We were there for this past New Years Eve weekend. Don't get me wrong, this place is lovely, even if it does have a barracks kind of feel. The hotel was understaffed or so it seemed, and they did not offer room service as they usually do, nor did they offer the cookies at 4:00, one of the restaurants was closed down completely, but you had to ask their hours at the front desk to find that out. But the worst part about our stay...checkout.

We brought our pet with us, which was very nice, they even let us stay in a room not normally allowed for pets(after seeing the parking lot on Sunday night, we knew why). However, upon check out, everything fell apart. There was a "pet fee" on our account that we weren't told about, then it was taken off, then added back on because it was not a "pet fee" but a deposit. They forgot to take off $200 for our package. The gentlemen sent me to get a complimentary coffee(huge mistake!), when I got back, we owed more than the first bill! It was one of the most confusing check outs I've ever been a part of. After realizing we were getting nowhere we decided to leave and call the manager today. I just hung up with the manager and was told that the $150 was not charged to my account, therefore they can't refund it. She continued to tell me she couldn't refund what wasn't charged and talking in circles. I just checked my account, guess what...I was charged $150. Check your bills, people, check them twice and then check them again!! Although, the hotel was decent, we will NEVER go here again, not worth the deceitfulness you have to wade through.

We were looking for a New Year's getaway and were searching for something within half a day's drive, had holiday charm, and excellent value. Unable to find affordable City options we searched Trip Advisor and found a great recommendation for this facility. I can say that our four day stay was fantastic. Having crossed the mid century age threshold we also decided to partake of several of the spa opportunities. This was also an excellent choice. The room (king with fireplace) was very large-huge, nicely furnished, had a granite bathroom vanity, separate granite makeup vanity outside the restroom, very long bath tub, new style oval shower curtain rod and a commode-side phone. The room was freshly painted and was very, very clean. There were a couple of very minor items like a small tear in the sitting area couch (back corner) and a small stain that didn't come out of a corner of the chair seat cushion, and a small chip in the corner of the bath tub porcelain. Since I have seen similar at the DC Willard Intercontinental they were not a cause for concern or regret. We didn't use the gas log fireplace due to the very warm weekend but noted the two gorgeous lit fireplaces in the main lobbies. (checkers and chess available there) The grounds of the Inn were awesome with reportedly over 100,000 lights up. Being on the grounds of Regent University, it offered an unparalled oppportunity to take walks around the gorgeous campus, lake, and other facilities. I took quite a few pictures of their gorgeous brick buildings. The Inn is set back quite a bit from all roads and highways so you do not get the city street noise. The on site restaurants were both very good and the Sunday brunch at the Swan excellent. Regarding adult beverages, they only serve beer and wine in their eateries and have a very extensive wine list. Due to a large lunch we actually got a take out pizza from their grill New Year's Day. The staff were 100% on the ball and friendly, always eager to help in any way. The guests seem to be of the same high caliber and we enjoyed interacting with both. Since we usually sleep in a memory foam type bed I typically do not get a good night's rest when away. Their king bed was surprisingly comfortable and also well made with crisp clean sheets every day. The other room furniture allowed easy stowage of clothes and also included an icebox that worked out well. I suggest trying to book their internet specials, 105 for a regular, 135 with the king. This room was a bargain. They do charge a facility fee that is very reasonable and was rebated against the alacarte spa fees. The indoor pool was quite large but the hot tub small. Note that both did not get much visitor use while we were there with the two of us alone 90% of the time we used either. The spa services were very relaxing/refreshing and from our limited knowledge, reasonably priced. We will be planning repeat trip to this fine establishment. Our next trip may be in warmer weather when the outdoor pool will be open, and possibly with a grandchild who would love the large water slide/pool that is also outside. One of the other reviews on TA did note that in two of the sub-wings you do have to cross about a hundred or so feet to get back to the main inn. This was not a problem for us and is probably preferable in some cases. The covered walkways are very classy, but wind driven rain or snow could be a reason to have another glass of wine!

I typically stay in chain hotels and often Hilton Properties. I was speaking at a convention here and my client booked my room which was lovely: a four poster corner room with stairs up to the incredible bed! I loved it. It reminded me of visiting Grandma. The floral motif was very interesting. The grounds were beautiful and we saw a double rainbow, over the hotel, while there! Staff was pleasant and efficient and I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. I did not have a car, so I ate all meals in the restaurant. The food was delicious but a but pricey. I did not see other options in walking distance except fast food. A nice change to stay in a hotel with a bit of character and ambiance!

My wife and I stayed at the Founders Inn & Spa last night for our 23rd anniversary. We stayed in a suite with a fireplace.

First the positives:
1. The spa treatment my wife and I had (110 minute couples massage - her's Swedish, mine deep tissue) were some of the best massages we've ever had.
2. The food in the Swan Terrace restaurant was very good. We had the Prix Fixe (choose 3) with wine pairings. My wife started with the Chesapeake Crab Bisque and I had the Oysters on the Terrace, both were excellent and both were paired with the 2008 Rockbridge, White Riesling from Virginia. For our salads, my wife had the Caesar and I had the Virginia Berry Spinach & Endive with grilled Goat cheese. My wife's was paired with 2009 Spy Valley, from Marlborough, New Zealand and mine was paired with 2006 Indaba, Chenin Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa. Again, both were excellent! For our entrees, my wife had the lobster ravioli and I had the Colorado Lamb Chops. My wife's ravioli included sauteed shrimp, scallops, and smoked bacon. The dish was a little too salty but still very good. My wife paired this with 2009 Portillo, Pinot Noir, from Mendoza, Argentina. My lamb chops were grilled perfectly and served on a bed of mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach. My dish was paired with the 2009 Douglas Green, Shiraz, from Western Cape, South Africa. We passed on dessert. My only complaint about the dinner was all the wine was served in the cheapest generic wine glasses. We had the buffet breakfast this morning and the food, again, was very good especially the grits and homemade croissants.

Now the negatives:
1. The rooms need a drastic update. The colors are drab, the bathrooms are sparse and small. Definitely not what we expected for a resort. Felt more like a room from a low-end hotel.
2. The spa is nice but the workout area feels like it was an afterthought and all the workout equipment was placed in whatever open area they could find. It is all together instead of having the aerobic equipment together and separated from the weights.