In the small colonial town of Montross, Virginia, a building that has witnessed nearly 250 years of American history is welcoming guests again. The Inn at Montross, which first opened its doors in the 1780s, celebrated a grand reopening last December after preservation work that maintained its historical character while making it viable for modern travelers.
The building now operates as a five-room inn, with each room featuring private bathrooms—a careful balance between period authenticity and contemporary expectations. An on-site innkeeper helps coordinate stays, and breakfast comes included. The property caters primarily to adult travelers, both older visitors drawn to the history and younger guests looking for weekend escapes without the trappings of chain hotels.
More Than Overnight Stays
What distinguishes this historic lodging property from typical bed-and-breakfasts is its capacity for events. The inn accommodates gatherings of various sizes, from intimate meetings to larger celebrations, taking advantage of its multiple floors and historic rooms. Since reopening, the venue has begun hosting events alongside its regular guest accommodation.
The location itself offers strategic advantages. Montross sits within driving distance of several wineries, restaurants, and water-based recreation. The Northern Neck region of Virginia remains less traveled than nearby Williamsburg or Charlottesville, giving visitors access to colonial history without the crowds.
Ambitious Expansion Plans
The team behind the inn isn’t stopping with overnight rooms and event hosting. Their vision includes reopening the building’s 1700s-era basement pub, which would restore a social gathering space that likely served the community for generations. They also plan to reopen a first-floor restaurant, transforming the restored colonial inn into a more comprehensive hospitality operation.
These additions would create a fuller experience for both overnight guests and local residents—a dinner-and-drinks destination that happens to occupy one of the oldest commercial buildings in the area. It’s an approach that mirrors successful historic inn renovations elsewhere, where properties become community anchors rather than just tourist stops.
Currently, the inn operates on a limited schedule, but the goal is seven-day-a-week availability as demand and staffing allow. One note for potential guests: there’s a dog on site, which might be a draw for some visitors and important information for others with allergies.
The project represents the kind of preservation work that keeps historic buildings functional rather than frozen as museums. By maintaining the structure’s 18th-century bones while adding modern plumbing, the boutique accommodation demonstrates how old buildings can remain economically viable. For Montross, a town of fewer than 400 residents, having this scale of hospitality infrastructure could prove significant for local tourism development.
