The Tides Inn Review

Pretty awful. We have friends that come up from Florida and stay for one week at The Tides Inn every Summer.
We always spend an evening there with them.
The place never changes. It is beautiful there but otherwise has a lot to be desired. Not sure why anyone would go. Well, maybe once.
Every year it's the same. Mediocre food that is way over priced. Less than mediocre service delivered by a pompous wait staff. I always feel like The Tides In is telling me " Hey, I know we suck but if we overcharge you, maybe you will be fooled into thinking we are extraordinary" NOPE

We had a great stay. Beautiful hotel. Great food. Only complaint was we had broken glass on our bathroom floor and stepped on it and cut my foot. When we told the front desk, they didn't seem very concerned.

Rooms are small. Staff seemed overwhelmed. Limited capacity everywhere we went - no chairs at pool, no seating at restaurant, and no spa reservations available. WiFi is terrible. Not much to do outside of resort either.

Great views. Marina is small but has adequate facilities included. Free ice, laundry and shower facilities. Wifi is poor to non existent. Even at the hotel the wifi was poor. Service is ok with AT&T. No service with t-mobile. Did not try verizon. Long list of activities and fun things to do.

Fabulous food. Good service. Beautiful surroundings !

The Tides Inn was once a place of grandeur and excellent accommodations across the board. While still very nice with great service and extremely accommodating staff, it's showing it's age. It's in need of a massive face lift. Hopefully they can restore it to it's glamorous past at some point.

Friendly staff, but be prepared for slow service when ordering drinks or food. A lot of nice perks like bikes to ride, paddle boards, tennis, kayak, cookies and milk at night, s'mores cook out, and other amenities.

The place is a bit over priced for what you get today, but may have been better back in its heyday. Some areas seem neglected that may have been used way back when (i.e. 'game room' with ping pong table). They also tack on an additional $30 a night 'resort fee' whatever that is.

Don't expect much from the par three golf course. Some holes have over grown trees blocking fairways, and the tee boxes consist of practice driving range mats.

WiFi is spotty.

Breakfast is reasonably priced for an upscale hotel. A nice option for dinner is the Trick Dog bistro less than a mile away.

Lots of fun activities including disc golf, giant chess, croquet, pool, paddle boards, canoes, kayaks and jet skis. Great seafood restaurant with a perfect view of the water.

Such a marketing lie. This "resort" needs thousands of dollars in renovations and service upgrades. The "spa" is a joke. New wallpaper and pillows in the common areas do not represent a refresh upgrade. Service is non-existant at worst and unsophisticated at best. Food quality, prep and service spotty. Beautiful spot...could be world class with huge investment and excellent management. Been going there for years...but worse every time. Done.

Excellent service. Very polite. Great views and fun activities. Recommended for all ages.

Extraordinary. Not cheap, but a real taste of Northern Neck. Sunday breakfast should not be missed.

Stayed for a wedding weekend. Beds were comfortable and room was very clean. Food and Bar were good. They stick you with a resort fee and a baggage fee making the price out of control. Depending on where your room is parking is a good distance away.We got the group rate but with all the extra fees it was far above the normal room rate.

Pamper, pamper, relax, eat then more pamper!!! Amazingly beautiful and relaxing scenic golf grounds to rome about in between a great massage or facial. Wonderful staff all over the grounds, restaurant and Spa!

Wonderful food (lobster roll)
Excellent service by clearly well-trained and friendly servers
A view which always pleases
We are so happy the Tides Inn is open once again and better than ever.

Delightful! Friendly, capable staff, delicious food and a mini regatta for entertainment.

We love it here. Lovely surroundings. Lots of great outdoor activities. Friendly staff. Comfortable rooms. Came for our 50th wedding anniversary. Consider this a special place!!

Beautiful place and hotel,excellent in all the senses.

Very old building, but we'll kept. Staff has been very friendly and helpful. The restaurant is a little pricey, but good.

Visited today to plan for an upcoming event. Staff were very knowledgeable and helpful. Vistas were beautiful. Seems like lots of activities. Looking forward to our visit!

Great location. Lots of rough edges. Lots of deferred maintenance. Bits of litter that annoying don't seem to be picked up. Fire pits that are "broken" - until you insist and they just needed a new propane bottle. There seems to be a lack of management and attention to detail. Could be spectacular otherwise.

