The Fife & Drum Inn

Occupying upstairs quarters in one of the Merchants Square buildings, this charmer is the only privately owned inn in the Historic Area. "Colonial Williamsburg is your front yard," say owners Billy and Sharon Scruggs, who grew up here and put out a full breakfast every morning, including Virginia country ham biscuits. A sky-lit hallway with faux-brick floor and clapboard siding (you will swear it's a street) leads to the seven medium-size rooms and two suites, some of which have dormer windows. The suites open to a narrow porch out back. Whimsical features such as birdhouses hide a few of the TVs. The Conservancy Room is the most romantic, with a canopied double bed and a claw-foot bathtub. The inn does not have an elevator, but you can opt for a street-level Colonial cottage around the corner and avoid the 17 steps in the main building. The cottage can sleep up to six.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.