Highlights: The Inn at Little Washington

•The Inn at Little Washington features small-village charm in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains

•Enchanting country inn blends luxury with a touch of the Mad Hatter

•Staff pays attention to the little details and incorporates its knowledge of the inn and surrounding area into many services

•Guest rooms and suites follow the theme of an English country-house with luxurious amenities, like oriental rugs and plush fabrics

•Chef Patrick O’Connell incorporates local ingredients in dishes, and an extensive wine list rounds out the Mobil Five-Star restaurant menu

•Shenandoah National Park, with hiking opportunities abound, just a short drive away

Amenities: The Inn at Little Washington

• 15 rooms, 2 story. Closed Tuesdays in January, March and July. Complimentary continental breakfast. Check-in 3 pm, check-out Noon. Restaurant, bar. Credit cards accepted.

General Impressions: The Inn at Little Washington

The Inn at Little Washington is located in Washington, Virginia, a village in the Shenandoah Valley, at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, about 70 miles west of Washington, D.C. The inn offers the height of indulgence, a true dining destination with equally lavish accommodations. The restaurant, one of the most highly lauded in the United States, is the draw for many overnight guests, but others come because they want a luxurious weekend away in the beautiful country. With Washington, D.C., a few hours away, a stay here can easily be tacked onto a visit to the Capitol.

The inn encompasses a clutch of buildings, with most of the 16 rooms and suites in the main three-story building. Nearly all of the guest rooms have king-size beds, and many units have whirlpool tubs. The least expensive option at the inn is the standard room, which has queen-size beds and just a shower. Bedding is plush, with down pillows and an ultra-comfortable feather-mattress topper.

Each guest room has its own look. Interiors evoke an English country house, which isn’t a surprise given that they’ve been done up by Joyce Evans, a well-known London stage and set designer, who’s been working with the inn’s proprietors for years. The use of fabrics is extravagant: Mix-and-match patterns and prints cover the walls and the furniture, purchased in England, includes cushy armchairs and carved wooden headboards. Beautiful wooden paneling adorns the walls of the inn’s living room, where tea is served in the afternoon. Other common areas include a small bar and a landscaped brick courtyard where guests may enjoy a cocktail or dessert.

Between the antiques, the expensive fabrics, and the extravagant food, this hotel is well suited for getaway and romantic travelers. Activities run mainly toward hiking, antiquing, vineyard hopping, and Sunday driving—so family travelers with young children won’t find many activities geared toward them.

This off-the-beaten track inn with no business center isn’t a prime location for business travelers either, only if they want to briefly getaway from the hustle and bustle, yet be close enough to get back to Washington in a few hours.

(+) Small village setting and adult-geared activities ideal for romantic and getaway travelers
(-) Limited amenities for business travelers and adults with young children

Guest Services: The Inn at Little Washington

The Inn at Little Washington’s staff was friendly, polished and professional, from the thorough and patient reservation agent to the prompt and pleasant bellmen and housekeepers. Service throughout my stay was top-notch. The staff’s knowledge of the inn and its facilities impressed me, as did their professionalism.

The front desk juggled many tasks during my visit, serving as communications central and seating guests for dinner and breakfast, but the inn seems to have an effective system in place; staff members wear their many hats well.

The Inn at Little Washington is a model of efficiency. Seemingly waiting outside for my arrival, staff greeted me at my car, and I was referred to by name. Check-in was fast, and my orientation tour was discreet and helpful. The concierge, perfectly proactive, offered brochures about nearby sights and attractions before I could ask for them and took the time to map out routes. My wake-up call was pleasant if brief.

Special touches included a welcome champagne cocktail and, in the room, a note from the proprietors. Housekeeping delivered a requested item in a mere three minutes, presenting it in a cute little Dalmatian-print shopping bag, which was a nod to the owners’ two spotted pets.

Departure was handled expeditiously, but with grace. The bellman arrived to collect my luggage a couple minutes after I called down to the desk. The front-desk agent warmly shook my hand while inviting me back and then presented me with a parting gift of dried fruit, especially attractive in a cellophane bag tied with a logo ribbon.

(+) Gracious, polished staff impresses with efficiency and knowledge of inn and area

Guest Rooms: The Inn at Little Washington

The Inn at Little Washington has nine rooms and six suites; most are in the three-floor main building, but a few are in two “just-over-there” cottages. Each space is unique, both in layout and decor. Standard and intermediate rooms in the main building have queen-size beds, whereas all other guest quarters have king-size beds. Some rooms have fireplaces or balconies and, in the bathrooms, whirlpool tubs with separate showers; the standard room doesn’t have a bathtub. High-speed Internet access and flat-screen televisions are included.

The Mayor’s House Suite is located in a mid-1700s cottage, which has one bedroom plus a sitting room, two fireplaces, and a private courtyard. In the Norman House, guests who stay in the Garden Suite also have a courtyard all to themselves.

