Great Inns

1. L’Auberge Provençale is a french country inn located in White Post, just one hour from Washington, DC. On site is La Table Provençale offering a three-course and five-course menu prifix or the seven-course tasting menu. The inn’s claims to fame include acknowledgements by USA Today, Wine Spectator, Fodor’s, TripAdvisor, OpenTable and Zagat.

2. The Hope and Glory Inn in Irvington on the Chesapeake Bay has been hailed among the “30 Great Inns in the US” by Travel + Leisure, and one of the “Top 10 Coastal Inns in the US” by Coastal Living Magazine. Why so great? The Hope and Glory Inn was an 1890s schoolhouse that has been transformed into six amazing rooms. Add on six garden cottages and four vineyard cottages (called tents) at The Dog and Oyster, plus an oyster boat for cocktail cruises, a garden bath, a bar, a spa … the list goes on and on.

3. Located in Locust Dale, The Inn at Meander Plantation is featured in Fodor’s as “One of the South’s Best Bed and Breakfast Inns” and included among the “Most Elegant Bed and Breakfasts” by Arrington’s Book of Lists. The Inn is a 1776 reprieve surrounded by 80 acres of beautifully rolling hills, and features an on-site restaurant and vineyard.

4. The Inn at Willow Grove in Orange has been described as “urban meets plantation” by Southern Living Magazine in their “Best of the South” article (April 2013), thanks to the fine linens and heated marble floors in the bathrooms. The Inn has also been mentioned by Travel + Leisure in their travel segments on The Weather Channel and CNN.

5. Southern Living and Conde Nast Traveler have recognized Middleton Inn Bed and Breakfast, and so should you. Located in pastoral Washington, this historic estate is within walking distance of the famed Inn at Little Washington’s culinary delights. Middleton Inn is one of five Virginia bed and breakfasts honored with AAA’s Four Diamond Award.

6. Another AAA Four Diamond Award winner is The Oaks Victorian Inn in Christiansburg. This 1889 Queen Anne Victorian is on the National Register of Historic Places and offers gracious warmth and elegance. So much so, it has graced the cover of three books, including The Travel Guide to Inns, published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Inn was also featured in an episode of “Inn Country USA.” Inquire about the sweet garden cottage with loft and attached gazebo for a more intimate getaway.

7. Clifton Inn is located in Charlottesville and has been garnering media attention for nearly a decade. Of note are Southern Living, Travel + Leisure and Food and Wine, along with nuptial nods from Modern Bride, Weddings Unveiled and The Knot. Known for the fine dining as much as the 17 stunning rooms and suites, Clifton Inn is a place you’ll want to enjoy again and again.

8. The Inn at Warner Hall in Gloucester is a place you’d have trouble leaving the next day, just as Becky Krystal wrote in her Washington Post travel article in 2011. Steeped in American history, Warner Hall is named for George Washington’s great-great grandfather, Augustine Warner, the 1642 land grantee of the former plantation on which Warner Hall sits. Warner’s other descendants include Robert E. Lee, Meriwether Lewis and Queen Elizabeth II (no fooling!). The grounds at Warner Hall are astoundingly beautiful with the Severn River as a backdrop, and the food is great, too. Chef Eric Garcia was recently tapped as one of the Best Chefs of America 2013.

9. Situated right in the heart of historic Old Town Fredericksburg is The Richard Johnston Inn. Accolades includes “One of the Best Bed and Breakfasts in the South” by Southern Living and one of the Best 15 Inns in the U.S. by Inn Traveler Magazine. Families with their pets are welcome here!

10. Berryville’s Smithfield Farm Bed & Breakfast is in the hands of eighth generation beef cattle farmers. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the meals you enjoy at the 1824 Federal manor house are farm-fresh and gaining attention by the likes of Gourmet and Southern Living. These 400 acres provide a serene escape to clear your mind.

With so many amazing inns and bed and breakfasts in Virginia, there’s no way a list of ten sums up the best of the best. Therefore, watch for another edition of great places to stay in Virginia. Let us show you the true hospitality and charm we have to offer. See more at Virginia.org.