Name: Inn at Riverbend
Address: 125 River Ridge Dr, Jefferson National Forest, Jefferson National Forest, Jefferson National Forest, 24134, United States of America
Rating: 9

Smoke-free property

Garden

Television in lobby

Terrace

No elevators

Reception desk

General

Concierge services

Services and amenities

Breakfast

Meals

Free Wi-Fi

Internet

Library

Recreation

Free parking

Parking

Conference Hall

Business

Beauty and wellness

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Personal protection equipment for staff

Extra decontamination measures

Personal protection equipment for guests

Contactless check-in and/or check-out

Additional measures against COVID-19

Health and Safety Measures

At the hotel

Virginia Tech Montgomery Airport

Mercer County Airport

Inn at Riverbend

Jefferson National Forest

child-bed

child-bed-fee

external-private-bathroom

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garden-view

golf-view

harbour-view

inland-view

lake-view

land-view

mountain-view

ocean-front

ocean-view

oceanside

panoramic-view

park-view

partial-ocean-view

partial-sea-view

partial-view

pool-view

river-view

sea-front

sea-view

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sunrise-view

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with-view

annex

basement

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1-bedroom

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not-guaranteed

wired-internet-access

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sauna

duplex

safe

mini-bar

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pets-allowed

wi-fi

kitchen

The dates on this review are incorrect. I have gone several times. When the inn was owned by the owners prior to Nov 22, it was a wonderful experience. When the 2 mentioned in previous reviews this year and last bought the inn, I stopped going. They were rude, unfriendly, and not at all gracious. A specific example is that we arrived 5 minutes to 3 pm, which was check in time and the front door was locked. The husband came and said that no one was allowed in until 3. We had been driving for almost 7 hours and asked if we could park and wait and he said no. The rest of the time was just like that. He grunted when spoken to, there were notes on everything, (example: turn the light off when not using) which were not in keeping with select registry properties. I have had better hospitality with a Holiday Inn. Instead of the special touches like personal toiletries they had dispensers for everything. A request for extra towels was met with a scowl, and the wife spoke to us as if we were idiots. I stay at Select Registry properties whenever I can for the experience of feeling like I am visiting a private home with amenities. This was not the same. I tried once more almost a year later and it was just as bad. The reason that I am writing this epic is that the owner's sold the Inn and sent an email. In it, they said it was no longer an Inn, but a private home. This is untrue. I contacted the new owner, and right off the bat she was more welcoming. I actually contacted Select Registry to tell them about my experiences at the time, but decided not to follow up because I did not want to blight their business, but after I got the email and found out that they lied, I felt it necessary to confirm that the others that complained of the same experiences were spot on. I have high hopes for the new owners of the Inn, now called the Lilly Valley

The bad reviews are valid

First time visiting Inn at Riverbend and definitely plan on returning. We stayed in Wolf Creek room on the lower level and woke up to a gorgeous view of the valley with the river & mountains in the background. Everything was extremely clean & the bed was super comfortable. We had to check in late & the staff made the process seamless. They were very friendly when we had the chance to meet them at the delicious breakfast they prepared for us the next morning. I highly recommend the 10 minute drive to Cascade falls which is a 2 mile hike featuring beautiful falls at the end of the well laid out trail.(2 miles in & 2 miles out). My wife & I have been to several bed & breakfast establishments & this one truly ranks at the top of our list. If there was one suggestion I could make, it would be to have an outdoor fire pit area(or heaters). The town local to the B&B is extremely small & laid back. Not much to do after dinner each night. We met some really nice folks at breakfast each day and a fire pit  or heated outdoor area may have provided for  community in the evenings to share stories of the day for those who care to partake. There is a beautiful lobby on both levels but we felt like we needed to keep conversation quiet and to a minimum in the evening since there were guest rooms near by. Overall, I would highly recommend The Inn at Riverbend and we look forward to returning.

