The Inn at Little Washington Reviews

This place is 5 star everything ! Thanks to Jeff for calling and following up on our experience.

OK let's stipulate at the outset that the food was spectacular. As well it should be. The the service, not so much. Two requests and 10 minutes for a glass of ice. Coffee served without cream or sugar. Really? Denny's would have gotten that one. My dinner partner to my left had an empty glass of wine for at least five minutes after his dinner was served. And finally you'd think I was asking for the moon to have us served dessert in the living room. And finally...the FOOD AUCTION: WHO HAD THE ...... Well we can get that kind of thing at your average Ceiling Fan and Fern spot. Too many servers without an understanding of what the other is doing. All in all, not a good show for a dinner for 8 that ran over $3K

The service here was too notch from start to finish. From the moment you enter until the moment you leave, someone is taking care of you and ensuring that you are receiving the experience as it was invisioned. Amazing experience.

We ended up paying almost EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS per meal for 2 !!! The food was very rich and they even made me gluten free. The place is in the old jurutungo next to the mountains and is decorated in a very interesting way. They have valet parking "free".

There s not much you can say that hasn t already been written. They have earned their stars through a total commitment to food and service. We came for our anniversary and everyone knew and wished us well. They have perfected the art of making each person feel special. Each course of a meal is perfectly conceived and executed. If you can spend the night you should.

Perfect place for a day trip. Great place and great dinner.

The people are amazing the food was spectacular, I had the gastronaut tasting menu and it was a wise choice. Im not from anywhere near here but i will be back.

Food has been consistently innovative and impeccable. Service has fallen off in recent years. Was disappointed during our last visit and haven t felt like going back.

Beautiful facility in a quaint small Virginian town

Extremely charming historical inn. Can't speak to the rooms, but the public areas are gorgeous and also well stocked with gift shops.

The Inn at Little Washington is our favorite destination for special occasions. Patrick O'connell runs this place better than Santa with his North Pole operation. Not only is he a creative and gifted chef, the attention to detail to each of his hotel guests is unbelievable. His turn down staff noticed my wife's reading glass, and left a pack of glass cleaning wipe next to the glass at her nightstand. He opened his restaurant in the same year I opened my automobile repair shop, but I retired after 40 years. I hope he stays around for many more years, so we can celebrate our special occasions there for years to come. I also noticed our room #20 at the Parsonage is handicap access, even have many pullup bars and a folding seat in the shower.

What can I say? This is a once in a lifetime, bucket list experience that did not disappoint. The food is stellar but I was most surprised and delighted to discover the service professional yet amusing and personable - not at all stuffy. Especially the resident cheese expert (my favorite). It's obvious why this place always gets the highest reviews by peer and customer alike.

The Inn at Little Washington is the very definition of perfection down to every single detail. First, the quality of food at every level, whether breakfast, afternoon tea and of course dinner, is amazing. I've eaten at many of the three star Michelin restaurants in the USA, and the Inn is as good, if not better, than most of the three star places. It really deserves a third star. For food quality alone, I believe the Inn is probably the most outstanding fine dining meal I've ever had from top to bottom and the quality is off the charts. The rooms, amenities and service are unparalleled -- and again with some experience being an "average" customer, you are treated the same no matter who you are. Even the town, the feel of being completely secluded and the entire atmosphere make the Inn at Little Washington one of the true gems of the US.

Amazing experience throughout; from the beautiful courtyard and charming townscape, to the chicken coop with chandelier, to the chat-worthy decor, to the world-class dinner and stellar hospitality. Everyone and everything was graceful and professional. Definitely an experience that has set the bar and that will always be remembered.

Not the best food in the world, but a good experience. The service is flawless and some dishes were superb (foie gras, lamb, pork belly with kimchi).

Dinner at the Inn never fails and should not be missed if you are heading out West from DC. Amazing layers of flavors and wine pairings. It stands up to its 5 stars.

Great service. Very accommodating to all my requests.

Some food were packed already, I did not feel I am getting a great cooked food by the chef. Steak was not great.

I went to the dinner and the service was fantastic, they are very accommodating and personable. The menu was amazing and the food was stellar and they will accommodate all food allergies and other dietary restrictions. The price is worth a celebration but not for frequent dining. Everyone should go at least once in their lives.

