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Ogdensburg's 5-star Sherman Inn ranks among the world's top 3%   Fourth major hospitality industry honor awarded to Ogdensburg Bed & Breakfast based on actual guest reviews. OGDENSBURG, N.Y. - Kayak has announced that Ogdensburg’s historic, award-winning Sherman Inn has been recognized as a 2025 Travel Award winner as one of the world’s top bed and breakfasts and small inns.    This achievement celebrates lodging places ranked among the top three percent in the world that consistently deliver fantastic experiences to travelers around the globe, having earned consistent 5-star traveler reviews on Kayak over the last 12 months. Kayak’s accolade is the fourth major hospitality industry honor awarded to the Sherman Inn.   “I want to thank the hundreds and hundreds of guests from around the world who have stayed with us over the past year who took the time to write the reviews that made this award possible,” said Donna Reagen, co-owner of the Sherman Inn. “Over the past year, we’ve met a lot of wonderful people who have paid us the highest compliment during their stay - they’ve told us we made them feel like they are part of our family. As Innkeepers, there is no higher compliment.”   “When Donna and I purchased the Sherman Inn, our goal was to save a unique and historic Ogdensburg landmark and offer a great lodging place in the heart of Ogdensburg,” said James Reagen, co-owner of the Sherman Inn.  “I attended kindergarten in this building many years ago. So it’s a terrific honor to be recognized by our peers in the lodging industry for preserving an important part of Ogdensburg’s and our region’s history while providing a world-class place for visitors to stay.”    Kayak’s Travel Award is one of the most prestigious honors in the hospitality industry because it is only awarded to three percent of the world’s top lodging places. It is the fourth major award earned by the Sherman Inn over the past five years. Booking.com  awarded the Sherman Inn its prestigious 2025 Traveler’s Review Award, the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce has presented it with the “Best to Guest Award” for being a top destination in the North Country, and Tripadvisor has repeatedly honored the Bed and Breakfast with its Traveler’s Choice Awards.   Businesses earn the award based on reviews written by guests and rankings on Kayak. Only guests who have booked stays on the Kayak booking platform can leave a review and rating, ensuring that travelers can reference them for an authentic account of what a real traveler experience is like. The reviews can not be edited or adjusted in any way to ensure the awards go to travel partners who consistently deliver outstanding hospitality and service.   “Donna and I recently celebrated the 5th anniversary of taking over the ownership of the Sherman Inn. Despite the challenges we faced during COVID, my wife and I believed in Ogdensburg. We believed in what the Sherman Inn could be to our community, and we believed we could save this very special lodging place in the heart of our community.”   The Sherman Inn is a 129-year-old former elementary school that was turned into a small Bed and Breakfast in Ogdensburg in New York State’s North Country on the U.S.-Canadian border, less than an hour from Ottawa, Canada’s capital. The Inn celebrates Ogdensburg’s history with each Presidential Suite and other rooms telling the story of the nine different U.S. Presidents who visited the community over the past 200 years.   Kayak is the world’s leading travel search engine. It automatically sifts through hundreds of sites to provide travelers with the options they need. Kayak decided to help its customers recognize the top-rated partners, as chosen by travelers, to help others plan for their next adventure. The awards help customers find properties that routinely go above and beyond, according to the reviews of travelers themselves. All award winners have met Kayak’s strict standards of excellence.

Our friend, fellow author Patrick Ashley, took this spectacular picture of Sherman Inn at twilight during his recent visit to Ogdensburg to see old friends.

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We're pleased to announce that we now have four electric vehicle charging stations (Level 2) for our guests at Sherman Inn. So if you're traveling in an electric vehicle, you can now recharge at our inn while you enjoy our comfortable accommodations and excellent service.

Giovanni, the CEO of the family-owned company, sent us this wonderful gift basket of Colavita products imported from Italy. The firm produces and distributes a wide variety of olive oils, pasta, and other Italian products. Donna and I were surprised and delighted to receive such a wonderful surprise. We are looking forward to hosting the Colavita's the next time they come back up to Northern New York.

A lot of people have asked why we at the Sherman Inn in Ogdensburg have named our first floor janitor's closet after U.S. President Warren G. Harding, Jr. Warren G. Harding Jr. has the dubious honor of being remembered as the only president of the United States who brought his mistress to Ogdensburg during a visit in 1918 before he was elected president. It was his second visit to our city. In 1912, when Harding was serving as Lt. Governor of Ohio, he made his first visit to speak at the old Opera House on behalf of Republican presidential candidate Ohio Governor Howard B. Taft. Harding was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1914. Four years later, in June, 1918, he returned to Ogdensburg with his girl friend, Carrie Fulton Phillips, on a trip he made through Northern New York, according to a timeline developed by the Library of Congress. Harding wrote more than 1,000 love letters to Carrie Phillips. She blackmailed him when he ran for president two year after his visit to Ogdensburg, threatening to expose their affair unless the Republican Party paid to send her on an all-expense paid tour of Asia and the Pacific Islands as well as hush money payments. The party paid and Harding was elected! As President, Harding wasted little time replacing Phillips with a new girlfriend, Nan Britton. She later wrote in a tell-all book that he would arrange meetings in a closet in the White House. The president instructed a Secret Service Agent to tap on the door if he saw Harding’s wife approaching. While Harding ran for president with the backing of the anti-saloon league as the prohibition candidate, he enjoyed his scotch and sodas in the White House while federal agents made raids on Ogdensburg bootleggers and speakeasies. When you pass Warren’s closet, make sure you rap the door 3 times to let him know his wife is approaching or just to give him a scare. Next time you visit the Frederic Remington Art Museum, make sure you see the Sally James Farnham exhibit upstairs. You’ll notice a life size bust of Warren G. Harding that Sally sculpted. Make sure you whisper in his ear that you know his secret!

