If you know me personally I wouldn't want you to think that by this review I'm taking lightly the recent untimely passing of my wife, TLW, which initially stood for The Little Woman (which she was) and later at the suggestion of a friend became The Lovely Wife (which she was). She was a homebody and an accomplished cook who loved nothing more than staying home and creating her own culinary masterpieces, but she was nevertheless willing to humor me and embark on various dining adventures, not all of which were successful. She was sweet to me in that way, and so many others. And that, as Forrest Gump says, is all I have to say about that. The Sherman was one place we always intended to visit but never did.
The Sherman is perfect for one of those weekend getaways that so many big-city dwellers crave. It is roughly halfway between Indianapolis and Cincinnati, but is also reasonably close to Columbus, Ohio, Louisville, Kentucky, and maybe even Chicago. I knew next to nothing about Batesville, Indiana beyond that tourist Mecca, the Batesville Casket Company, but I discovered the Hill-Rom Company also has a big presence there, WOOHOO! Beyond that, however, Batesville is a charming little town with a big German heritage, much like Berne, Indiana (which may be Swiss, too. I dunno for sure.) Many of the old downtown buildings are of German-style architecture, and some of the new ones as well, which makes the place quite picturesque and enjoyably walkable. There are numerous nice little restaurants and shops that sell a variety of items, especially antiques. The old canal town of Metamora is not far away, with its own array of shops, canal boat exhibits, and an old-time railroad excursion.
The Sherman is part of Batesville's German heritage, with some of the building dating back to 1852. It has a very Old European feel to it, lots of dark, heavy wood timbers and fixtures. After I checked in at the charming Old World lobby, I had a few misgivings as I ascended the stairs to the 2nd floor where all 22 guest rooms are located (there is no elevator for guests, but the staff is happy to help you with your luggage). One rambling, labyrinthine 2nd floor hallway accesses all the rooms, with a step up or down along the way, so I wondered what I'd gotten myself into, but then I opened the door to the room and VOILA, elegance personified! My room was not overlarge but was high-ceilinged and beautifully updated, with a big comfortable bed, modern desk table and big flat-screen TV, and an elegant bathroom with faux marble flooring and glass-enclosed shower.
I could have happily spent my entire time there in the room enjoying the 24/7 room service, but then I would have missed out on the excellent 1852 Restaurant, Black Forest Bar, and the Bier Hall, all of which are heavily patronized by Batesville locals, which is always a good sign. For dinner in the 1852 I had Jaegerschnitzel, breaded pork cutlets covered with a mushroom sauce and served with warm German potato salad, priced around $19 but the portions were HUGE and tasty. Later I quaffed craft beers in the Black Forest Bar, an elegant space just off the lobby with an ornate antique bar from somewhere in Belgium, and yet the price was not outrageous. From there I went outside and around the corner to the Bier Hall (there was no direct interior access even though it's in the same building, my one pieve about the place), a large basement bar space that resembles every modern bar you've ever been to. There was a decent live band on stage, a loooong bar, dart boards, and some video arcade game machines. Again, the prices were not outrageous and there was an eclectic mix of locals and hotel guests.
I checked out at noon the next day but decided to eat Saturday Brunch in the 1852 Restaurant, so the desk man (whom I suspect is the proprietor) secured my bags behind the desk while I ate. The German Bacon, Egg, and Potato breakfast casserole was EXCELLENT, with half the plate shared by a pile of fresh spinach-- I asked for some vinaigrette dressing, and they brought 2 varieties, both home made and delicious. At $140 a night for the room ($125+ tax & fees), I didn't want to leave. I can't wait to go back! Prosit!
