A Downtown Charlottesville Getaway at 200 South Street Inn

As y’all know by now, I spend a lot of time in Charlottesville, Virginia. Of course, this year it was a bit more often than usual due to our wedding, but I’m always down there several times a year for football, basketball, wine tasting, and any excuse I can find to make the trip down to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

A CHARLOTTESVILLE WEEKEND AT 200 SOUTH STREET INN

One of the places we love to stay while in Charlottesville is 200 South Street Inn. It’s a charming (and budget-friendly!) bed and breakfast that’s located right off the Downtown Mall, so it’s a wonderful home base for exploring the city, walking to shopping and restaurants, and relaxing in the evening with a glass of wine in front of the fire or on the front porch.

WALK TO DOWNTOWN IN 1 MINUTE FLAT

While we love the historic charm of South Street Inn, the number one reason to stay there is its proximity to downtown. South Street Inn is located at 200 South Street, which is 1 block off the downtown pedestrian mall, and within steps of several restaurants on and around South Street, including Bang!, South Street Brewery, and Bluegrass Grill and Bakery.

You’re also a stone’s throw from the Saturday morning Charlottesville City Market farmers market, which is a serious farmers market. Adam makes us walk through every single farmers market we can find while traveling, so I’ve seen more than a few in my day, and Charlottesville is one of the best, if not the best.

If you’re visiting Charlottesville for any reason that has you downtown, this is definitely the place you should consider staying.

HISTORIC CHARM

Let’s talk for a moment about history. There are many times when I stay at a bed and breakfast or an inn that the owner will give me a run-down on the history, however, there are many other times that I brush up on the history before writing a recap of my stay. This case is one of the latter, and, oh my, is there some history to be found in this building. The larger of the 2 buildings that make up the inn was built in 1865 and served as a single-family residence for over half a century. In fact, one of the residents was born in the room that I’ll mention in the next section.

However, it wasn’t always a wholesome family home. As the years went on and the house was sold, it served as a boarding house, then a brothel, then University student housing, and eventually a home for, as the website calls them, unsavory types. We’ll leave that to the imagination. In 1984, the inn was purchased yet again, and it opened in 1986 as 200 South Street Inn, as it’s been ever since.

WELL APPOINTED ROOMS

But, of course, when I wrote out my outline for this post, I intended for this section to talk about the actual historic charm of the inn – I mean, look at these photos! It’s one of those inns that feels historic and freshened up at the same time. There are antiques, but the paint colors are crisp and modern. It’s my favorite combination.

On our most recent stay, we chose Suite 9. We were in town for our wedding weekend and searching for a place to stay for a couple days downtown, before we headed out to Afton. I was smitten with the gorgeous green color of the room and the four poster bed when I saw the room online, and it was even more gorgeous in person. Plus, you can’t beat a functioning fireplace in both the bedroom and the sitting room.

We’ve also stayed in Room 21 before, and this is also a charming, historic room that I would absolutely stay in again.

STAY FOR BREAKFAST AND DON’T MISS HAPPY HOUR

One of the reasons I love staying at bed and breakfasts is that you’re never short on snacks and drinks. At South Street Inn, you’ll wake up to a serve-yourself breakfast of breads, fruits, and yogurt. You’ll always find coffee and tea on hand. The chocolate chip oatmeal cookies that are on the front desk will tempt you every time you walk in. And, should you need a drink before you head out for the night, you’ll find a wine and cheese happy hour in the library each evening at 5 PM.

VISITING CHARLOTTESVILLE

No matter what time of year you’re looking to travel, Charlottesville is the perfect spot for an easy weekend getaway. Go with your significant other, with your girlfriends, with your family. Between the amazing food scene, the vineyards, the history, the hiking, and the shopping, you’ll never find yourself short on things to do. And, of course, if you plan on hanging out downtown, there’s no better place to stay (and there’s parking!) than 200 South Street Inn.