Dear Friend: Some weathercasters described the Christmas Eve blizzard as “the storm of the century,” a “bomb cyclone” that struck Ogdensburg, southern Canada, and the Northeastern U.S. with gale force winds and massive snowfalls that left vast swaths of the region paralyzed. At the Sherman Inn, our phone began ringing as everyone who had reserved a room canceled because their flights had been canceled or they had decided not to risk their lives in the whiteouts that had made driving a near-death experience for many who dared to travel the roads despite the warnings of forecasters and the national weather service. But, as the day wore on, the phone began ringing as stranded travelers called, looking for a place to stay as they discovered roads closed and white-out conditions that made Christmas Eve traveling a dangerous time for families on their way home. Donna, of course, welcomed them with open arms. They had never before heard of Ogdensburg or the Sherman Inn, but they were quickly impressed by the size of the rooms, the luxurious furnishings, and the historical themes that have set us apart from other upstate lodging places. But most of all, they discovered what so many families have found when they stay with us. They came as strangers but found themselves treated as part of our extended family. Donna decided we should cancel our own plans, dinner with friends, and instead do what we could to make Christmas Eve a special time for our stranded guests. She quickly whipped up an evening soiree with a wide variety of hors d’oeuvres and other snacks. We invited all of our guests to join us in the Sherman Inn’s legendary parlor where everyone soon discovered that special quality that has made so many of our guests describe their stays with us as “magical.” Within a short time, our guests were sitting around in a circle in the parlor trading stories and telling each other about their lives, Christmas memories and enjoying each other's company like old friends. Some described the evening as a “Hallmark Movie” come to life and their stranded family’s “Christmas Miracle.” After they went to bed, Donna got things ready for a special Christmas breakfast. On Christmas morning, Donna and I got up early and slipped out to see four of our grandchildren just a block and a half away to watch them unwrap their presents. Then we made it back to the Inn well before the appointed time and Donna whipped up a special morning feast for 17. Donna and I were very pleased that we could provide our stranded travelers with more than just “shelter from the storm,” but also with a holiday celebration worth remembering. Several told us that while they would have preferred to make it home for the holidays, if they had to be stranded anywhere, they were glad that they found themselves with us because we had made it a special Christmas Eve they would not soon forget. A few days later, the Watertown-Syracuse TV station called us. They had heard about our Sherman Inn Christmas.

Ogdensburg's 5-Star Sherman Inn Ranks Among World's Top 10% Consistent Great Reviews Earn Bed & Breakfast a Place Among Travelers' Favorite Inns Worldwide OGDENSBURG, N.Y. - TripAdvisor has announced that Ogdensburg’s historic, award-winning Sherman Inn has been recognized as a Travelers’ Choice award winner for the third year in a row as one of the world’s top bed and breakfasts and small inns. This achievement celebrates businesses that consistently deliver fantastic experiences to travelers around the globe, having earned consistent 5-star traveler reviews on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months. This is the third year in a row that Ogdensburg’s Sherman Inn has been honored as one of the best lodging places in North America and the world. “I want to thank the hundreds and hundreds of guests from around the world who have stayed with us over the past year and who took the time to write the reviews that made this award possible,” said Donna Reagen, co-owner of the Sherman Inn. “Over the past year, we’ve met a lot of wonderful people who have paid us the highest compliment during their stay - they’ve told us we made them feel like they are part of our family. As Innkeepers, there is no higher compliment.” “When Donna and I purchased the Sherman Inn, our goal was to save a unique and historic landmark while continuing to offer a great lodging place in the heart of Ogdensburg,” said James E. Reagen, co-owner of the Sherman Inn. “I attended kindergarten in this building many years ago. So it’s a terrific honor to be recognized by our peers in the lodging industry for a third year in a row for preserving an important part of Ogdensburg’s and our region’s history while providing a world-class place for visitors to stay.” “When we took over the Sherman Inn on Friday, March 13, 2020, the Covid-19 Pandemic struck, the U.S. international border with Canada closed, and New York State ordered an end to ‘non-essential travel,” recalled Reagen. “This was not an ideal time to take over a lodging place. But my wife and I believed in Ogdensburg. We believed in what the Sherman Inn could be to our community, and we believed we could save this extraordinary lodging place in the heart of our community.” “Congratulations on being selected a 2022 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award Winner,” said Kanika Soni, Chief Commercial Officer at Tripadvisor. “This has been a time of unprecedented challenges for hospitality businesses around the globe. Against this backdrop, standing out to guests and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction is a massive accomplishment. Earning a Travelers’ Choice Award means you have consistently delivered positive experiences over the past year. This puts you among the top 10 percent of Tripadvisor’s global business listings for 2022. Travelers’ Choice Awards recognize the best in tourism and hospitality, according to those who matter most: your guests. The Travelers’ Choice Awards highlight the places that are consistently excellent - delivering quality experiences time and time again even while navigating changing customer expectations and new ways of working.” The Sherman Inn is a 125-year-old former elementary school that was turned into a small Bed and Breakfast in Ogdensburg in New York State’s North Country on the U.S. - Canadian border, less than an hour from Ottawa, Canada’s capital. The Inn celebrates Ogdensburg’s history with each Presidential Suite telling the story of the nine different U.S. Presidents who visited the community over the past 200 years. Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel platform, helps hundreds of millions of travelers monthly. Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to browse more than 878 million reviews and opinions of 8.8 million accommodations, restaurants, experiences, airlines, and cruises. Whether planning or on a trip, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to compare low prices on hotels, flights, and cruises, book popular tours and attractions, as well as reserve tables at great restaurants. Tripadvisor, the ultimate travel companion, is available in 49 markets and 28 languages.

