Boar's Head Inn Charlottesville, Va.

Located in Charlottesville, Va., the Boar's Head Inn is the official hotel of the University of Virginia. What this means to you as a traveler is that you should plan ahead and book early so that you won’t be disappointed. If you aren’t able to get a room here, you will be disappointed. Staying at the Boar’s Head Inn is an experience that you will not only enjoy; you will remember it for years to come.

Tthe ambiance and hsitory is evident from the moment that the door is opened for you as you walk up. Even if you are not staying in the most expensive suite, you will be treated as if you are. The staff is exceptionally friendly and your welcome will be immediate and warm.

The Rooms

A variety of different rooms are available at the Boar’s Head and they are located in different buildings. You can have a suite, a room with a balcony or patio or a historic room in the original mill building. We were in the original mill building and loved it. Because it is a historic building, not all rooms will be identical and you may find original beams at totally different locations than where ours were.

Our room

While the building and room is historic, it has all the modern amenities including a work desk with a lamp and comfortable chair. Two wall plugs guarantee that charging your phone, tablet, or laptop won’t be an issue. A club chair with ottoman, pole lamp and side table are located adjacent to the desk. The dresser houses the coffee pot and mini fridge, the TV is on top and there is a blanket and an extra pillow in the drawers. An overhead light in the middle of the room and two bedside lamps make the lighting good throughout the room.

Our room had two recessed windows overlooking the lake. Our friend’s room across the hall overlooked the front entrance. The bedding is done in white and the walls are also white. The coordinating colors are a soft green with light green carpeting. It is all very peaceful and low key.

The Bed

The king size bed in the mill building is to die for. I sleep in a lot of beds; it is part of my job as a travel writer. This bed is one of the most luxurious I have ever slept in. It has a magnificent pillow top, so cushy that when I climb into bed it didn’t hurt my knee. I have no cartilage in my knee so putting my knee onto a mattress to climb in hurts. It didn’t hurt here. I was stunned. Even with that much softness, there was an underlying firmness that makes for a great sleeping bed. The sheets are so soft too, just lovely. I don’t impress easily and I was impressed.

Another thing I really liked is the original beams that frame the bed, great touch. Another original beam comes up through the floor in the bathroom.

The Bathroom

I loved the sliding door entrance to the bathroom and the original beam going from ceiling to floor. The bathroom was spacious and immaculately clean. The grout in the tiles on the floor was noticeably pristine. The amenities are from Gilchrist and Soames and are generous in size. 

Not only do you get the usual shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion, they include shower gel. For bathing there is a tub and shower combo. The shower had great pressure and plenty of hot water. The towels are more like bath sheets, no skimping on the towels here.

The closet

A large closet is located right inside the door and holds the iron and ironing board, the luggage rack and two plush robes. A safe is also located on the shelf in the closet.

Dining

There are several dining options at the Boar Head Inn. The Mill Room is an outstanding restaurant and the Bistro 1834 Grill is a lounge with top notch food. We dined there only because it is a little more casual and also they serve the Peanut Soup at dinner and I wanted the peanut soup. You can always order in room dining as well if you prefer to eat in your room.

The resort

There is more to the Boar’s head Inn than just a comfortable bed, there is golf, a spa a world class health facility and magnificent grounds. In January the grounds were not the big attraction but on a previous visit in early November the color was stunning.

Loads of activities are going on in the area and also at the resort. While we were there the Special Olympics were taking place. Dining week in Charlottesville was coming up late in January and the Boar’s Head participates. Be sure to check their website to see what will be happening during your visit.