The best food I ever had in my whole life! That was really amazing, the customer attention couldn't be better, is the best restaurant I know, I highly recommend it. I loooveeeed it

Dinner was great and food service was excellent however we ordered drinks which never came.

My wife and I ate dinner here following our wedding, and Chef Patrick along with our servers, Chris and Martin, made the evening into the most special, the most delicious, and most spectacular meal of our lives. This otherworldly feast made Patrick s title, The Pope of American Cuisine, all the more fitting. Thank you all, and we will return.

We live locally and love to visit The Inn for special occasions. My boyfriend and I dined last night, and yet again it was phenomenal. The food was superb, the ambiance was detailed and well thought out, and the staff more than willing to go above and beyond. Chef has spared no expense and has paid attention to every detail. The Inn effortlessly brings you quality and a truly wonderful dining experience.

Wow. Perfection. Expensive but perfect. The staff was great. You ll love it.

I wanted to thank your team again for the spectacular hospitality. My wife and I have been hearing about it the Inn at Little Washington for years but never made the time to go. After our recent experience we ve decided this is a well-worth indulgence we plan to repeat. Why did we wait so long? It was a hard-sell being so far from everything, but now we understand why our friends speak so highly of it.
Everything was spectacular: the food, the ambiance, the tasteful decor What stood out above everything else was the exceptional service. The attention to detail your staff places to enhance customers experience is beyond measure. We ve stayed at a myriad of hotels worldwide, but none has come close to match the experience we had here. I wanted to thank you again and look forward to our next visit with great anticipation.

The only Michelin 3 star restaurant in the Washington D.C. region. The accomodations and service are first-rate. The valet service charged my Tesla overnight gratis.

The entire experience was second to none. From the time we arrived until we drove away we were made to feel like we were the only ones there. The food was exceptional and we cannot wait to go back again.

First, let s acknowledge the superb service. Our room was made up continuously through the day. Whenever we would step outside for a few minutes, we d find fresh towels and neatly arranged personal belongings upon return. We were impressed and truly appreciated all those little yet so special touches: my reading glasses nicely folded plus a cleaning kit added, new bookmark inserted in the book on my nightstand, a little carafe of port wine to welcome us from dinner. Beautiful. Elegant. Caring.
However, the flies in our room were not beautiful. It s hard to understand how a small boutique hotel (only 12 rooms!) could fail to control flies in the middle of February. The flies crawled over my glass of port and biscuit making it impossible to taste. Next morning the flies attacked our breakfast. We couldn t eat and embarrassed waiter just looked helplessly.
The dinner was an absolute surprise and deep disappointment. We are experienced students of gourmet food. We dined at Michelin starred restaurants in Paris, London, Lion including the L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges, the restaurant of late Paul Bocuse. Therefore, we loved reading the success story of Patrick O Connell and couldn t wait to taste his menu. Usually, the two star restaurants are more interesting than the three, because they are still trying, experimenting, searching and fighting for their identity. So, we drove the 300 plus miles to the Inn with excitement and great expectations.
The Butter-Pouched Halibut was a disaster. I couldn t eat it and had to send it back. The next day I tried the Steelhead Trout and although not as bad as Halibut it was overcooked, dry and therefore below average. I must say that I was reasonably impressed with the quality of the Royal Osetra Caviar. My compliments to Petrossian or perhaps the compliments should go to the Chinese farmer?
The Duet of Rabbit was OK, although nothing special enough to write home about. I don t know why the Duck dish was called Pekin, none of it was crisp. Above all, it should have never been paired with Sauerkraut.
When we dine at good restaurants my wife and I look for an inspired dish. Sometimes it is an appetizer, sometimes just an unexpected use of saffron that makes some tried and tired dish sparkle. Unfortunately, we came back home emptyhanded.

Great place, Great food and atmosphere. Town of little washington is wonderful as well

Dinner was delicious but service could have been more attentive. Overall we will likely return.

The Inn at Little Washington is my first Michelin 3 star restaurant experience. Well worth the money, the experience is everything we hoped it would be. Watch the PBS special before going, it will help build the excitement.

Worth every single penny. Highly recommend for a big milestone with your significant other!

