and chorizo.

Both nights we also had dessert, too: a berry crumble with fresh whipped cream, and an almond flour cake with chocolate-covered strawberries (a gift from my in-laws!)

Every single thing we ate at the Inn Berlin was fantastic. Maya has worked in the restaurant industry for many, many years, and has perfected her craft of creating delicious menus and recipes. As a food blogger who focuses on gluten-free recipes, I know how tricky things like gluten-free baking can be. But I was blown away by every dish set in front of us.

The Benefit of a Gluten-Free Bed and Breakfast

It was so RELAXING. The freedom of not having to worry about my food was one of the best parts of the entire weekend.

I've been traveling the world with celiac disease for twelve years. While the stress of dining out/traveling normally doesn't get to me, everyone has their moments.

But that stress and anxiety were non-existent on this trip because I knew I could eat absolutely everything, without issue!

What a weight lifted off my shoulders!

There were snacks available 24/7 if I got hungry. Even at meals, it was so simple!

When I wanted Dylan to try a piece of my food, I literally just put a bite on my fork and dropped it on his plate, touching his food/plate in the process.

For people who don't have any dietary restrictions, it's second nature to just share food or pass between plates.

But if you're reading this, you know exactly how complicated it is when you have celiac disease.

Normally, I would 1) check the table for a small appetizer/bread plate 2) check that it's clean 3) typically discover there is no plate on table 4) ask the waitstaff for a small plate 5) wait to receive a small plate from waitstaff 6) obtain small plate 7) place the single bite of food on the said plate with my fork 8) pass the plate to Dylan 9) Dylan eats said bite of food and comments that yes, it does in fact taste good 10) Dylan keeps now gluten-contaminated plate since it now has gluten on it from his fork (since he has no dietary restrictions) 11) I wonder if all of that trouble was really worth it to give him a piece of food that wouldn't also get me sick in the process.

That's a lot of mental energy and tiptoeing just to share a bite of food.

But it's become so normal that I don't even think about it anymore. It's just an automatic process that is now second nature.

So to have the ability to NOT have to be on guard and alert for my meals was truly such a gift. And staying at a gluten-free bed and breakfast like the Inn Berlin gives you that freedom!

Plus, the fact that the food tastes so dang good makes it even better.

Other Add-Ons At The Inn Berlin

In addition to the gorgeous grounds, stunning and comfortable rooms, and breakfasts, snacks, and drinks included with your stay, there are many other amenities and add-ons available at the Inn Berlin, including massages, yoga classes, tours of downtown Berlin and Assateague, as well as transportation to and from Salisbury Airport. I've linked the full list for you here, but some of the items we tried out are below:

Picnic Lunch: We opted for a picnic lunch for our day trip to Assateague. It includes a huge picnic lunch along with local beers because you can actually drink on the beach on the National Seashore (not the state park next door though). You'll also have beach chairs and towels for 2.

Private Dining: We had two private dinners during our stay, which made the trip feel even more like pampering. All we had to do was walk downstairs for a 100% gluten-free meal. The menus can be customized to the cuisines/foods you enjoy.

Things to Do

Explore The Shops in Downtown Berlin

There's a lot to be said about Berlin, Maryland. It's probably one of the cutest downtowns I've ever been to and is nicknamed "America's Coolest Small Town." Antique stores line Main Street, along with coffee shops, art galleries, florists, boutiques, and even a meadery! And on weekends, they have live music at a local theatre.

Dylan and I spent Friday afternoon just wandering around the streets and shops here. It's a ten-minute walk from the Inn Berlin.

Visit Assateague National Seashore

Assateague National Seashore is on Assateague Island, a 37-mile long island that takes up parts of Maryland and Virginia. The seashore is part of the National Park Service and takes up the northern part of the island. It's home to wild horses, gorgeous beaches, and lots of wildlife. Plus, the entrance is just a 15-minute drive from the Inn Berlin.

We spent an entire day at Assateague, and it was great! Here are our top tips for visiting:

Go early. The lines get long on the weekends, especially on nice days. It's common at many parks within the National Park Service.

Keep your eyes peeled for horses, but stay back! These horses are wild and not to be pet, fed, or ridden.

Hike the trails. In Assateague, there are a few hikes/trails and they are short. Some of them are just boardwalks. They are easy and perfect for spotting wildlife or hidden beaches.

Take a kayaking tour. We booked with Assateague Outfitters and had a private kayak tour on the marsh side of the island. Our guide helped us find clams, a horseshoe crab, and lots of birds during our 2.5-hour kayak trip.

Visit the Beach. Of course, you've gotta hit the beach! Bring a can of gluten-free beer (ask Maya, she's got great recommendations!). It's legal to drink on the beach in Assateague National Seashore. We visited South Ocean Beach toward the end of the afternoon when there was more parking available.

Check Out The Ocean City Boardwalk

The beauty of staying at the Inn means you are just 15 minutes from Ocean City as well. This place was a crazy town on a Friday night!

Much like the boardwalk on the Jersey Shore, the Ocean City Boardwalk was packed with people, carnival rides, beach shops, bars, lots of fried foods, & alcohol. The location right alongside the beach was nice, but this is the type of place Dylan and I typically shy away from.

Don't get me wrong, this looked like a lot of fun, especially for kids and families. So we explored it for a little while, dipped our toes in the ocean, and did a lot of people watching. After an hour or so, we both said "Yeah, I'm good" and headed back to the peace and quiet of the Inn Berlin.

Besides, when you are in gluten-free heaven, you kind of want to stay there as much as possible.

The Inn Berlin: Final Thoughts

Staying at a 100% gluten-free accommodation was everything I dreamed of, and more. The sheer feeling of peace that comes from staying somewhere you know is completely safe is so comforting. And at The Inn Berlin, not only are you staying somewhere safe, but somewhere you'll be taken care of and stuffed full of scrumptious gluten-free food!

Thank you so much, Maya and the Inn Berlin for inviting Dylan and me for the weekend! You truly made our anniversary special and we can't wait to return.

If you'd like to stay at the Inn Berlin, visit the Inn website to check their availability.

Looking for more gluten-free travel posts?

The 5 strategies you NEED for traveling with celiac disease.

These 10 items are always in my backpack or suitcase when traveling.

What to do if you're traveling with IBS - and how to reduce travel anxiety.

Get my gluten-free travel guides to Boston, New York, Madrid, Buenos Aires (plus many more) here!

Have you ever visited The Inn Berlin?

Would you stay at a 100% gluten-free place?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!