Fantastic stay

I hardly ever write reviews, yet this place did me in. We arrived on site Saturday at 4:30 pm and had to get, checked in and ready to get to an event by 6pm. There is no signage on the property were to check-in, a fairly long walk from the parking area to the entrance. I had parked close to the front of what I thought may be the check in area to be greeted by a male innkeeper who was not welcoming, and wanted me to move my vehicle and I asked him was this was the location to check-in and he proceeded to tell me why i couldn't park where I was and I explained I was just try to check in and wanted to make sure I was at the right location and they had no signage for  a check in location. He proceeded to tell me where to park and I became frustrated at his unwelcoming demeanor. I said can we check in or do you want me to move first. I'm sure he sensed my frustration. The next morning, we were heading out and the lady innkeeper said we missed you guys at breakfast. I explained we had a late night and had slept in. She then took it upon herself to say i had food prepared for you both and you didn't let anyone know, can we expect you for breakfast tomorrow? I was in shock with her attitude with her statement. I told her we should be able to be there as we'd be checking out. 

Apparently, I must have missed this during checking in, because I was informed what time breakfast would be served, however was not informed it was mandatory or I had to let them know or not know if we'd be there. Then later that day around 2:30pm we came back from eating lunch and visiting friends to have a knock on our door to open it to the male innkeeper to ask if we were burning incenses. I said no its room spray he asked why I would be spraying room spray. I said because I went to the rest room and then sprayed room spray, are we not allowed to spray room spray? He acted aggravated and said that if you have to or must use room spray do so sparingly as it's coming in the common areas. That was it for me I told my husband these people have ticked me off and I want to just leave and go home, which we did. I've never felt so unwelcomed, disrespected or angry toward innkeepers like these people. I have been wanting to stay at this place many times when I come in to visit family and friends, but it was always booked. 

And to my surprise this morning. I received my bill this morning by email and they charged me an additional $30 change in reservation for yesterday on top of the room fee, which the room fee I knew and didn't care to lose to not have to stay there any longer but the $30 extra I guess because we left a day earlier or didn't show up for breakfast or maybe they had to air out the room that had strawberry poundcake room spray that I sprayed one pump on. Who knows!! I will never recommend this place WORST EXPERIENCE EVER!!!!  Shame on you both for charging us an extra $30. 😒 I would have given you zero stars if allowed. 

By the way I own several businesses and one of those companies we manage over 3000 properties, and these innkeepers are in the wrong business, hospitality is not your calling. The view is great, yet not worth the attitude of these owners. I'll spend my $300 or $330 a night somewhere else anytime. I recommend everyone do the same. I do recommend you get check in here signage, offer luggage rack carriers or allow area to drop off luggage to carry in, new attitudes or new staff that know how to treat people and the public. 


Hospitability is NOT their forte!!!!

I am very picky about leaving reviews for places, but this one is easy.  The Inn is situated on a hill top overlooking a river in the valley.  The view from our room, Angel's Rest, was perfect.

The inn is extremely clean, the bed was comfortable with fine linens, the breakfasts were delicious, and the hosts were very knowledgeable about the area and a pleasure to meet.  Jeanne (aka, "Giggles") greeted us and made us feel at home.  Cookies and pretzels were at the ready...delicious.

John was a great guy to also meet and he was the morning cook.  I particularly enjoyed our conversations about New England and personally getting to know his life's history.  He has a great wry sense of humor and is a soft spoken conversationalist.  Getting to know him was a joy.

Eating breakfast in a family style setting was fun.  We had the opportunity to meet some very nice guests from different areas and walks of life.  

The Inn is conveniently located close to many hiking trails and about 20  minutes to Virginia Tech and Blacksburg.  At night, and during the day,  you can sit back in a rocking chair and enjoy the fantastic view from Inn's porch.

My wife and I highly recommend the Inn at Riverbend.

