One Night at the Inn at Little Washington
"Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow." - Anita Desai
We spent one night at the Inn at Little Washington with the best of friends and to say we were wowed would be an understatement. The Inn is open seven days a week but dinner reservations in the main dining room are only available Wednesday thru Sunday. We decided to go mid-week on a Wednesday to save on the room rate and still be able to do dinner (shout out to family who helped manage the kids' schedules for a night so the parents could enjoy a night away). Located in the quaint town of Washington, Virginia the Inn is quiet and peaceful and yet only an hours drive from Washington, D.C.
From start to finish, we experienced a masterclass in hospitality. We were welcomed with a cocktail and a short tour of the main building and then shown to our rooms which were located at the Inn's newest property directly across the street from its main building. The rooms and common areas were spotless, gorgeously appointed, cozy, elegant, with no detail overlooked. We grabbed lunch at Patty O's Cafe in town which is also owned and operated by head Chef, founder, and proprietor Patrick O'Connell. We learned Chef is entirely self-taught and first opened the Inn in 1978. He recently earned three Michelin stars for his culinary accomplishments (which are proudly displayed outside the main building). After a very leisurely lunch and some fun cocktails we spent some time exploring the local galleries and the Inn's grounds. We were excited to hear that Chef is actively planning to add a pool and spa in the near future which will only make for an even more amazing experience for visitors. We then made our way to the complimentary Afternoon Tea in the Inn's solarium. We enjoyed a really nice tea selection and some savory and sweet bites. It was such a refined and elegant (but not overly stuffy) experience.
After, we got ourselves ready for pre-dinner cocktails in the lounge and were personally greeted by Chef. Dinner followed in the main dining room. Dinner was absolutely incredible from start to finish. Frankly, I lost track of how many courses we enjoyed but each was unique, creative, and delicious. In our research, some reviews indicated that visitors left without feeling satiated but we found our experience to be the exact opposite. If you enjoy wine, definitely add the wine pairing to your meal. The sommelier was knowledgeable and super accomodating and each wine selected was a really nice accompaniment to each course. The optional caviar add-on was honestly my favorite course, so I'd recommend splurging on that too! Chris elected to order the cheese course in lieu of dessert. He was offered his cheeses from the infamous rolling cow cart and that course was a highlight for him. At the end of our three hour dining experience, we were invited into the Chef's kitchen for a quick tour to see where the magic happens. It was honestly such a special evening that we'll talk about for a long time to come. One of my favorite dining experiences of all time and enjoying it with friends that are like family was very special.
After a restorative, quiet, and comfortable overnight we all met the next morning in a quiet little corner of the dining room for breakfast, coffee, and tea. The complimentary pastries and yogurt parfaits were next level and we spent two hours enjoying our breakfast and coffee and appreciating the luxurious experience of the last 24 hours.
A night at the Inn is admittedly not a small investment but for all of us, the experience was unforgettable and absolutely worth it.
