Virginia has a vast array of accommodations, from rock-bottom roadside motels to some of the nation's finest resorts. Every national chain is present here in all price categories. So whether you spend a pittance or a bundle depends on your budget and tastes. You can enjoy "champagne tastes on a beer budget" -- if you plan carefully and possess a little knowledge of how the hotel industry works.

The Virginia Tourism Corporation publishes a directory of all the state's accommodations.

Bed & Breakfasts

Unfortunately I have room in these pages to mention only a few standouts among Virginia's 200-plus bed-and-breakfasts. Most of them are excellent properties adorned with antiques or quality reproductions, luxurious touches like fresh flowers and top-drawer linens and toiletries, and near-gourmet breakfasts. Some even add whirlpool tubs to their bathrooms. All these niceties come with a price, so most bed-and-breakfasts aren't inexpensive. Nor are they for everyone, since you'll be sharing a home with strangers -- with whom you might have to make small talk over breakfast. On the other hand, you don't have to go out for breakfast, and the hosts are usually fonts of current local information. In fact, B&B owners told me about many of the restaurants I recommend in these pages.

With a few exceptions, I only recommend properties which are members of the Bed & Breakfast Association of Virginia (BBAV), P.O. Box 1077, Standardsville, VA 22973 (tel. 888/660-2228 or 540/672-6700; www.innvirginia.com). The BBAV inspects and approves the establishments it promotes, so you are unlikely to stay in a dump. Membership also indicates that the owners are serious about their business and are not operating a B-&-B merely to take advantage of tax breaks. BBAV publishes an annual directory of its members and lists them on its website.

Regional associations with useful websites include the following:

  • Alexandria & Arlington Bed & Breakfast Network, P.O. Box 25319, Arlington, VA 22202 (tel. 888/549-3415 or 703/549-3415; www.aabbn.com)
  • The Hunt Country's Loudoun County Bed & Breakfast Guild (tel. 866/771-2597; www.loudounbandb.com)
  • Charlottesville's Guesthouses Reservation Service, Inc. (tel. 434/979-7264; www.va-guesthouses.com)
  • Bed and Breakfasts of the Historic Shenandoah Valley (no phone; www.bbhsv.org)
  • Williamsburg Bed & Breakfast Network (no phone; www.bandbwilliamsburg.com)

Most local visitor centers include bed-and-breakfasts on their websites or will send you a list of those in their area.

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.