Quaint and Extremely Clean Stay

Such a beautiful view, and the stay was wow, very comforting and relaxing.    we really enjoyed ourselves at the Inn; mostly it was comforting, relaxing, and owners are very nice.   they stay out of your way, but go out of their way to make sure their guests are very satisfied.   from booking, to follow up, and even check out... was all easy and very polite.   we were visiting our Hokie student, and I think this Inn is just the right distance away from Blacksburg to be relaxing at the same time.  Just a short 25-30 minute trip from campus, no traffic, and just beautiful views.  I would look for any reason to stay here again.

An extreamly relaxing place to stay and call home, away from home....

We had the most relaxing weekend here at the Inn. The location was even more beautiful than the pictures we had seen online and the hosts could not be more welcoming! We arrived on a Saturday afternoon and after a quick tour of the Inn we were shown to our room. We stayed in the Wind Rocks suite and the views were awesome. It was the quietest place we have ever stayed and it was just what we needed/wanted. The view of the river, the mountains, the stars- amazing! We feel asleep outside our room the first night just soaking it all in. The wildlife we could see from the porch was an added bonus and the breakfast was definitely the icing on the cake- it was super delicious! We also had in-room massages Sunday afternoon and it made the stay even more relaxing for us. The masseuse was so good my husband would go back for that alone. If you are looking for a place to completely disconnect- this is your spot!! We will most definitely be back as I can only imagine how beautiful it will be in the fall! Thank you for a lovely stay.

Where busy people go to unwind…

Where do I begin?  Every B&B has a “feel” once you walk through the door.  This one wasn’t so good.  The innkeeper opened the door for us, but he didn’t really offer a greeting.  His wife, the other innkeeper, was seated at a desk to the left of the door and asked us to be seated – at least three times.  We had just been seated for five hours in our car driving to the inn.  We really wanted to stand up for a bit.  I finally complied (my husband continued to politely refuse) and we went through the process of paying the remainder of our room cost.  Next up, the wife led us on a tour of the house.  Why do so many innkeepers think a tour must precede giving you access to your room and a bathroom?  The property at this inn is small and an in-depth explanation was completely unnecessary.  She could just have said a small communal refrigerator is downstairs if you want to refrigerate labeled items and there’s a separate inn refrigerator stocked with soft drinks for guests, but she took us there to see them both.  My husband opened the inn refrigerator to see the drink options and she promptly asked if he didn’t believe her when she said it contained beverages. What?  Is that really a question you ask a guest?  

Next up was a visit to the deck where she explained the view we were seeing, the very view that had brought us there in the first place and then a trip back up the stairs where we were shown a platter of cookies (that were closely monitored by Mr. Innkeeper – I felt like a thief when I later took a second cookie).  We were told that no plates or glasses could be left in rooms and shown where they were to be promptly placed.

Breakfast was served daily at promptly 8:30 and Mrs. Innkeeper said she was the chef.  She warned us that she would be very upset if we didn’t show up and she was expecting us.  We assured her we would.

After all this, we were finally escorted to our room.  The room was lovely and offered a fabulous view of the river.  Mrs. Innkeeper reminded us of some of the rules yet again and finally left us to go to the bathroom and settle in.

At breakfast the next morning, Mr. Innkeeper served the meal to us and two other couples at a communal table.  The breakfast consisted of a frittata, potatoes, a tiny muffin and fruit.  The self-serve coffee pot ran out after our first cup and my husband alerted Mr. Innkeeper.  He grunted, never engaging any guest during the meal, and seemed to promptly forget about it.  After going without coffee throughout the meal we discovered he had partially refilled the pot and never told any of us at the table. Yikes!

The day was a rain-out so we were left to entertain ourselves at the inn.  My husband and I decided to sit on the lower deck since it was covered.  We had just started reading when Mrs. Innkeeper appeared and scolded my husband for not having on shoes.  He was seated in a rocker, but shoes had to be worn at all times.  She said this was due to their insurance policy.  However, she later stopped my husband to explain to him the reasons why going barefoot was a bad idea in general.  We departed the inn shortly thereafter and don’t plan to ever return.

