Our kids’ sleep away camp does a week where you can have a family sleepover option with them. Being eating alive by mosquitoes in cabins with communal bathrooms and no WiFi? That’s not our kind of family bonding. We’ll be nearby in Charlottesville Virginia! Although a small town, Charlottesville, Virginia seems to draw us regularly to its environs. Visiting this cool university town where both my brother and his wife went to business school was no hardship.The university is, of course, Thomas Jefferson’s pet project, the University of Virginia (UVA). We are always delighted to explore Charlottesville which shines as a beacon of excellent hotels and great food options near where our kids go to camp in the back of beyond West Virginia.
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Lodging in Charlottesville, VA
When you are looking for places to staying Charlottesville, you will have a choice of accommodation because this university town is very popular with visitors. We’ve chosen two bed and breakfasts in Charlottesville downtown and one luxury hotel/inn in the same area. We’ve also picked a couple of boutique hotels in Charlottesville near UVA.
200 South Street Inn
In our opinion, 200 South Street Inn is the best bed and breakfast in Charlottesville VA when you consider value and location. Set in two historic buildings, with the oldest building being the only building on the street when it was built for a son of Thomas Jefferson’s friends.
200 South Street Inn, a Charlottesville bed and breakfast downtown
This Charlottesville bed and breakfast in downtown is a few minutes walk from the pedestrian mall area with its many shops, the Jefferson theatre and eating options. Every Saturday, the celebrated Charlottesville farmer’s market takes place pretty much across the street from this Inn.
Heading to Charlottesville, Virginia? Check out our curated selection of where to stay in Charlottesville (as well as where to stay near Charlottesville)
The 200 South Street Inn is spread across two buildings with a parking lot in the back (very handy!)l, The rooms are furnished with antiques and the staff are friendly and helpful. I’ve done a full review of the 200 South Street Inn as well.
Check out the reviews for 200 South Street Inn on TripAdvisor.
For the latest rates for 200 South Street Inn, here are a selection of travel booking sites:
- Booking.com
- Expedia.com
- Hotels.com
The Inn at Court Square
There are lots of chain hotels in Charlottesville (Hyatt Place, Omni Charlottesville etc) but assuming you are looking for unique and charming, the boutique-style of the Inn at Court Square makes it one of the best hotels in Charlottesville, VA. Among the hotels in downtown Charlottesville, VA, the location is super-central.
The Stonewall Jackson statute in Jackson Square Charlottesville VA
The Inn at Court Square is spread out across two restored historic houses which face Stonewall Jackson square. The potential removal of the Stonewall Jackson statue in this square is one of the causes that lead to the violent white national protests in Charlottesville in the summer 2017 .
The Inn at Court Square is beautifully styled as you would expect from the innkeeper and her family being interior designers. Between the two buildings, there are 6 guest rooms, 4 suites. and the family’s antique stores.
Check out the reviews for the Inn at Court Square on TripAdvisor.
For the latest rates for The Inn at Court Square, here are a selection of travel booking sites:
- Booking.com
- Hotels.com
The Inn at 400 West High
Continuing with the boutique luxury theme, the Inn at 400 West High is another bed and breakfast in Charlottesville, VA. It is a mix and match of the previously mentioned places to stay in Charlottesville, VA. You get the elegance of The Inn at Court Square with the small bed and breakfast aspect of 200 South Street Inn.
This little gem can accommodate 2-4 people depending on which of the 5 rooms are available. Unlike other inns at Charlottesville, the style at this Inn is less antiques and more contemporaries. Some of the rooms have their own outside private sitting areas.
Check out the reviews for the Inn at 400 West High on TripAdvisor.
For the latest rates for at the Inn at 400 West High, here are a selection of travel booking sites:
- Booking.com
- Expedia.com
- Hotels.com
Where to eat in downtown Charlottesville
Our casual choice for dining in downtown Charlottesville is South Street Brewery located conveniently next door to 200 South Street Inn. With craft beer and locally-sourced food, this brewery is open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week. The South Street Brewery menu is heavy on salads, pizzas and sandwiches.
The South Street Brewery is located very near 200 South Street Inn
Our fine dining option is C&O Restaurant which as been a fixture in downtown Charlottesville since the 1970’s. The restaurant is large but spread out over several dining spaces so you still get the intimacy of a smaller space.