The staff greeted us right away, took our car to our cottage, staged our luggage in the cottage before we got inside. They also started a fresh fire, gave us a tour, and welcomed us with some amazing cocktails! Our main host Chris, was so effortlessly great at his job and so personable. Cameron gave us a tour and educated us on the history of how the little town came about. He was also the cheese dessert host and was so entertaining! Andrew was also very welcoming and knowledgeable. We had personalized menus and had another fresh fire when we returned from dinner. The experience was phenomenal. We'll definitely be coming back.

Fantastique restaurant, excellent food and great chef !

The best b&b in Washington, and the food was spectacular!!!

A very special place for a very special celebration and night. I will return once my piggy bank fills back up ;-0 Thank you LW

Beautiful little town where you would least expect it.

Was there for a company picnic, it was awesome! Great location with spectacular views.

Exceptionally good service at all levels. Food superb.

Worth the trip to Little Washington.

World class food and service (get the paired wine), with special touches like a personalized menu to comemorate a special event and a kitchen tour. Chef and owner Patrick O'Connell will also tour the dinning room at the end of service.

Stay overnight and tour the galleries and antique shops the next day.

One of the top five dining experiences in the lower 48!

Don't get me wrong, the food in the restaurant was outstanding. Everything was just so, and perfectly cooked. Tender meats, and the foie gras was unbelievable. Worthy of Michelin's recognizance to be sure.

Here's the thing. I think I could get a meal elsewhere that's 99% as good for a lot less money. You really do get a lot of high quality food for the price. But I think it would only be a bargain at about half the going rate. If you can't afford it, you can approximate for cheaper.

You're always going to pay for three Michelin stars though.

Great room, fantastic service, and I didn't know food could taste that good.

Amazing as always. Every detail is taken into account.

Always spectacular. Very pricey but wirth it for a rare and special dining experience. Give yourself 3 hours os so for dinnet

Easiest 5-star review I've ever written. I would give 6 stars if I could. Everything about The Inn At Little Washington is first-rate. The decor redefines eclectic. The cuisine is creative and beyond delicious. The Inn's 3 Michelin stars are well deserved. The staff is top-notch.

Dropped off new paintings At the Shops at the Inn at Little Washington to replace some recent sales.

Excellent food and service. That's probably the lamest way to describe this place. The service was impeccable and had a load of character. The wait staff was incredibly knowledgeable about all the food and menu items without being overwhelming. The cheese cart was a great touch and it even "mooed", which I thought was a hilarious addition for a place as nice as the Inn. The decor and service proves that there is no pretension and, aside from the price, makes the experience accessible.

Incredible.



The many accolades this restaurant bears in its name is prolific, most notably its three Michelin stars. The inn itself also has many awards for its accommodations too. Whether one is here for food or rest, the Inn at Little Washington exceeds all expectations.

We both chose the Gastronaut's Menu and separate cocktails to start. I ordered a lovely blueberry sage mojito, which had fresh blueberries and sage from their garden.

The Gastronaut's Menu included the following:

+ A tin of Imperial Osetra caviar with peekytoe crab and cucumber rillette
+ Carpaccio of herb-crusted Elysian Fields baby lamb loin with Caesar salad ice cream

+ Prosciutto wrapped Berkshire pork tenderloin

+ Chocolate-hazelnut mousse napoleon or a selection of cheese from "Cheese Whiz" Cameron at an $18 supplement (we chose the chocolate-hazelnut mousse napoleon)

We had two wines with our meal to complement the baby lamb loin and the squab and after dinner, we each enjoyed separate teas to wrap up a superb dining experience.

I can confidently say that every single dish was executed with precision and sublimity. There wasn't one aspect of our seven-course meal that I didn't enjoy. What I loved most about the Inn at Little Washington is despite its three Michelin star rating and its long resume of accomplishments, it doesn't take itself too seriously. It's not stuffy or overbearing but rather whimsical and comforting. In many ways, it feels like it's a countryside oasis.

After dinner, we walked the perimeter path in between the shops and the Mayor's House. It's a 3/4 mile loop that goes past the gardens and the chickens, sheep, and llamas. I think we even spotted Patrick O'Connell walking around the grounds with his dog. For anyone dining or staying at the inn, I would recommend taking this walk, particularly at sunset.

Michelin, you got it right. Thank you, Inn at Little Washington for a magical and extraordinary 30th birthday memory.