In truth I got a bad vibe from this place when I requested an extra set of towels be placed in our room prior to our arrival.  We never expect housekeeping services when we are staying some place three nights or less, but we do appreciate fresh towels.  One of the innkeepers promptly responded to my request and said additional towels would not be provided because they had to do the laundry.  That really irked me.

The bottom line is the inn is extremely clean and the view from the rooms and decks is wonderful.  Just be prepared to feel like you are intruding on the innkeepers whenever you venture outside your room, limit your cookie intake, keep on your shoes, be prepared to use the same towel each day of your stay even though there isn’t a good place to hang it to dry and don’t be late for breakfast!

“Inn”hospitable with a Great View

The owners were very nice and accommodating. The view was beautiful, the room was very comfortable, and the atmosphere was relaxing and quiet. The breakfast was awesome and different from my norm. My wife and I really enjoyed our stay here during our anniversary weekend. This place was beyond our expectations and well worth our time.

Nice and Quiet

So I first must state that I am not the type of person to write reviews. This is the first review I have written on Tripadvisor. Everything I write is simply my honest opinion and my honest remembrance from my first personal first hand experience.

I have stayed at The Inn at Riverbend for a total of 21 days since December of 2020. I am a physician and work at the local hospital on periodic assignments. The hospital reimburses me fully for my stay. I have not stayed there for pleasure as most who come to the inn do. Given all that, my review comes from a bit of a different and personal perspective, but I believe it may be one worth providing.

First, the positive. The inn is clean. The beds are comfortable. There are free sodas and sometimes cookies put out, which only seems to be the case if there are other customers. Usually, I am alone because it's during the week. Given this, there are usually just sodas. The inn is quiet inside but I have never been there when there are anymore than 2 or 4 other individuals. Other reviews have complained of poorly insulated walls and hearing guests all night. I really can not speak to that and have not experienced that personally.

The inn is located in a “neighborhood” of sorts with other large houses on large lots. The views are really pretty of the New River. The drive to the neighborhood is down a road that is much, much less nice than the neighborhood where the inn is located and frankly more middle to lower class in its presentation however indicative of typical small towns in Southwest, Virginia. If you were hosting a party at the inn for any reason, in my opinion, your guests may be less impressed with the drive into the neighborhood than they would be with the actual location of the event. Something to think about if you were to ever choose the inn as an event destination. The view however, when you get to the inn is worthy of being a hosting venue. Not sure what you could do about the mile or so drive through the much less bucolic neighborhood.

The train at the bottom of the hill that goes along the New River is active and horn blows from the tracks are present. I have been woken at 330 AM by train horns. I literally wonder out loud why a conductor blows the horn at 330 AM but oh well. It's quaint and disclosed in there website, but it's real and if you are a light sleeper, likely less than optimal.

Moving on to the negatives. First and foremost, its EXPENSIVE. I don’t even pay for my stay and I feel embarrassed submitting my bill to the hospital. My most recent stay was 175 a night and I am in the cheapest room and also get a hospital discount. I am not sure what you get for this money and feel that much of the charge is because there really is no other similar option close to Pearisburg. I have chosen to stay here because its close to the small community hospital I serve. In short, I feel like they charge their astronomical amounts because there really is no other close option. There is a not great motel in town that charges 60 dollars a night at present. On principal, moving forward, I will stay there for my assignments to this hospital. My reasoning may become more evident as I write further.

So if you were paying so much, assuming you were not getting a “hospital discount” and not in the cheapest room, you would think that the service would be amazing and the hospitality would be over the top. Well in my opinion, it's really not. I have complained to John and Jeanne  (the owners) that they are very inconsistent. Some mornings I get a hot breakfast and some mornings I get a cold breakfast of a muffin, yogurt, and the tinniest fruit bowel. When I do get a hot breakfast, its usually an incredibly small portion of a scrambled egg, a literal single piece of bacon or literal single link of sausage, and a dollop of fruit. Reading other reviews, there is a common theme that the portions are incredibly small. I would be really bummed if I was paying out of pocket. In short, their hospitality does not runneth over with regards to the size of the breakfast. What is served is ok, not amazing, but ok but that is just my opinion. John has explained to me that because of my hospital discount, that they can not afford to serve me a hot breakfast consistently however, I believe at 175 a night, they should and I would be served a hot breakfast if I were to stay at a conventional hotel for likely less money, like the Hampton Inn where I typically stay. This becomes increasingly insulting when I have been served a cold breakfast while customers who are paying the full rate get a hot breakfast while sitting in the same dining room. I find this discrepancy somewhat cheap and certainly petty.

