It was an absolutely delightful candlelight meal. YUM!We also went to one of their dinners on Sat. To this day, I'm still dreaming of the strawberry cream cheese filled French Toast. They even had little doggie treats waiting for our dog.The breakfasts were what every real B&B should strive for- ABSOLUTELY PERFECT! Each breakfast was something you could write home about. It was wonderful! Every detail was fantastic. It was truly heavenly.We were able to bring our dog with us, which is a big plus for weekend travel in my book.We stayed in one of the guestroom/cabins to the right of the main house as you arrive. My fiance and I stayed at Meander last year for a quick weekend get-away from DC. We thought the Groom's Cottage looked inviting on the web site. Before you book this place have a very good idea of the nature of the specific room you are targeting don't rely alone on the web site to guide you. One added pleasure is sitting on the deck and watching the hummingbirds zip over the beautiful herb and flower gardens. The food is good and the owners are friendly and accommodating. Bottom line: Based on the Grooms Cottage, I would say that a lot of money has to go into renovation. There is a well planned city park with lots of picnic tables and a good paved walking trail. There is a good restaurant in Culpepper (Its About Thyme) that we found enjoyable and we could sit out in front with the dogs. Orange and Culpepper have a few nice spots but mostly they are old uneventful towns. The renovation is supposed to take 4-5 years. Skip the tour they charged $11 each and you can not see much of the exterior which is largely covered and you cannot enter any of the rooms except the small dusty old unfurnished basement. It was disappointing that Madison's home, Montpelier, the main attraction in the area, was undergoing a major renovation. The breakfasts were particularly tasty and generous. One can have four of the five dinner courses served with a different wine made in Virginia. Another negative is over reliance on salt. One negative on dinner was the tough piece of steak served both of us felt that we were eating a cheaper cut of meat that was smothered with great ingredients. Also, the food is pretty good and prepared by a friendly chef, Paul. In addition, the Innkeepers are quite friendly we had some good chats about their nice old dog, Honey, and recent travels. The price for two of these are identical to the Groom's Cottage. At least three other rooms are pet friendly. Some other positive points about the Inn include it's pet friendly character there are several pet friendly rooms, and we were able to bring our two small dogs on the trip. There is a grand piano in the front entry area. The main Inn lodging has a very presentable parlor and an attractive dining room. We were not inside other sleeping quarters so we cannot comment about their interiors. Both rotting wood and badly peeling paint. The outside of the Groom's room is in desparate need of repair. The lighting is quite adequate and the queen size bed was comfortable, though there were stains on the sheets which had been cleaned. The artwork is strictly Ross or Marshall's. In the main bedroom area, the furniture needs an upgrade it appears that this room was furnished at a flea market with some good and some badly marked pieces. The sink has large dark rust stains in it, and the toilet is pitted and in definite need of total replacement. There is no door to the bathroom, just a cloth cover that you slide to enter and close. The shower head only permits a dribble and no spray. We spent two nights at the Inn of Meander in the Groom's Cottage unfortunately this room is VERY run down. Sit on the back porch overlooking the gardens, and the Blue Ridge mountains in the distance, and ponder life. Don't look for data port connections or TVs in the room, etc. The Summer Kitchen is our favorite.) Remember you're coming to an historical 'museum'. The rooms and common areas are well furnished and comfortable(we've stayed in several different rooms. The vintner dinners are not to be missed. The ladies, along with Chef Paul and staff consistently offer up delicious gourmet delights. The food, both at breakfast and their wonderful dinners, is remarkable. Their company is always enjoyable and fun. Suzie and Suzanne, your hosts are wonderful innkeepers. The grounds are beautifully manicured and the stately house looks almost exactly as it must have looked some 200 years ago. Imagnie riding up that long winding driveway in a horse and carriage. As you pull off the road into the entrance you can immediately feel the history unfold before you.
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