The Best Country Inn in America

A pretty bold statement, don’t you think? About five years ago, Debbie and set out on our Harleys to find the best country inn in America. We did not ride through every state over the five-year period, but we covered a lot of ground from Maine to Key West to New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming and most every state on the East Coast. We did not get to the West Coast, so for this study we have omitted California, Washington and Oregon. We plan to get to the West Coast this fall and will have an update for you following our foray. OK then, so we have covered a lot of ground.

Since our initial visit we have returned a number of times in order to be certain we were not making an error with a designation as powerful as the #1 country inn in America. I would like to tell you that our designation has been made after long hours of debate and chin stroking. But Debbie and I both look upon our selection as the hands-down winner. We have been through the property, or rather campus, from top to bottom and have stayed in a wide array of rooms of various price levels running from astronomically high to strat-o priced. No deals here. You will need to husband some shekels and I mean plenty. But when the goal is to root out #1 in any category, it must be expected that there is a price to be paid. Debbie and I have taken the time to meet the owner of the inn and have even eaten in the inn’s kitchen, which is an experience unto its own.

Patrick O’Connell is chef and owner of this gem set in a bucolic Virginia village with just a handful of buildings and residents. No stop light. No commercialism. No cell service. No sign proclaiming The Inn At Little Washington. It is hard to know where to start in telling you all about what this truly remarkable property has in store for you. I am going to conclude my feature on The Inn At Little Washington here at the site on Friday. I don’t want to wear you out. And I want you to have a chance to check out the inn’s website so we can both be on the same page when I roll out the big guns on Friday.

As a pre-Friday teaser, I will tell you that the inn has the distinction of being the first establishment to receive Mobil Travel Guides five star designation for both it’s restaurant and accommodations. Finally, the very picky International Herald Tribune calls the inn one of the top ten restaurants in the world. See you on Friday. The Inn At Little Washington is truly spectacular!