Hotels in Charlottesville near UVA
Oakhurst Inn
The Oakhurst Inn is a boutique hotel located close to UVA perfect for book-lovers. Among the inns in Charlottesville, the Oakhurst Inn is unusual for having no hotel lobby. Instead there are 4 communal libraries filled with books, newspapers and other items. You can relax as if you were in the comfort of your own home, and catch up on your reading with a cup of coffee.
The guest rooms are as luxurious as you would expect for luxury hotels in Charlottesville VA – free valet parking, flat screen televisions, free fast WiFI and bathroom toiletries by Malin + Goetz. The suites have pull-out beds which would work for families with children.
The 27 rooms are individually furnished so you don’t get a cookie-cutter look. Although set in historic buildings, the style is clean and contemporary perfect for those people who like their Charlottesville lodging without the fuss of traditional decor.
Check out the reviews for Oakhurst Inn on TripAdvisor.
For the latest rates for at the Oakhurst Inn, here are a selection of travel booking sites:
- Expedia.com
- Hotels.com
Dinsmore House Bed & Breakfast
Another one of the hotels near Charlottesville UVA, Dinsmore House was built in 1822 by Thomas Jefferson’s master builder, James Dinsmore. A recent remodel of this Charlottesville bed and breakfast has left if feeling fresh and contemporary with a twist of traditional elegance. Thing four poster beds and clawfoot rugs – making it one of the best places to stay in Charlottesville VA.
Dinsmore House, a bed and breakfast in Charlottesville VA (image credit: Dinsmore House)
There are 9 guest rooms at this inn in Charlottesville VA. If you are travelling with children, this Charlottesville lodging may not be your best bet because some of the rooms are able to accommodate only one other person on a fold-out sofa or futon.
This hotel in Charlottesville near UVA also is home to the Farm Bell Kitchen, a cafe that serves locally sourced food for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Check out the reviews for Dinsmore House on TripAdvisor.
For the latest rates for Dinsmore House, here are a selection of travel booking sites:
- Expedia.com
- Hotels.com
Where to Eat in Charlottesville near UVA
Carrying along with the theme of good eats, Bodos Bagels is a UVA tradition and serves up a good breakfast. It has 3 locations in Charlottesville and is open all day serving bagels, sandwiches and salads.
The Ivy Inn offers fine dining in Charlottesville near UVA.
For a fancy dinner, we recommend the Ivy Inn where the drinks and food were superb which has (you guessed it) a locally sourced menu. We found the dinner crowd to be a mixed group – there was a large party who were there for a wedding weekend, people on date nights, etc. We were a little amused by the table of UVA students (clearly undergraduates) out for a nice meal – clearly they could afford much better grub for a Saturday night out than we could when we were college students!
Places To Stay near Charlottesville, VA
It’s great to realise that when you are looking for where to stay in Charlottesville, there are some great options just outside of the city. Not only are these places bigger, they offer a range of facilities varying from walking trails to full resort-style facilities.
The Clifton Inn
The Clifton Inn is a boutique hotel near Monticello VA with yet another Thomas Jefferson connection. The Clifton was originally built for Thomas Jefferson’s daughter, Martha and her husband, who Jefferson wanted living near him. If you are looking for places to stay in Charlottesville VA without being in the city itself, the Clifton Inn is a good choice because it took us only 15 minutes to get into town.
The elegant entrance to the Clifton Inn, a bed and breakfast near Charlottesville VA
The Clifton Inn is truly one of the best luxury hotels near Charlottesville, VA. Set on 100 acres with beautifully landscaped grounds for you to explore including an infinity pool set in the woods, there are 20 guest rooms and suites some of whom accommodate children. You can read a full review of this Charlottesville resort here.
Check out the reviews for the Clifton on TripAdvisor.
For the latest rates for the Clifton, here are a selection of travel booking sites:
- Expedia.com
- Hotels.com
Keswick Hall
Other hotels in Charlottesville VA near Monticello include Keswick Hall. A pre-eminent Charlottesville resort type, Keswick Hall is a grand Southern resort along the lines of The Greenbrier in West Virginia or the Omni Homestead in Virginia.
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It’s currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment and will be open in 2020. It was recommended previously on this website for being one of the best hotels in North America with kids. When it re-opens, Keswick Hall will be even better than ever!
Check out the reviews for Keswick Hall on TripAdvisor.
