Staying at the Inn at Little Washington has always been a dream of mine. When my mom’s 75th birthday was approaching, I asked her where in the world she would like to go. She thought about it for about 30 seconds and then emphatically suggested, the Inn at Little Washington! I was equally game and excited. With that we made arrangements for the four of us for an early May visit, to Virginia wine country in the Blue Ridge Mountains and specifically to the historic town of Little Washington.
A warm welcome to the Historic Inn at Little Washington –
My Mom on her 75th birthday –
A champagne welcome –
Mom and Tim with Gil and I having our first glorious sip. The Inn at Little Washington is ideal for a couples trip!
STUNNING COLONIAL DESIGN WITH A STRONG ENGLISH ACCENT –
Tastefully decorated with lovely and stylish touches throughout the Inn and adjoining buildings. There are only 5 blocks of historic Little Washington and two of them are dedicated to the Inn and it’s corresponding buildings.
OUR BEAUTIFUL SUITES – We took over the top floor of Carter’s house, with Gil and I in the Jr. Suite and Mom and Tim in the nearby Suite. Parsons house has a lower level suite too with a gorgeous garden if you are traveling with three couples, you might take over the entire house.
HIGH TEA is included in your stay along with a sumptuous breakfast. This is an affair to enjoy with wonderful teas and a gorgeous selection of sweet and savory treats, with service to match!
COCKTAIL HOUR is an affair with a vast array of rare wines and spirits offered.
THE DINNER! Guests have an option to dine in Patrick O’Connell’s gorgeous kitchen and be part of the pure theatre of the evening. We did just that and here are the chef’s line up to welcome my mother, the guest of honor this evening!
The “show” started with some glorious truffled pop-corn –
Each course that followed was truly magical in every way! Nothing taking itself too seriously, and every bite worth an academy award!
Even the birthday cake was theatrical, as was my mother!
The “Cheese Wiz” is truly just that with a hilarious and witty rendition of each cheese offered. He really “milked” it if you know what I mean!
THE TOWN – George Washington founded Washington, VA 250 years ago and it was only referred to as Little Washington, after later the Capitol, Washington, DC was founded.
The Inn has painstakingly restored many of the buildings in the town converting them into guests accommodations, shops, the bakery, with further plans for a spa and more.
THE GROUNDS are as breathtaking as the interior and guests are encouraged to wander anywhere they wish, visiting the gardens, farm animals or just curling up with good book under a tree!
The town boasts adorable antique shops, cafes, and galleries. Nearby are dozens of award winning wineries. Hiking the Shenandoah valley or visiting Mount Vernon or Monticello are other must do activities!
TURN DOWN TREATS – the housekeeping team is absolutely incredible. Delivering little treats, as well as surprising and delighting with thoughtful touches throughout the rooms to customize the guest experience.
BREAKFAST is something that you will just need to make room for. It is delightful, organic, fresh and colorful!
The daily juice tasting is something worth getting out of bed for!
The Inn at Little Washington is a member of Relais & Chateaux and Chef Patrick O’Connell just won the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award. What he has accomplished and what you are about to experience is very much worth the journey.
A stay at the Inn at Little Washington is a treat that everyone bon vivant ought to put on their bucket list. Resort to Laura Madrid can help procure the perfect romantic weekend stay or help make your special occasion even more special!
Accolades Worth a Special Journey:
The 2019 Michelin Guide awarded The Inn at Little Washington its highest accolade of three stars, reserved for “exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey.” Gaining the coveted third Michelin star makes Patrick O’Connell and The Inn the first and only restaurant in the Washington D.C. region to receive this honor.
The Inn received the Wine Spectator Grand Award for the 23rd consecutive year and is the only restaurant honored with this recognition in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.
The American Automobile Association for 2018 once again bestowed its highest accolade – The Five Diamond Award – on The Inn at Little Washington Restaurant for the 30th consecutive year making it the longest tenured restaurant in the history of the program. AAA also awarded The Inn at Little Washington’s accommodations Five Diamonds for the 29th consecutive year.
The 2018 Forbes Travel Guide (formerly known as the Mobil Travel Guide) for the 29th year in a row, awarded The Inn at Little Washington’s accommodations its highest accolade – Five Stars.
The 2018 Forbes Travel Guide also awarded The Inn at Little Washington’s Restaurant Five Stars for the 28th year in a row making it the longest tenured Five Star restaurant in the world.
La Liste, a French-based guide to the world’s best restaurants, ranked The Inn #11 in the U.S. and one of the top 125 restaurants in the world. La Liste bases their rankings on a compilation of hundreds of guidebooks and millions of online reviews.
The Inn was named the #1 restaurant in The Washington Post 2017 Fall Dining Guide. In his write up, Washington Post restaurant critic Tom Sietsema said, “Did I mention the Inn is poised to turn 40 next year? Do you know of any other dining destination in the world that old, that delicious, that fun and that life-affirming? I didn’t think so. A round of applause, then, for the greatest showman of them all. You’re No. 1, Mr. O’Connell.”
Chef and Proprietor Patrick O’Connell was knighted as a disciple of Auguste Escoffier, “the King of Chefs and the Chef of Kings.” Escoffier, is regarded as the father of modern French cuisine and the Disciples Escoffier is an association dedicated to the culinary arts and the transmission of knowledge, with over 25,000 members in 26 countries, including some of the world’s most respected chefs.