Thank you to Raphael, Princess, and Marloe who recently stayed with us at Sherman Inn. They made this wonderful video about their stay with us during their visit to Ogdensburg and Boldt Castle in nearby Alexandria Bay. From the guests..."We recently stayed at the Sherman Inn in Ogdensburg, NY, and had a wonderful experience. The breakfast was delicious and the room was GINORMOUS but cozy and comfortable. The Inn is a restored elementary school building from the 1800s! The owners, Jim and Donna were also very friendly and helpful, which made our stay even more enjoyable. We got a tour of the place along with an extensive historical presentation. I would highly recommend this B&B to anyone visiting the area. See Ya!"

Sherman Inn Owners, Jim & Donna Reagen, recently received the "Best to the Guest Tourism Award," Northern New York's Top Tourism Award. Sherman Inn's New Tourism Honor Due to Guest Reviews The historic Sherman Inn added a new accolade to its growing list of awards for its outstanding service, luxury accommodations and hospitality. The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce presented its 2023 “Best to the Guest Award,” its top tourism award, to the Sherman Inn and owners Jim and Donna Reagen at its recent Tourism Awards dinner. Coming on the heels of the recent announcement that Trip Advisor awarded the Sherman Inn its “Travelers’ Choice Award” for the third year in a row, the county’s tourism award was presented based on the consistent top reviews on major travel engines including Google, Yelp, Trip Advisor, and Facebook. St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce officials said the Sherman Inn (Ogdensburg) was “awarded the 2023 ‘Best to the Guest’ Tourism Excellence Award, presented annually to ‘the individual, business or organization that has provided an excellent guest experience. Customer service, unique offerings, and attention to detail make this awardee stand out in the industry.’” In addition to rave reviews read to the audience at the tourism dinner, Chamber officials noted that “The Sherman Inn has won Tripadvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award for three years in a row, ranking among the world’s top 10 percent of lodging places with consistent great reviews.” Donna and Jim Reagen, owners of the Sherman Inn, accepted the award and shared a comical retelling of their purchase of the Inn, which reopened under their ownership on Friday, March 13, 2020, “the same day the Canadian border was closed, the World Health Organization declared the pandemic, travel bans were put in place, and the world went into hiding.” Jim added that “Business has only improved since then! Jim and Donna said that the success of the Sherman Inn is due to the outstanding reviews their customers give on a regular basis on all of the major travel engines including Expedia, Hotel.com, Booking.com, Airbnb, Google, Yelp, Trip Advisor, Facebook, and others which have given other travelers the confidence to stay with them at their historic renovated school. “In this digital age, people who visit a community look to see who has the best reviews before making a decision to stay in a new place,” said Jim Reagen. “Donna and I are very blessed that so many of our guests who come as strangers, but leave as friends. They write these amazing five-star reviews which have set us apart among upstate New York’s top lodging places. We owe this award and our success to our customers.”

In January 1919, the U.S. Congress ratified the 18th Amendment, prohibiting the sale, manufacture, and consumption of alcohol. This 13-year period- Prohibition- influenced nearly every aspect of American life, business, and politics. James Reagan, long-time managing editor of the Ogdensburg Journal and Sunday Advance News, discusses his book chronicling the early days of Prohibition in communities across St. Lawrence County.

Recently, Spectrum News visited Sherman Inn to speak with one of the owners, Jim Reagen, regarding the history of the Inn and the guest experience of staying at an old school. Click here to watch the video and read the entire article.