Board meetings for 16, conferences for 40, receptions for up to 100 guests and full buyouts of a 28-room village inn can be organised at The Inn at Montchanin Village, in Montchanin, Delaware, in the Brandywine Valley. The property is a cluster of restored cottages and houses linked by gardens, brick paths and courtyards, which gives a group the feeling of having its own small village for the length of the event.
Seminars and company events
The inn takes corporate retreats, leadership offsites, board meetings and conferences. The Carpenter Executive Boardroom seats 16 around one table and suits a leadership team or a board. The Dilwyne Conference Room holds up to 40 people for presentations, training or breakout sessions, and the Dilwyne Barn, the largest space on the property, takes up to 100 guests for a plenary, an awards dinner or a company party. For a retreat, the inn can be booked in full: a buyout covers all 28 rooms and suites, the gardens, the bar, the Crow's Nest, the Dilwyne Barn and the spa, with a minimum stay of two nights. Buyouts and room blocks are arranged directly with the inn by phone.
Weddings and receptions
The inn is best suited to wedding receptions, with the Dilwyne Barn as the main room for up to 100 guests. Small, intimate ceremonies can also be held on the property. Rehearsal dinners fit in Krazy Kat's or in the Crow's Nest, and room blocks can be held for guests travelling from out of town, so the wedding party can stay together over the weekend.
Rooms and capacities
Five spaces are listed for events. Krazy Kat's, the restaurant, takes up to 50 guests for a private dinner. The Crow's Nest, a smaller room above the restaurant, holds up to 40. The Dilwyne Barn takes up to 100, the Dilwyne Conference Room up to 40, and the Carpenter Executive Boardroom seats 16. With the gardens and courtyards between the buildings, a group can move between a meeting, a meal and a reception without leaving the property.
Accommodation
There are 28 rooms and suites spread across the restored cottages and homes of the village. A group can reserve a block of rooms or take the whole inn. The Spa at Montchanin Village, open seven days a week by appointment, is included in a full buyout and can add a wellness session to a retreat program.
Catering
All events are catered by Krazy Kat's, the inn's restaurant, which works from a seasonal menu built on locally sourced produce. Having one kitchen for breakfasts, working lunches, rehearsal dinners and receptions keeps planning simple for the organiser.
History and setting
Montchanin was first conceived as a small village in 1799. The restaurant occupies the former village blacksmith shop, and the other buildings have been restored as guest cottages around shared gardens. The setting is rural and quiet, in the Brandywine Valley north of Wilmington.
Getting there
The inn is at 528 Montchanin Road, Montchanin, Delaware 19710. Wilmington is the closest city and has an Amtrak station on the Northeast Corridor. Philadelphia International Airport is the nearest major airport. Guests arriving by train or plane will need a car or a transfer for the final miles.