Beautiful view from outside dining area...great food

Very beautiful location. I have only had the pleasure of visiting for events but everything I've seen has been first class.

Here for the disc golf, nice 9-hole course. Beautiful grounds as well.

A beautiful day to take the boat across the river and tie up at Tides for drinks and a great brunch.

I totally loved the spa. Everyone is so kind a d helpful. Made me feel so relaxed. Hurry make your appointment.

This is second time in the hotel. Even better than the last. Food, service, rooms, all have been outstanding. Took the Carter Creek boat trip and so enjoyed. The captain was very knowledgeable about the houses and area. This is a wonderful trip. Hope to do again.

Rooms were nice but a little dark. The facility was very nice and staff accommodating

A beautiful respite with easy access to some terrific local restaurants (Adrift). Plus the on property restaurant was very good. On top of it all - dog friendly!

Absolutely beautiful rooms and scenery, stellar service, and plenty of things to do.

This resort needs a ton of rehab, rooms are dated and smell musky. We had a room with a balcony, it was over run with growth from the plants below, the walls on both sides had peeling paint and the sliding door needed to be replaced. They are charging 5 star prices for a 3 star hotel. The only saving grace were the restaurants and the service staff. Food was excellent and the servers did a great job. A special thanks to Geof for sharing all the history of the inn. Wish I could give a better review but management will have to step up and get this one time "gem" a full face lift to bring me back.

Not very impressed food was not very good left my olives out of my drink and left my cornbread croutons out of my salad.

Tides Inn is a lovely gem! It is a little pricey and I would suggest remodeling the bathhouse because it is subpar and one of the worst on the bay area for the most expensive slip. It must be renovated...

Tides Inn is one of the most beautiful places in the state of Virginia. The food is delicious, the staff is absolutely the best and the view is stunning. Listening to one of our favorite bands, Zen Mojo Band, enjoying our dinner and cocktails in beautiful Irvington, Virginia. There is no where else we would rather be. Tides Inn #1

It's a beautiful place very friendly staff and my girls got a job thanks

Beautiful views, spacious rooms and wonderful food.

Great place to take the family, come visit via land or water. Dinner in either restaurant has incredible food. Go sailing or enjoy the complementary kayak, paddle boards sit out by the pool. Very relaxing resort overall.

What a beautiful atmosphere and great food. If you go don't pass up the Lancaster Lemonade

We discovered this place a few years ago. We desperately needed a weekend away to soothe our soul, and this place is just the ticket. You won't find a prettier setting. The staff is friendly and attentive and the rooms are big and comfortable. You definitely want a room with a water view. It makes a huge difference. The golf course, disc golf and tennis were used multiple times by my husband. We didn't partake in the nightly smores, but would have liked to. We like to explore the town so we only had brunch in the restaurant terrace, which was wonderful. Lots of fun to be had.

The Tides is always a good time. Beautiful setting on Carters Creek and live music.

Most wonderful place. A quiet first class resort. Serene patio with fireplace and live music and smore making! Romantic dinner with attentive service, local oysters and fish and gourmet delights! Great key lime pie, too. Spectacular views from the room, spacious bath tub, and comfy large bed. What's not to love?

Beautiful property with great food and lots of activities. We felt safe with the level of COVID-19 precautions taken. We enjoyed our time at the pool with excellent service from the Fish Hawk/pool attendants, took out paddleboards and kayaks every day, and had delicious breakfasts on the Chesapeake terrace. The spa was also very relaxing and safe. Our room was smaller than anticipated and some of the outlets were loose, but we spent most of our time outside anyway. Make sure to ask about the discount for Virginia residents.

We have been coming here for years but it seems like it is getting worse as time goes by. The rooms are so old and in need of major renovations. I m addition, the wait staff at the restaurant are horrible. You continually have to ask for items like a fork or water. If it wasn t for the beautiful location we wouldn t come back.

Lovely Spring Festival fundraiser. Great food, beer, and wine. Great 4-Star resort in Irvington, VA.

Being two and a half hour away from home, you probably could stay here for a week and enjoy a pretty good time when the skies are starlit clear, and the dock at night is silent beneath the rustling leaves.

Visited for 5 days as our first covid-era vacation. As replies to other reviews have noted, the inn recently underwent renovations, and for the most part, it shows, but there are still some areas that could use some work.