The Inn at Little Washington’s premium lodging option is known as the Presidential Retreat, about 17 miles away from the inn’s main grounds. A Victorian farmhouse with a wraparound porch, it has two bedrooms, a parlor and a living room, and a kitchen where an Inn at Little Washington chef prepares breakfast for guests.

The inn’s decor, the handiwork of Joyce Evans, who designed stages and sets in London, generally reflects an English country-house aesthetic but with some jovial over-the-top touches. Patterned textiles and wall coverings are everywhere, and florals, toiles, jacquards, and stripes are mixed with abandon. Yards and yards of fabric are swaged over beds or shirred over a couch to create a delightful tent. Oriental rugs, plush upholstery, and interesting European antiques add to the lavish feel.

Laden with pillows and crowned with an elegant canopy, the bed was the highlight in my suite. I could almost sink into the extraordinarily plush featherbed. Bathrobes were luxurious, as were the towels. In the bathroom, a few chipped floor tiles and old grout served as reminders that the inn occupies some old buildings.

(+) Unique guest rooms and suites decked out in luxurious country-house style
(-) Inn’s old buildings show their age in a few minor places

Facilities & Activities: The Inn at Little Washington

The Inn at Little Washington’s grounds are ideal for leisurely strolls, quiet reading, or sitting back and taking in the colorful landscape, depending on the time of year that you visit. Across the street from the inn is a renovated old tavern building, which houses five Inn shops. Each room is accurate to the 1800s period and is decorated with various items for sale. For example, the kitchen is a store for spices, homemade jams, and kitchenware. Guests can look through the five rooms and find custom-designed tableware, jewelry, gifts, and antiques. The works of local artists also decorate the walls with their versions of the Blue Ridge Mountains and other scenic landscapes.

More shopping is available in Culpeper, Warrenton, Sperryville, and Front Royal, all within a 35-minute drive of the inn. A little farther away is Middleburg, the capital of Virginia hunting country, where upscale shops and eateries line handsome streets dotted with interesting architecture.

One of the charms of the inn’s location is the opportunity to simply wind down and breathe in the country air. With Shenandoah National Park just a short drive (15 minutes or so) west of the inn, hiking opportunities abound. Another way to experience the linear park is to drive along Skyline Drive, which winds its way 105 north-south miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains and offers plenty of photo ops. The region is also known for its wineries; the inn can point guests to its favorites.

(+) Easy access to the great outdoors, local wineries, and charming towns

Dining & Lounge: The Inn at Little Washington

The Inn at Little Washington opened in the late 1970s as a restaurant, and for many this Mobil Five-Star restaurant is still the heart of the property and the raison d’etre for an overnight stay. It’s considered one of the top restaurants in the United States, and with so many gourmands clamoring to experience chef Patrick O’Connell’s innovative New American cuisine, getting a reservation for the 30-table establishment can be difficult. Unless you’re an overnight guest, in which case you will receive a seat first.

Local ingredients are often featured in the dishes, which balance rustic flair with refinement and incorporate international and regional flavors. Lamb, foie gras, lobster, truffles and wild mushrooms, top-quality tuna, Virginia ham, squab and quail, and rabbit are all likely to pop up on the prix-fixe menu in some form. The extensive wine list (a couple thousand bottles or so) is strong on French, Italian, Spanish, and Californian labels but also includes a large range of Virginia wines.

This multicourse extravaganza takes place in a magnificent dining room bedecked with fringed lampshades, handsome artworks, lush flowers, silk wall coverings, and lavish window treatments. Food presentation is beautiful but not too gussied up, and its relative simplicity is perfectly set off by the highly embellished surroundings.

Service in the restaurant is excellent. When I arrived for breakfast, staff promptly seated me in an intimate room overlooking the garden and offered a beverage. I was fascinated at the tempting offerings when a cart filled with granola, crème fraîche, low-fat yogurt, and enormous fresh berries was wheeled out. The à la carte menu takes some liberties with dish descriptions, so the eggs Benedict I ordered wasn’t quite the “classic” version I expected. I was more vexed by how long it took for the hot dishes to come out, but thanks to the delicious food and the otherwise impeccable service, that was soon forgotten.

The Inn at Little Washington has a cozy bar area and also offers picnic fare, afternoon tea, and room service, which I happily took advantage of. Two well-groomed staff members delivered my order promptly, set up an elegant table, and poured my water and soda for me. Ingredients were fresh, the portions generous, the bread outstanding, and the lovely china pattern seemed to have been chosen to match my room.

(+) World-class cuisine and service in an enchanting dining room setting
(-) Descriptions on the breakfast menu could have been more precise

Business Services: The Inn at Little Washington

The Inn at Little Washington is all about indulging in the good life, and doesn’t provide a business center or extensive function space for corporate meetings or retreats. Business travelers will find amenities limited to high-speed Internet access. This inn is more for the business traveler who wants to get away from it all for a little while, but wants to be a few hours away from Washington.

(-) Amenities limited for business travelers