Went for dinner on a Thursday night and it was delicious, the staff was delightful and kind, and the ambience was very elegant while still being comfortable and pretty homey.

Was there for a walk along the path and then the gift shop which were both great - small town country feel and service. The shop has a wonderful selection of curated products as well as its own branded goods.

My wife and came here for 43rd wedding anniversary and because my wife mentioned that while making the reservation, our menus had "Welcome to Jeff and Daria for their 43rd wedding anniversary" printed on them. Them meal just kept getting better and better from there. Be sure to ask for a tour of the kitchen before you leave. We'd go again. It certainly deserved the stars the Wash Post awarded it

The entire experience of dining at The Inn at Little Washington was superior. The food, beverages, and service by staff were totally top notch. And it was truly the attention to the details by the staff that made the dining experience most memorable.
The food was expected to be superb, and it was. We all shared the fare from all three menus and everything was delicious.
The wine pairings were selected by experts that knew how to mate the wine to the course and they were delicate where needed and bold when necessary.
The staff was the Ace in the hole. They explained the wines and described the food during presentation. They brought out the passion of the Chef in his creations, his works of palatable art.

This is an awesome school, my grandson love going everyday. Am happy I found this school.

To me, the Inn at Little Washington is perfection in any single details.. if I could, I would have give them 10 stars.

Beautiful place and charming ! Best spot to take great pictures and best touristic spot when coming back from Shenandoah to DC!!!

My wife and I had another delicious dinner at the Inn this week. However, we would have preferred to have other options than just the tasting menus. Alas, the service was not up to what we have experienced during previous visits to the Inn and a requested side dish of scalloped potatoes seemed overly salty.

Was in Washington for holiday, and my gf, best friend, booked us in for dinner at the inn, all I can say, "it was amazing". Staff was great, food was incredible, did tour of kitchen, met the chef. Felt like the president himself. Would highly recommend.

beats every expectation for food, service, innovation, decor, etc. perhaps one of the top 5 restaurants in the usa.

Always a great dinner. Kitchen table is a real treat.

Detail oriented & attentive services from everyone once you stepped into restaurant, chef s creations are full of surprises & WOW! Enjoyed a lot about the foods & time here , my highest recommendation!

I was here for a wedding. And boy, was it beautiful! I would recommend this venue to anyone. So much history, and so much good food!

December 2019:

Following points are minor except when you consider the cost, the expectations (Michelin 3 stars) and our past experience (just about perfect in all respects).

This marks our fourth year of lodging and dining at The Inn At Little Washington.

-First Day Breakfast: Shredded potato waffles were super salty.

-Dinner: They literally forgot to bring dessert until we asked - were 90% done with cheese course when dessert was delivered. The souvenir menu to take home misspelled my name. When I asked if it could be corrected, I was told I don t know and there was no follow up.

-Second Day Breakfast: Service was very spotty. Place settings were not ready when we sat down. It took took over 15 minutes for coffee I asked for to be poured (after asking a second time. They forgot to bring the bread basket until main the course was delivered. I asked for a second glass of juice, which was not delivered until the third request.

Pros:
-We received a complimentary upgrade to a room with a small balcony overlooking the courtyard in the main building.
-We received one of our favorite tables we requested for dinner.

December 2018:

Receipt shown is for two guests for two nights in their least expensive accomodations, two dinners with wine pairings and two a la carte breakfasts.

-Queen size bed and bathroom with a shower.
-Check in begins at 3:00 pm. Check out is at 12:00 noon.
-Room reservations includes flat panel television; free high-speed wireless internet access; luxury bath products by Bvlgari and plush bathrobes.
-Room reservations also include complimentary valet parking, afternoon tea, house breakfast for two and a welcome cocktail upon arrival. Taxes and gratuities are not included.
-Don't count on using the free high-speed wireless internet as it was terrible during our entire stay.
-As guests of the Inn, dinner reservations are guaranteed for each night of stay.
-House breakfast includes coffee, tea, miniature flight of fresh squeezed juices, basket of pastries and yogurt parfait.
-A la carte breakfast is an additional $30 per person, not including taxes and gratuities.
-Limited mobile phone coverage within a 30 mile radius. Unless you are with Sprint, you probably will not have a cell phone signal. Our Verizon mobile phones had no phone or internet service during our stay.
-Since we've been to the Inn before, requested a couple of specific tables for our dinners and breakfasts. Out of four requests for four meals, we received our table requested only once and even then the host was reluctant and unfriendly in doing so (older gentleman with greying hair).