Pros: Food was quite good - some dishes just ok but some excellent. The sommelier Travis was very pleasant and helpful. Staff in general were friendly and accommodating. Rooms were comfortable, great AC and blackout curtains. Interior of common spaces was gorgeous (restaurant and view room). They gave my husband a private place to take a conference call with no hassle. Our 90-minute Duffy boat rental was cut short by a rainstorm to about 30-40 minutes and they didn t charge us for it, which was thoughtful.

Cons: Despite the renovations, the exterior of some buildings are still a bit run down (the door leading into our building had a giant crack in the window, mended with clear packing tape). On arrival, one of our pillows had a bunch of dirt and grit on it. Housekeeping apologized profusely and said they would be sending a fruit and amenities basket, but no such basket ever arrived (though we didn t ask about it - we didn t care much, but it felt odd to offer then not deliver). The bathroom door didn t close smoothly, and some of the bathroom fixtures were cracked. The pool and parking areas seemed a bit unkempt. Mask enforcement was patchy, for both guests and staff - most staff were pretty good about it, but the waiter who bent close over us with his nose uncovered made me a bit nervous. It also seemed generally like communication and messaging was not consistent or organized - a brochure was provided at check in explaining covid procedures, some of which were followed by staff and some of which were not.

This is really more of a 3.5-star review, but I rounded up to 4 because I think this is probably normally a very nice and well-run place that is just struggling right now due to covid-related staffing issues.

Did not sell that much more wine drinking by people every bit does count

Had a great time. Everyone was friendly. It was nice.

We did not stay at the inn, but nearby. We did however, celebrate our anniversary in the restaurant and were blown away by both the service and the food. The cocktails were top notch and the deserts were a perfect cap. Every staff memeber we encountered was beyond friendly. Unfortunately we missed the sunset at what was dubbed the best table in the house, but we have something else to return for. Might be a bit pricy for some, but well worth it. Thank you for a wonderful evening.

Very beautiful grounds. Had a fantastic cove cruise with Captain Tom. Only 4 stars because the room was meh. Nothing special.

Went over 4th of July weekend. Paid premium price for average service.

Fantastic low key hotel on Charles Creek. Great pool, friendly and attentive staff. Free bikes, kayaks, paddle boards. 9 hole golf course with disc golf holes too.

Our stay at The Tides Inn was so relaxing. The room was very nice, the staff was wonderful, the food was terrific, and the service was great!

Service from entering the front door to our leaving to Exit home was great. The room was beautiful and spacious. The bed was too comfortable, did not want to get going in the morning!!
Our lunch was delicious!! Especially the SheCrab soup, and unusual sirloin chilli. Even the large event we were involved with was well organized and the food was 5 star!!

Beautiful view. Friendly, helpful staff. Pleasant room. Good food. What else do you need?

Gorgeous venue!! We recently were married on the grounds & it was beautiful! The room we stayed in was huge & had a waterfront view with large windows! Staff were all very friendly & the food was great! We didn t stay long but they have several different amenities & packages to choose from. 10/10 recommended for a quiet, beautiful getaway!

The place has a 50s country club feel. A nice place for a short family getaway with lots of activities included. Kids enjoyed crabbing, kayaks and bikes.

A wonderful oasis on the Chesapeake Bay for families or just the two of you. Earl will greet you at the front door with a smile and everyone on staff will make you feel welcome. Dinner at the Chesapeake Restaurant is first rate and enjoying breakfast on the Chesapeake Terrace with the views of the Bay is a great way to start the day. The Inn offers several activities, such as kayaking, evening cruises, bicycle rides, golfing, of course, and many more. I particularly enjoyed the paddleboard yoga and aqua aerobics. Going back to Earl--he has been with The Tides Inn for 26 years. When asked if he likes working there, he replied, "No, I don't like working here. I LOVE IT!

The food was alright, but when I tried to double check ingredients my server wasn't willing to double check with the chef.

Our family happened to go on vacation here because it's listed as a top 10 resort in the US. We were supposed to go on a cruise but Zika ruined that. This place has gorgeous views and tons of stuff to do for all ages. I'm pleasantly surprised!

