I must make a mention of Woodward House in Front Royal. We spent three great nights here. (I’ve stayed there before, on my trip to DC and Virginia in 2015, but that was on my own.) It’s a B&B, but what a B&B! Incidentally, B&Bs in the US are nothing like B&Bs in England. Often they’re medium-to-high priced rather than cheap-as-chips, but they do offer quality to match.
It’s situated about half-mile from Main Street in Front Royal, and is just off the main road through town (South Road). It’s also lifted above the main road, and backs onto open ground, with the town cemetery not far away – so it’s pretty quiet. It’s an oldish house, with lots of bits apparently added on over the years. Downstairs is all service areas – the office, the kitchen, a lounge, the breakfast room and the bar – and upstairs is all bedrooms. There are maybe six or seven bedrooms, and they are wonderful. Ours (with the name “Kathleen’s Retreat”) had a sleeping area, then a separate sitting area with a settee and TV as well as the bathroom. Very comfortable. Finally, there’s a porch at the back.
The breakfasts – breakfast is the only meal Woodward House provides – are to die for. We would go down and find a some cut fruit already laid out for us. Then after that there was cereal. Then, on the three days we were there, Joan brought in a just-cooked muffin, dripping with drizzled sauce after the cereal. Then after that, Joan or Kathy would come round and take our breakfast order…… I don’t think we ate lunch before 3 o’clock in the afternoon on any day, and to be truthful we didn’t really need any lunch at all.
But even the breakfasts aren’t the best thing. Bob and Joan operate an open bar; there is wine and beer just available, and they’ll stay with you and talk while you drink. (They’ll usually drink as well.) Often there were other people in the bar area and general conversation would ensue.
Thoroughly, highly recommended, as long as you like characterful, quirky, friendly, sociable places. It can look a little ramshackle from the outside and on first going inside – Val was dubious for maybe five minutes when we first arrived – but the warmth of the welcome overcomes any reservations very quickly. Here’s a link to their website and here’s a link to reviews on Trip Advisor.
(One more story about Woodward House. When we first arrived there was a young Australian woman staying for one night – she was walking the Appalachian trail, was nearing the end, and she’d decided to treat herself to a good night. Unfortunately the following day was forecast to have dreadful weather – heavy rain and winds all day (the effects of Hurricane Matthew reaching that far inland). So she decided to have a day off on that day, and stay at a cheap hostel in Front Royal the following night before setting off on the day after that. However, there she was at breakfast on the second morning. It turned out that one, or some, of the other guests had heard of her plight and had arranged to pay for an extra night’s stay at Woodward House. As it happened her room was available for the second night because other people, coming up from the Carolinas, had cancelled because of Hurricane Matthew….)
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