Next, when you come to the inn, be prepared for signs and rules. There are more signs around telling you to put your dirty utensils here, keep your door to the porch closed, wash mud off your shoes here, don’t put food in this fridge, put food in that fridge, bring food to the kitchen, and what not. I realize that they may have rules and a way of doing things but it all in all makes for a less than welcoming feeling.

On my most recent stay, I sat down at a table that looked out over the river. No one else was at the table and the other 2 guests had not even gotten up yet. John told me to sit at the other table that was farther from the window. Not sure why, I guess they had a nicer room or something but it made me feel like a child and a second class citizen. This became even more apparent to me when I saw I was getting a cold breakfast of said muffin, yogurt and fruit and the other customers were getting a hot breakfast.

I was reading the reviews and I literally laughed out loud that a patron had the same exact issue that I had. After a one week stay there, I returned home and received a phone call from Jeanne. She asked me why one of the white face washing towels was stained with red. I explained that I was eating strawberries in my room and used the towel to catch the juice. She seemed to be upset that I had stained the small wash cloth. She said that the wash cloth was permanently stained. I could not understand how the event warranted a phone call or that it was not covered in the 5 nights I had stayed there. Fortunately, she did not threaten to charge me $18 for the ruined towel as she apparently did another customer in their review.

Also echoed in other reviews, I have never had my room cleaned while I have been there. My stays usually range between 4 and 5 nights and I can not recall my room ever being cleaned during my stay or fresh towels being provided.

There is also this issue of the cancellation policy. On one occasion, the hospital inadvertently switched the schedule and needed me at another hospital. I explained to John and Jeanne that the schedule had been written incorrectly and I would not be staying there for the 3 nights I had reserved. They explained to me the cancellation policy and charged me for the full stay anyway. This was done in person. The inn appeared completely empty. The hospital reimbursed me so it wasn’t really any money out of my pocket however the whole incident made me feel like they just wanted their money. You kind of get that sense likewise when they run your card literally 5 days before you check in for the entire amount of your stay. This issue is echoed in multiple other reviews, so don’t for a second think you will not be charged if you are seeking to cancel less than 72 hours before your check in.

Which leads me to my last point and is simply my opinion. The inn is fine, its the owners that are not great. They really should not be in the hospitality business and explains why they are seeking to sell the business.They over charge and under deliver and its been shown to me unfortunately in very innocuous and sometimes not so subtle ways. Be aware, this place is about the money and it does not go too much deeper than that in my humble opinion. I feel so strongly about this that I will choose to stay for future assignments at a cheaper motel in town even though my employer will reimburse me to stay at the Inn at Riverbend. It simply is not worth the exorbitant amount they charge in my opinion.

Short on Hospitality

We were really looking forward to this stay, which wrapped up the end of our vacation, being on the road for 10 days and heading home. The beds are VERY comfortable! Amenities not over the top, sorry to say. For price paid and reviews, we really expected much more. Towels not replaced. Around 4pm when we asked for new towels, we were told to go get the dirty towels and bring them to them and they would hand us replacements. HUH?! Ok, did that. Could be handled in another way altogether. It made me feel like they were counting towels. Breakfast was not what I was expecting. Photos and review raved about the food. We didn't get the same experience. Second day our French toast was burned and they had nothing else to offer.  No batteries in TV remote control either so we had to hunt those down. the views are lovely and the outdoor space was very well planned, too bad it rained the entire time of our stay.

Inn at Riverbend

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