*The below FAQ is intended to address common questions and misconceptions regarding the pending zoning application for The Manor House Inn.  Readers are encouraged to review the zoning application itself for additional information. Hard copies are available at Town Hall. Updates are posted on the Town News Website. For links to additional documents posted by Town Hall, Click Here and select from the options in the right-hand column.*

Property History and Operations

Q: What is the history of The Manor House Inn?

A: The Alders Estate was built as a private residence in 1898 when Norfolk was a bustling resort community and Maple Avenue was the hub of recreational activities. 

The Manor House has hosted overnight visitors for nearly 50 years, first with room rentals (1977), then as a B&B (1986), and for over 25 years as a Country Inn (1996).  

Q: How is The Manor House permitted to operate in the Village Residential zone?  Doesn’t the zoning permit only residential uses?

A:  Country Inns are permitted with special permit approval in the Village Residential Zone.  The Manor House received its special permit to operate as a Country Inn in 1996, and that permit is still valid today.  The special permit allows up to 25 guest rooms with the following “related uses,” to be enjoyed by both overnight and daytime guests of “no more than 150 people”:

• A restaurant;
• Conference facilities;
• Recreational facilities; and
• “Similar uses contributing to the comfort, convenience or necessity of guests.”

Q:  Did prior owners use the Manor House as a Country Inn?

A:  Yes.  When the 1996 permit was issued, the then-owners of The Manor House focused on hosting events, including weddings, supplementing their lodging income to ensure the Inn’s viability and to allow for the continued maintenance of the estate. They invested in significant renovations during their tenure.  During that time, guests parked in the existing 16-space lot; overflow parking was designated on additional grassy areas (10 spaces), and additional parking occurred on the paved area in front of the inn and along Maple Avenue. 

The property was sold in 2004, and the subsequent owner focused on overnight lodging when Infinity Hall was flourishing and Norfolk welcomed travelers and tourists consistently.  Unfortunately, the building and grounds suffered deferred maintenance during this time, and the property value depreciated significantly before the Inn was sold again in 2017. 

The next owners again focused on lodging revenue while still hosting retreats and events.  However, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Infinity Hall and all nearby hospitality properties, including the Inn, thereby inclining them to sell.  Three Stewards Real Estate LLC purchased the property in 2022.  

Q:  Does The Manor House currently host guests?  Does it offer recreational amenities and services to those guests today?  

A: Yes, The Manor House currently hosts overnight guests in eight guest rooms within the Inn building; daytime guests are welcome with advanced reservations and are subject to Fire Code limitations.  The Manor House offers a variety of amenities and services to its guests, including food service, yoga, massage, picnic packages, nature walks, and the like.  

Q:  Why propose improvements to The Manor House Inn now?  Can’t the Inn continue to operate as-is?

A: The Manor House cannot continue on as-is, and doing nothing will jeopardize not only the future of the Inn but of the entire property, which will potentially have an adverse effect on other nearby property values.  These large, historically significant buildings are expensive to maintain, and interest in visiting Norfolk has dwindled over the last decade.  Further, the Inn’s recreational amenities are relatively few and outdated, and the parking, lighting, and walkways on the property are not zoning-compliant or safe for guests and emergency access and circulation.  To keep up with competitor Inns and to ensure the future of The Manor House, Three Stewards needs to modernize and beautify the site and the Inn’s offerings for guests.  The goal is to create a rural, nature-centric retreat, where guests may relax, reflect, and enjoy what Norfolk has to offer.

Q:  Has Three Stewards done anything to preserve The Manor House Inn to date?

A:  Yes.  Three Stewards have invested well over half a million dollars into The Manor House already by, among other things, replacing the roof, painting the exterior of the Inn building, completing various Fire Code upgrades and electrical / plumbing system repairs, and addressing various landscaping concerns, including pruning overgrown trees and vegetation on-site. 

Site Improvement Plan

Q: What are Three Stewards proposing to do with this new zoning application?

A: Three Stewards is proposing various site improvements, including:

• Parking, dark-sky compliant lighting, driveway, and walkway updates to bring the property into compliance with the Zoning Regulations and to enhance guest and emergency access;
• Adding outdoor nature-immersive recreational amenities at the rear (west) of the Inn building for guests, including a terrace, hot and cold plunge pools, sauna, beverage station, and amenity building, will contain an indoor hydrothermal circuit and spaces for massage.
• Construction of two (2) Nordic-style guest cabins.
• Demolition of the unsafe carport and shed currently on-site in favor of a beautiful garage for storage purposes.
• Significant additional landscaping as an homage to the Inn’s reputation as a rural, nature-centric retreat, and to further beautify and screen the site.
• Construction of stormwater management improvements, including two (2) rain gardens.

