The Tolland Inn, Tolland

Tolland is twenty miles east of Hartford on Interstate 84, roughly halfway between Hartford and Sturbridge, MA. The town was named in 1713 and grew around an intersection of the New York to Boston, and Norwich to Springfield post roads. As the old county seat, and with the post road crossing, travelers have found shelter in Tolland for most of its long history.

Taverns, inns, and hotels have at various times offered accommodations on the village Green.The last of these, the Steele House, began taking guests in January of 1914. Their guest register that first year showed guests from New York, Boulder, Colorado, and Changli, China.

The Steeles ran the guest house until 1942, and owned the place until 1959. Susan and Steve Beeching bought the property in 1985 from a couple who were the last registered guests of the old Steele House. An extensive restoration and updating of the inn began, and two years later we opened as the Tolland Inn.

The Innkeepers are Susan and Steve Beeching. Susan is a Nantucket native and third generation innkeeper. Her grandmother owned Haddon Hall and her mother owned Eighteen Gardner Street Guest House. Both of these wonderful Nantucket inns are in operation today. Susan is a teacher with a career in Special Education. She currently teaches second grade and supervises our innkeeping. Steve is a designer and builder of fine furniture.