A Fairy-Tale Beginning
Inga Jakobovich, the new owner of The Inn at Bowman’s Hill in New Hope, builds on the property’s legacy as of one of the region’s most romantic and unforgettable getaways.
In October 2023, Inga Jakobovich and her husband, Robert Gold, decided to pay a quick visit to the southeastern corner of Pennsylvania. They had just left New York’s Finger Lakes region to catch up with longtime friends who had moved to New Hope, one of Bucks County’s most cherished river towns. Inga remembers the fall foliage being spectacular as they approached Bucks County.
“We found out that our friend’s husband wasn’t feeling well, so we decided to find a bed and breakfast nearby and have a romantic night by ourselves while our friends recovered,” she recalls. “I had never been to Pennsylvania before, so I started googling where to stay. Whichever one looked the nicest, that’s where we would go. And that’s when I found The Inn at Bowman’s Hill.”
She felt overcome with awe from the moment they turned into the driveway of the gated five-acre property, which is not far from where George Washington and members of his Continental Army crossed the Delaware River in 1776. Over the course of the next two days, she fell in the love with the “mini-resort,” which was designed in the style of an English manor. The scope and beauty of the sprawling grounds, in particular, made a lasting impression on her.
When a friend told her the property was for sale, the proverbial light bulb flickered to life. She had spent more than 40 years in California, and all of her adult children and nine grandchildren lived there. She also had a prosperous decades-long career as the operator of an assisted-living community. All that aside, she began to envision a new life for herself in Bucks County.
“It was exactly what I had been dreaming of,” she says. “I have always loved cooking, baking, and hosting, and I love people and catering to people; our friends call me ‘the hostess with the mostess.’ I saw an opportunity to express my vision. I saw myself here.”
On October 25, 2023, after completing the property inspection and getting their finances in order, she signed the papers to purchase The Inn at Bowman’s Hill. She officially took ownership of the property in February 2024—right around Valentine’s Day, to be precise.
“I like to joke that I bought myself a lover on Valentine’s Day,” she jokes. “When I say that to my husband, he says, ‘I’m just glad it’s real estate.’”
‘Leave Everything Behind’
The Inn at Bowman’s Hill has been a linchpin of Bucks County’s hospitality community since 2005. Its prior owner, an Englishman named Michael Amery, ran The Inn at Bowman’s Hill for nearly 25 years, during which he established its reputation as one of the most romantic getaways in the region; the inn has received more than 800 reviews on Tripadvisor, with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5.
The Inn at Bowman’s Hill has been a linchpin of Bucks County’s hospitality community since 2005. Its prior owner, an Englishman named Michael Amery, ran The Inn at Bowman’s Hill for nearly 25 years, during which he established its reputation as one of the most romantic getaways in the region; the inn has received more than 800 reviews on Tripadvisor, with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Although Amery had built the property into something truly unforgettable, it was in need of considerable maintenance by the time Inga came into the picture. Given her creative spirit, hospitality background, and enormous energy, she has proven to be up to the task. She and Robert now split their time between California and Pennsylvania, but they have been systematically restoring the property with the assistance of a small but dedicated team.
Examples include converting underutilized space into a small owner’s quarters to make more room for guests, beautifying the dining room and living room, and converting the basement into a speakeasy lounge. They also oversaw the restoration of the grounds.
Robert, a physician who works in emergency medicine in a VA hospital in California, admits to feeling “very connected” to the property’s creek-fed pond. He not only fixed a persistent leak, but also leveled an inflatable fountain in the pond’s center that had been cockeyed.
“Inga has always been an entertainer, and she enjoys spending time with people and providing an environment where they can enjoy themselves,” he says. “She is so happy there—she’s beyond happy—and I love to see that. I go every month for 10 or 12 days, and every time I go I look forward to it. It’s also a lot of work. Sometimes by the time she’s done with me, I’m ready to get back to the ER for some rest.”
Every facet of the property is designed to enhance the atmosphere of luxury and relaxation, including a heated pool and a full menu of in-house spa services. In addition, each of the inn’s beautifully appointed superior rooms and suites includes amenities such as a king-size bed, a fireplace, and a heated two-person whirlpool tub. In addition, five of the rooms and suites include a private veranda, and most offer panoramic views of the well-manicured grounds. Three of the suites have a steam shower.
“It’s very quiet here, even with a full house, because there are so many areas to escape to,” Inga says. “From the time you drive through the gates, you will experience this enigmatic energy. I want to give love and positive energy to the people who come here, which is so needed now. People come here to unwind and forget about the world for at least 24 hours. This is a romantic getaway, so there are no children. Come here to leave everything behind, at least for a short time.”
A stay at The Inn at Bowman’s Hill includes a multicourse English-style breakfast, cooked to order by an in-house chef. While the staff serves breakfast in the inn’s rustic breakfast room, guests can enjoy breakfast al fresco on their private balcony or the terrace overlooking the pool and grounds. Guests may also choose to order breakfast in bed.
“I’m a huge foodie, and we take pride in baking our own bread and croissants,” Inga says. “I love visiting local farms and roasteries, sourcing everything farm to table. Breakfast is a huge deal here. An English breakfast means eggs any style, baked beans, roasted potatoes, grilled tomatoes, sausage, and bacon. The prior owner, who is British, taught me and my team well.”
Inga and Robert often joke that her story bears some similarities to Green Acres—“only in reverse”—referring to the sitcom from the late 1960s and early ’70s in which a couple from New York City moves to a rural farmstead. She couldn’t be happier with the comparison.
“I’m grateful I found something I love so much,” she says. “I wake up every morning and say, ‘Who am I going to meet today, and what can I do to make our guests comfortable?’ It’s a lot of work, but I have not one day of regret. I found my true calling here. I found my purpose.”
The Inn at Bowman’s Hill
518 Lurgan Road
New Hope, PA 18938
www.theinnatbowmanshill.com
(215) 862-8090
518 Lurgan Road
New Hope, PA 18938
www.theinnatbowmanshill.com
(215) 862-8090
Photo by Alison Dunlap
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, July 2025