The application does not include any proposed changes to the use of the property (lodging, conferences, restaurant, recreation, or similar uses).  As such, the terms of the 1996 special permit are not within the scope of the application and will not change.

Q:  Are the proposed improvements within the scope of the 1996 special permit?

A:  Yes.

Q:  I heard that Three Stewards is proposing to add 10,000 SF of building(s) on-site – is that true?

A:  No. Proposed improvements to the site include a net increase of building structures totaling approximately 2,463 SF.  The backyard terrace, walkways, and plunge pools on-site total approximately 1,334 SF, all hidden from the view of the road with the landscape design plan.

Q:  Will the improvements be completed at once or in phases?  How long will it take?

A:  The improvements will be completed over three phases, with breaks in construction between phases.  Three Stewards hopes to complete the first two phases within one year, and anticipates completing all improvements within five (5) years.  

Q:  Do the improvements to the site include a restaurant?  A spa?  Aren’t those new businesses outside of the scope of the 1996 special permit?

A:  The Manor House already has zoning authorization to operate a “restaurant” on-site pursuant to its 1996 special permit, and it has historically offered food service to its overnight and daytime guests.  Today, The Manor House Inn has a Class 3 Food Service License from the Torrington Area Health District, and the Norfolk Fire Marshal has confirmed that the Inn may have up to 44 dining seats within the Inn building for food service.  While Three Stewards intends to enhance its food service offerings for its guests, doing so is within the scope of its special permit and does not constitute a new business or different use on-site.  

The proposed amenities at the rear of the site are also within the scope of the 1996 special permit and do not constitute a new business.  The amenity building will service the Inn’s guests by providing a designated area for rest, recreation, and massage – which is already offered on-site today. It will also include a Nordic-style hydrothermal circuit that combines hot and cold therapies with various water features, such as a cold rain shower.  

As with all of the Inn’s offerings, advanced reservations will be required, thereby limiting the number of guests that may use the Inn at any given time.

Q:  Will The Manor House continue to host events?

A:  Yes.  The Manor House has hosted events for decades and will continue to do so in accordance with its 1996 special permit.  However, the current owners have intentionally shifted their focus to cater to more subdued activities, including team-building retreats, group/family outings, girls’ weekends away, and intimate weddings. The Inn specifically markets its grounds for wellness retreats. Hours of operation will remain the same as they currently are.

Q:  Why are you proposing 45 parking spaces when the Inn has operated with far less for years?  Won’t the headlights disturb the neighbors?

A:  The existing parking area is not only too small to service the Inn, but it is deteriorating and unsafe for guests and employees.  As noted above, prior owners have used the existing parking area but have allowed additional vehicles to park on the grass or along Maple Avenue.  Three Stewards do not want to encourage guests to continue to park on the grass or off-site and have, therefore, proposed a parking area that is zoning-compliant and safe.  The proposed parking area will have 45 parking spaces because the Zoning Regulations require 45 parking spaces.  Three Stewards’ design team has designed the parking area to minimize impacts by, among other things, selecting dark-sky-compliant lighting fixtures and low-to-the-ground walkway lights, utilizing the existing wall along Maple Avenue, and incorporating additional plantings to screen the area.  In particular, the plantings proposed along Maple Avenue will grow to approximately five (5) feet in height, which will shield all headlights and most vehicles from view.  A rendered elevation of the property from Maple Avenue is below. The full application packet with engineered drawings in print are available at Town Hall or click here for digital copies.

Q:  Who designed the proposed improvements?

A: The site was designed by Lead Designer Bob Gilchrest and Engineer George Johanassen from Allied Engineering Associates.  Allied also designed the landscaping for City Meadow and the Norfolk Village Center.  Rob White Architect Co., located in Bethany, designed the proposed amenity building.  Kloter Farms designed the proposed storage garage.

Q:  How will The Manor House Inn contribute to, and support, the broader Norfolk community?

A:  The Manor House Inn is committed to community enrichment through:

• Job creation;
• Offering special resident rates for recreational activities;
• Partnering with local producers and artisans;
• Supporting local conservation and cultural initiatives;
• Creating opportunities for environmental education;
• Contributing to Norfolk’s economic vitality by, among other things, promoting local businesses and other Connecticut nonprofit organizations, including Haystack Book Talks, Great Mountain Forest, American Mural Project, International Festival of Arts & Ideas, The Gathering Place Shelter, and the Women’s Business Development Council
• Proudly hosting Yale Summer School of Music Faculty during the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, continuing the Town’s rich musical heritage; and
• Donating discounted and select complimentary stays for chosen researchers, writers, and artists who further conservation and cultural goals in the Town of Norfolk.

The Inn’s commitment reflects its belief that a thriving community requires strong cultural institutions, environmental stewardship, and social support systems.

Rendered Site Plan of the Proposed Improvements

Proposed Rendered View From Maple Avenue