Hotel Review: Red Caboose Motel (Ronks, PA)

Back in September I was alerted by Family Travels on a Budget of a cute idea for a trip based on the Red Caboose Motel. Our family was fortunately in the market for an idea of how to spend the long Thanksgiving weekend, so the timing was perfect to book a discounted rate via Deal Chicken (a site similar to Groupon).

We arrived at the Red Caboose Motel after a short stop at Hershey and the Lancaster Brewing Company. Unfortunately, with the shortened days, we arrived after dark, where little could be taken in of the surrounding countryside.

We requested adjacent units with my in-laws and were granted the two closest to the front office, numbers 20 and 21.

Red Caboose Motel Number 20

Our unit has sleeping accommodations for four people, yet the five of us were able to stay there since the fifth of us in an infant. Our room featured a queen size bed and bunk beds, as well as a small dining table, fridge, and microwave. A bathroom was included in our unit, which had a toilet and shower, and an exterior sink. Unit number 20 also featured a flat screen television with cable.

In addition, wi-fi was available within the units, which was adequate speed for the little bit of browsing I did at night.

Unfortunately, upon our arrival I realized I forgot to bring a pack-n-play from home of the baby to sleep. So my wife and I were brainstorming ideas to make sure the baby slept safely. After checking with the front office, they could provide us with a pack-n-play; however, at a whopping $20 per night. It was only the second time in our lives as a family that we experienced being charged for a pack-n-play, as most hotels will give you a crib for free. The first was at the Kona Tiki Hotel on the Big Island of Hawaii, though fortunately the cost was only $5 per 3 nights.

Convinced we could find a better option, we elected not to pay the additional premium and instead got a bed rail, for free, from the office to use the bottom bunk as a sleeping area for the baby. The two older boys (aged 4 and 2) sleep together, and wanted the top bunk for their accommodations.

Please see our video below highlighting the Red Caboose Motel unit number 20.

The Good: While the accommodations were minimal, the idea of sleeping in a caboose, especially for little boys who love trains, was ideal. Our queen bed was very comfortable and one of the few times we have stayed in a place that did not effect my back.

The television and cable were perfect for catching the news in the morning or to calm down the boys prior to the bedtime routine.

The Red Caboose Motel also came in at a great price point of only $99 per night, via the special offer on Deal Chicken.

The Bad: Each unit is equipped with an air conditioner and heater. However, with the outside temperatures in the teens to 20’s at night, our little heater did not stand a chance at keeping up to heat the unit. It was freezing the first night despite the heater running at full blast. The boys were not impacting by the cold at all, but it did keep my wife and I awake a little.

The second night we requested additional blankets, one of which was used to block the 2-3 inch gap below the bottom of our door. The second night that really appeared to help quite a bit, though one could tell there was minimal, if any insulation in the walls and windows.

The bathroom of our unit was frigid, getting no heat. As a result, we all skipped out on showering for the two nights we were there simply due to the cold temperatures in the unit.

Red Caboose Motel Number 21

Our in-laws unit, number 21, appeared to be newer with a lot nicer furnishings. Their unit featured a queen bed, a much larger bathroom, and small loft area for kids.

The main difference between our units, despite the beds and layout, was the heat provided in their unit. They had separate heaters for the sleeping area and the bathroom. This meant their unit was well heated.

The video of the Red Caboose Motel unit number 21 can be viewed below.

Red Caboose Motel At Dawn

Shortly after sunrise, and with some early risers in our unit, we elected to eat at the onsite diner. While I got the family situated, I also realized I was missing out on some great lighting and the morning dew over the fields, so I rushed outside for some pictures.

This was when we started to realize what a gem the Red Caboose Motel really was surrounded by beautiful countryside. The motel is located adjacent to the Strasburg Railroad, which goes up and down the adjacent tracks several times a day. So not only could our boys bask in the fact they were sleeping in a real caboose, but also could see steam engines in action.

The Red Caboose Motel is located a beautiful country fields in Amish country. Onsite are several playgrounds, a petting zoo, and buggy rides, all of which we did not get to do for lack of time.

As for the diner for breakfast, our food was top notch and excellent, as was the service! There is even a cool feature built into the diner car where every so often the train shakes to simulate like it is moving down the track. Great detailing!

In Conclusion

Despite the really cold temperatures, our family really, really enjoyed staying at the Red Caboose Motel! I mean, how could someone not enjoy such a unique experience? Yes accommodations are a step up from camping, but your also not staying in a standard box hotel room.

The surrounding area, as we will continue to highlight in additional posts was quite remarkable. Never would I have imagined how impressed our family would have been with the country and surrounding Amish community.

This now makes for the third trip our family has taken over the long Thanksgiving weekend where the results were some of the most memorable experiences we have accomplished.