Stay in Luray
Located within walking distance of Luray, Virginia’s historic downtown near the Shenandoah River, the circa 1931 Mimslyn Inn was purchased earlier this year by a new ownership group. They plan to conduct an occasional symposium and tour of Civil War actions in the area, and have also added specialty spirits to the inn’s offerings.
Mimslyn’s expansive grounds are home to walking paths, a hammock garden, firepits, 10 guest cottages, two homes (available as rentals) and 45 guest rooms and suites in the grand manor-style main house. Grab a good book from the inn’s library and relax by the fireplace in the first-floor living room.
Guest rooms are appointed with classic furnishings and large windows overlooking the landscape. Following on the heels of recent main floor and dining room renovations, guest rooms are slated for updates in the year ahead.
Mimslyn’s Speakeasy Restaurant and Bar offers casual Southern cuisine and weekly live entertainment. The on-site Circa ’31 Restaurant is open for breakfast, Sunday brunch
buffet and dinner—offerings include Northern Italian specialities such as a delicious porcini mushroom sauce over chicken and couscous. Visit the new patio bar for a weekend afternoon lunch.
Popular nearby attractions include Shenandoah National Park, Luray Caverns, New Market Battlefield, Luray Zoo (a home for rescued animals), the Shenandoah Spirits Trail and the Luray Hawksbill Greenway, a paved Virginia Bird and Wildlife Trail. Rates start at $199. The Mimslyn Inn, 401 W. Main St., Luray, Virginia, 540-743-5105, mimslyninn.com
Bay Haven
Tucked away on a secluded cove on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, The Oaks Waterfront Hotel emerged from a $10 million-plus renovation in May 2023 that included the original circa-1748 building and other structures, as well as the grounds. Furnishings in warm whites and seaside blues, along with gleaming wood floors, give the hotel a coastal vibe that carries through to the outdoors, thanks to new porches, patios, beautiful landscaping, firepits and an old dock transformed into a pavilion for outdoor dining and watching movies under the stars.
While weekends are often booked with wedding guests, weekdays make for a peaceful getaway or even a remote work retreat—think laptop on a terrace overlooking the water, a midday stroll along the property’s winding brick path and an evening bath in an oversize soaking tub.
The 11 rooms and suites include king or queen beds, elegant tiled bathrooms with heated floors, robes and Apple TV. Select rooms and all four of the cottages on the property have soaking tubs, private patios and water views. One of the cottages also includes a full kitchen and fireplace.
Dinner is currently available in The Oak Room on Wednesday and Thursday evenings with a menu featuring soups, salads, burgers, a veggie panini, and fish-and-chips made from Maryland blue catfish with malt vinegar aioli. Alternately, a driver can transport guests, gratis, to shops and restaurants in nearby St. Michaels, Oxford and Easton. (Harley Peet, executive chef of Bas Rouge in Easton, recently earned a prestigious James Beard Award.)
Book the hotel’s 40-foot Hinckley Picnic Boat for a scenic fall sunset cruise or to explore an Eastern Shore town.
Midweek rates begin at $389 per night and include breakfast served in the dining room, plus complimentary use of bicycles, kayaks and paddleboards. The Oaks Waterfront Hotel, 25876 Royal Oak Road, Easton, Maryland, 410-745-5053, the-oaks.com
Discover Elkins
Opened in February in Elkins, West Virginia, the six-story, brick Tygart Hotel is modern in decor while also giving a nod to the past. Local art on display throughout the lobby and guest room floors reflects the area’s bygone days.
The historic property is an ideal base from which to explore this Appalachian mountain town and nearby Monongahela National Forest trails, flora and fauna. While no two of the 56 guest rooms and suites are alike, you’ll find rooms with a king, a queen or two queen beds dressed in quality linens, bathrooms with roomy walk-in showers, flat-screen TVs and large desks.
Dine on-site at Oxley House Cocktail Bar and Restaurant for American fare such as fried green tomatoes and shrimp and grits. Off property, visit the Elkins Depot Welcome Center for details on the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, which offers a variety of scenic rides on vintage trains to see wildlife, waterfalls and sweeping mountain views.
Big Timber Brewing, just a block from the hotel, is the place for local beer. Byrd’s House of Donuts serves sugary treats, sweet tea and an array of other comfort foods. Hotel guests receive a complimentary day pass to the Elkins YMCA, just a couple minutes’ walk from the hotel.
Rates begin at $131 and include a breakfast of fresh fruit, locally made doughnuts, yogurt, eggs, bacon, sausage and biscuits with gravy. Tygart Hotel, part of the Ascend Hotel Collection, 206 Davis Ave., Elkins, West Virginia, 304-924-4279, tygarthotel.com
This story appears in the September/October 2024 issue of Bethesda Magazine.
