The Inn at Willow Grove
1 1/2 hours away
More Spas & Relaxation:
When David and Charlene Scibal took over Virginia's historic Inn at Willow Grove (540-672-7001), it had fallen into disrepair. The couple spared no renovation expense—newly gleaming wood floors, gas fireplaces in all but two rooms, marble or stone baths, fine contemporary art, rich fabrics, and lovely landscaping.
The 11 rooms and suites in the reopened inn are now places to luxuriate, done up in a mix of modern furnishings and antiques. Each morning, a butler brings to your room a silver tray with coffee or tea and fresh beignets. In the evening, a tray with dessert and tea appears.
One of the inn's appeals is its food. At the cozy pub, you can sit at the bar and order an earthy baby-spinach salad with orzo, tasty meatloaf sliders, and zesty shrimp tacos with jícama slaw. In the more formal dining room, we enjoyed such dishes as root-beer-braised pork tenderloin with spicy applesauce and bourbon corn pudding.
You could spend a weekend and never leave the grounds—the cottage rooms have porches, some private. The inn is 45 minutes from Charlottesville and a stone's throw from terrific wineries.
The Inn at Willow Grove is in Orange, Virginia. Rates range from $250 to $695 a night; special packages are sometimes available.
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