The best Inn on America. Period.
Meal lives up to the hype.

Only complaint is I left a jacket behind in my room (100% sure) and when I called the next day, they said it never turned up. Weak. I expected more from them and their staff, as the service is so insanely good.

Amazing experience. The drive and money were worth it! Great way to spend a special occasion! Looking forward to staying for a night!

My team and I have eaten here three times. The service is great and the food is very good. I highly recommend this place.

There's nothing more that can be said about The Inn. It's spectacular.

Truly do not have the words that would do this establishment justice. It is above and beyond anything will ever experience in dining. From the moment you pull up and until after you wake up the next day, it is just magical. My girlfriend and I have been here twice in the last year, and it has been 5-star each time. Get the French fries!

To provide a perspective of the review, we travel a lot, stayed at a lot of top hotels and enjoy a wide range of food from street food to three star Michelin. We enjoyed the inn at little Washington overall but given the standard it s trying to hold itself up to, there s some room for improvements.

The room - we had the Alice Waters room. It is a bi-level suite meaning the bedroom is on a separate floor. The room was nice, spacious and comfortable. The decoration and furnishing was incredible. The cons: one light in the room comes on and off randomly most likely due to a defect bulb. It gets a bit freaky at night given the style of the hotel, so I just turned it off. There was no coffee machine in the room, or if there was I didn t find it. And I m not a big fan of the Bvlgari toiletries due to the heavy perfume. They may have other selections but I didn t ask.

The dinner - the main reason we were here and did not disappoint. Between me and my husband we ordered the two non vegetarian menus. We understand with renovations in cooking there s going to be hits and misses, and tonight there s mostly hits, with a few things I didn t care for. But food is so personal and for example, I didn t care for the ice team they put on the lamb carpaccio but my husband liked it. My favorite was the sea bass and quail. I didn t like the combination of foie gras and the tuna, and the wagyu could be better.

The service - overall warm and welcoming. They definitely try to hold themselves to a very high standard. But at times I get the feeling people here are so proud of this place and could come across in a wrong way. The night we arrived we asked for tea to be sent to our room straight away. It did not appear after and hour so my husband went to check on them and was told that they weren t preparing the tea for us and this was s a miscommunication. I didn t like the word miscommunication a bit as it says to me sorry about what happened but you weren t exactly clear about what you were asking . The tea did come very quickly after we checked. Another interesting example is at dinner me and my husband exchanged comments on the wagyu that it is lacking compared to what we have had before. It wasn t too big a deal and comparing American wagyu (beef was from Idaho) with Japanese wagyu probably wasn t fair, but a gentleman working for the hotel overheard us and made a point to stop by and told us why the beef is so great and educated us on the cut and such. I clearly felt that he wanted to defend the food they serve, and in my opinion maybe going too far.

We enjoyed our stay but cannot help comparing this hotel to the ones we stayed at with similar/comparable emphasis and food theme (for example, Hiiragiya in Japan). The inn at little Washington is doing a respectable job but could still improve on minor details. Bottom line: It is definitely worth the visit if you are in the area.

Very misleading info remains on website. Only 2 tasting menus, not three. Service was okay but not overly attentive. Good but not worth the cost, No lobster or caviar like on previous menus. No beehive birthday cake Were seated in a corner table on a porch away from everything going on. Our room at the parsonage was noisy due to being next to the coffee station. Not the best 70th Birthday celebration. Felt invisible

There's no way not to love this place, and one will never forget the amazing experience of dining at the restaurant. Better than The French Laundry? Perhaps yes.

We went to the restaurant last week. The hotel was decorated beautifully! The service was without parallel. The food was absolutely amazing. This was the best meal I ve ever had and I ve been to some of the finest restaurants in the world. I highly recommend for an unforgettable evening.

Superb. This is the standard to which I hold other restaurants and lodgings to. Wonderful attention to detail and creating a magnificent experience every time.

The environment is really good, but the Indians in the Checkout counter are very arrogant.