The Boar’s Head Inn
The Boar’s Head Inn is another Charlottesville VA resort located. Presumably as soon as you leave the confines of the city, it’s easier to set up resort-style accommodation without space constraints. The Boar’s Head Inn and Resort is owned by the UVA Foundation.
This grand Charlottesville resort set on 573 acres and has 175 guest rooms. Of course, it has a Thomas Jefferson connection. It was originally the estate of Eliza Trist, a friend of Thomas Jefferon’s and whose grandchildren would eventually marry. The Boar’s Head Resort is another one of the Charlottesville resorts that is currently being renovated – but parts are still open during the renovation.
The Boar’s Head Inn has a sports club, a nationally-famed 18 hole golf course and spa facilities. Children under 12 are allowed to have mani-pedis only and under 16’s massages and facials are also allowed if they are accompanied by an adult.
Check out the reviews for The Boar’s Head Resort on TripAdvisor.
For the latest rates for the Boars Head Inn and resort, here are a selection of travel booking sites:
- Booking.com
- Expedia.com
- Hotels.com
The Iris Inn
The Iris Inn is a bed and breakfast near Charlottesville VA.. Unlike the other luxury hotels in/near Charlottesville, VA, the Iris Inn is a purpose-built facility overlooking the Shenandoah Valley in Waynseboro Virginia. In addition to being a bed and breakfast facility, the Iris Inn also has cabin rentals if you are looking for a self-catering experience.
Sunset over an Iris Inn Cabin (image credit: Iris Inn Jumping Rocks)
Two of the cottages are pet-friendly. Children over the age of 10 can stay in either the main Inn or a cottage.
Check out the reviews for the Iris Inn on TripAdvisor.
For the latest rates for the Iris Inn and cabins, here are a selection of travel booking sites:
- Booking.com
- Expedia.com
- Hotels.com
The Inn at Willow Grove
The Inn at Willow Grove is a boutique-style luxury hotel near Charlottesville, VA set up to look like a little self-contained village. Originally built in 1778 as a historic plantation, the Inn at Willow Grove has been given a total refurbishment to create one of the best places to stay near Charlottesville.
The Inn at Willow Grove is located in Orange Virginia and conveniently close to Montpelier, James Madison’s home, and located about 31 miles (about 45 minutes) from Charlottesville itself. This inn is the furthest of our choices from Charlottesville but many people stay in Charlottesville and come to Montpelier.
The Inn at Willow Grove (Image credit: Inn at Willow Grove)
The 25 rooms spread between cottages and suites of which 3 can accommodate family groups of up to 4 people. Among the amenities is complimentary butler service. There’s a well-regarded restaurant/pub on site. The 3000 s.f. Mill House spa is located in a barn and oozes farmhouse chic.
Check out the reviews for the Inn at Willow Grove on TripAdvisor.
For the latest rates for the Inn at Willow Grove, here are a selection of travel booking sites:
Where To Eat Near Charlottesville
How good does your pizza have to be that it gets praised by both National Geographic and The Food Network? The family-owned business at Crozet Pizza has been run-in since the 1970’s with home made dough, a secret sauce recipe and other locally-sourced ingredients. It’s open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner. The original location is in Crozet Pizza but there’s also Crozet Pizza being served at the Buddhist Biker Bar near UVA in Charlottesville.
1771 restaurant is located at The Clifton, one of the best luxury hotels near Monticello, VA
After a 2018 revamp, the Clifton Inn has emerged with a renewed focus on food. The chef at the 1799, the Clifton’s Restaurant is a one-Michelin starred chef from California. He oversees the preparation of a locally sourced menu of reinterpreted American classics. Meals are served either on a beautiful verandah or an elegant library room. The 1799 refers to the date the property was constructed for Thomas Jefferson’s daughter.
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When you are searching for where to stay in Charlottesville VA it’s definitely good to remember the city has lots of great options both for places to stay in Charlottesville itself as well as an assortment of fabulous places to stay nearby, both Bed and Breakfasts as well as resorts.
Where to stay in Charlottesville, VA and where to stay near Charlottesville VA
Charlottesville Virginia has plenty of offer because it is beautiful countryside with lots of history and natural attractions. Just a 2 hour drive from Washington, D.C. means it is also a great weekend escape from the city. There is a reason that we have returned to this area time and time again (and not just for the UVA connection)).
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