Nice restaurant, came here with my family including a 2 year old. Waitstaff was friendly and accommodating. Other guests were rude because we had a toddler and moved...only to have another family with a "scream face" toddler sit next to them. Ahhh.... :)

We just use the tides in to host my daughter's 2020 pivot wedding. They could not have been more accommodating, and we found the facility to be a lovely place to get married in the madness of 2020.

A bit decrepit, it was definitely beautiful at one time but years of neglect have rendered it rather lack luster

Neat place! Nice little local getaway. A little pricey, given that it's starting to show its age around the edges, but still very nice. The food in the restaurant surprisingly was not as great as I expected it to be, especially for the steep prices. But the grounds are nice, the rooms are nice, and we enjoyed the free kayaks. We'd come back!

Great hotel in Kilmarnock VA. Amazing views of the waterfront. Bar service was quick and the bourbon selection was quite diverse.

Awesome view and customer service! The Lancaster Lemonade added to the experience.

The food was fair at best. The service was poor. These folks need some training in customer service. Sorry this was strike 3.

We stumbled on to this place as we were in the area for a wedding. We couldn't have been happier. From the moment we arrived the hospitality was over the top. Smiles welcomed you at every turn. Our room was gorgeous. It had a great view of the river off our balcony. The staff is a huge part of this place from Kate and Sophie at the pool to Geoff, Brian, and Brooke at the bar to T and his fiancee on the patio to Earl, G, and Lil G up front. I know I left some out but the made the stay most enjoyable. Double shot out to Sophie!! Thanks for the laughs. The food was just as good as everything else. Be sure to get the crab cake eggs benedict for breakfast and the calamari at dinner. I suggest the jalapeno ranch with the calamari. Granted we didn't have our kids but it appeared they have a great program for children. We are looking at taking ours back soon. All and all this is a new favorite of ours and am sure it will be for you as well.

Always wonderful. The staff was very helpful. We'll definitely return.

Slightly faded elegance, emphasis on the elegance. Beautiful surroundings. Helpful staff. Pleasant things to do. Nice places to eat.

Setting = Lovely. Luncheon meal = Delightful. Service = Spotty. Value = '4 of 5'.

Great wine festival venue! Shrimp and grits are the bomb.

Fantastic. Off-season (winter) was cozy and serene. Pet friendly a plus for us, family of three - my wife, my dog, and me. Awesome meals at the restaurant. I highly recommend The Tides Inn.

We stayed at the marina on our great loop trip. It is a great destination on the Chesapeake Bay.

Great place to stay or just to visit for the day or dinner.

Pros: Great location and activities. Friendly staff. Good food. Tennis courts were well kept.
Cons: Poor Wifi if it worked at all, no signal in our guestroom. Guestrooms need some updating. Food & drinks are expensive. The Fitness Center needs upgrading, only one treadmill was working. Equipment is old and some of it was not working/broken. AC system in the guestrooms is VERY loud!!

I love this place! I had my first visit for my 60th birthday and that was at least 8 years ago. I miss some of the old staff but the remodel is outstanding. The views and the calm of the place can remove your cares and worries very quickly. Boating, swimming or,just sitting and reading a book can move you to another world. Food is good and the Fish Hawk down on the water at the pool leave you wanting to overstay your visit. I can't wait to return again !

Located in Irvington, the tides in is pricey but extremely relaxing and you truly feel like everything is going to be taken care of. If you're not an upper class white family you might feel a bit out of place but it's still wonderful to visit. The staff is extremely well mannered and friendly

Our room had Fleas when we woke up! They only give discount and did not fully comp our room. Would never stay here again bad customer service!!!

Always the most gracious staff and beautiful grounds!

Our company had a three day retreat at this hotel and we had a fabulous time! I highly recommend it!
Pros- quiet, picturesque, inn tucked away on a tributary to the Chesapeake Bay. Tons of water sports and fishing to be had! Beautiful pool and grounds and even a small "beach", Beautiful ,updated rooms and super attentive staff!
Cons- the food is super expensive ($16 cheeseburger and fries are extra!) My daughter had a pull out couch bed and the mattress was so thin she had a very hard time sleeping. Super uncomfortable even for a notoriously uncomfortable type of bed!

This resort does not get enough recognition. It is gorgeous and quaint. The wait staff are quick to take your orders and the food is good. The pool is refreshing and you can also paddle board on the river. The inside restaurant is amazing. The Tides Inn is a great little get away with fun events.