Relais & Châteaux since 2006
Wine Spectator Award of Excellence
DiRoNA (Distinguished Restaurants of North America) Award
AAA Four Diamond Award
Exxon Mobil Four Star Award
“I recently spend one night, July 4th pass at the Clifton as somewhere to stay after camping three days in Shenandoah Park. My fiance actually found the place online where I only looked at in passing not really thinking anything really. Upon arrival I was a bit tired from hiking and camping 20 miles so didn’t really absorb the totality of the initial tour. Once I had a hot shower, took a look around, paid closer attention to the nuances of things…I was impressed! Great experiences are not bought with money but made with the investment people make in the smallest attention to detail. I firmly believe the performance by staff and management as set by a culture cultivated by the owners are dead on. I was taken in so much as to make this a gift idea to a best friend and his wife for their anniversary. In us you have defiantly gained longtime supporters where we will whenever possible spread the word on this gem in Charlottesville, VA.”
Mr. Brown
“My wife, Betsy, and I celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary last night at Clifton Inn. We were married at Clifton July 3, last year. We have been to Clifton many times for dinner and always enjoy our experience, but last night was especially memorable. We love how the back porch has been expanded. The expansion does not intrude on the integrity of the property at all. The the staff were extremely friendly and accommodating. Deniz is a fabulous person to have on the floor and his commitment is easily noticed. The food last night was on another level, even compared to what we are used to at Clifton. We think that you have a very special talent in Chef Yoder; we were very impressed. What really made the night special was that the kitchen was able to make us a small version of our wedding cake to enjoy as dessert. This was quite a treat for my wife and I, and is something we will always remember. Thank you for the great service you and the staff continue to provide. We look forward to coming back soon.”
Mr. Murry
“I can’t say that I do a LOT of traveling, but I’ve been lucky enough to stay at several 5 Star hotels including a few Ritz-Carltons. The service at The Clifton Inn has as good as I have ever received, if not better and the hospitality they offer is unparalleled. And of course, the grounds, amenities, and food are top notch. I cannot recommend The Clifon Inn highly enough.”
Mr. Hastings
“Dear Clifton, we can’t begin to fully express our gratitude and joy for what a magical weekend you all gave us at Clifton. From the first time we arrived there last summer to visit and tour, to our relaxing tasting visit in January and then to our wedding three weeks ago: Every moment was so lovely. your staff was always warm and welcoming, making us feel right at home and relaxed! On every occasion the food was beyond delicious and the atmosphere was so happy. Our guests keep raving about the wedding – The gorgeous setting, the effortless feeling of the afternoon and evening, the beautiful house, and the incredible food and cake… But they also keep remarking on how much they enjoyed you all! It’s so clear that you love and take pride in Clifton and we feel so lucky to have been able to have our wedding at such a special place with such a special group of people. We can only imagine how interesting it must be to watch people be married, get engaged and celebrate occasions every weekend at Clifton, and that you must receive these notes all the time! We jope you know how special a place Clifton has become for us and for my family – We hope we can come every March to celebrate our anniversary and remember our magixcal weekend with you all. Many, many thanks and happy spring! Fondly,”
Mr. & Mrs. Paul
“I wanted to send a note to let you know how truly outstanding my recent visit to Clifton was. I had my mom and sisters with me, and none of us can stop gushing over the decor, the food, the surroundings, but most of all the very best service any of us can remember. From our first greeting, at the door, by the elegant Eric, to the most professional wait staff anywhere, to the delicious food – and that over the top lavender martini – the entire experience was five star. The cookies were the perfect ending. I can’t wait to return and I’ve been telling all my friends and associates – for the very best, you’ve just got to go to Clifton. A heartfelt thanks. All the best,”
Susan O.
“Shelagh and I wanted to thank you for all your help in making last weekend a memorable one. The Clifton Inn met, and exceeded, our expectations – the food was wonderful (please tell Tucker, as we forgot to thank the dining staff), amenities were top-notch, and the service impeccable. Your suggestions were spot-on and we appreciated the personalized attention. We will definitely be making a repeat trip at some point!”
Todd
“Maggie and I really enjoyed our recent stay in the Blue Ridge room at the Clifton Inn. We felt welcome as soon as we arrived! The grounds are beautiful and relaxing. We enjoyed sitting on the porch and walking down to the lake. We really appreciated the friendly tourist advice at breakfast along with the delicious food. The gourmet dinner was awesome although it was hard to decide with all of the creative choices.”
Ted & Maggie
“I want to just take a minute to tell you how pleased we were with choosing The Clifton for the location of our wedding. You and your staff are superb. I know we were a small group but you made us feel like we were just as important as a party of a hundred plus. I am sorry to say I have forgotten our waiter’s name but I will never forget how attentive and nice he was to us and our guests. We could not have asked for anything better… The meal, cake, location, atmosphere, attention to detail… everything. Thank you again for everything!”
Shelly
“To the entire Staff at The Clifton, you made our daughter’s dream wedding come true! From the moment we arrived, all our planning combined with your expertise, went into action as if a magic wand was waved. We didn’t have to think about anything! Your gracious attention to all our guests, wedding party, and detail in general, was outstanding. Our families and close friends were immensely pleased with their accommodations and just being in such a lovely environment. From hors d’oeuvres to the wedding cake, the food was “fine dining” at its best. Our appreciation to all who made Michelle and Michael’s wedding exceptional!”
Suzanne & Skip K.
“I just wanted to thank you for a fantastic stay. Your staff was so gracious, the food was fantastic (my husband said it was probably the best eating he had ever done – including my cooking!) and we were royally treated to an upgrade in the Carriage House, which was so wonderful. We appeciated all your little “Happy Anniversary” touches. We had chosen to save this special gift for our anniversary in August and you made it one we’ll not forget. Thank you so much!
Lyanne and Steve
“We would like to thank the many people who made our stay in the Carriage House this past weekend such a wonderufl experience. (We are grateful for the lovely surprise upgrade!) We absolutely cherished every moment of our time at the Clifton Inn: The food, the beautiful grounds, the outstanding service. It was a special weekend for us thanks to all of you at The Clifton Inn! With warmest regards,
Michael and Leah
“Thank you all for the most delightful stay! I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday present. Everything from the food to the service was wonderful… to say the least. I must say, it was quite refreshing being surrounded by a staff who takes such pride in what they do… & damn they do it so well! Everyone was more than accommodating and gracious. I’ve worked in the hospitality industry for several years and The Clifton Inn has the best staff in Charlottesville, hands down. Again, thank you for making my 27th birthday a wonderful and memorable one.”
Quinn
“The food at the Clifton Inn in Charlottesville is fantastic. The service, however, is positively awesome. (Look, when you’re from Miami, getting a waiter who actually cares about your dining experience will take your breath away.) The Clifton Inn features a tasting menu. You can order as few or as many dishes as you want. Trust me, you’ll want a lot of them. The kitchen staff sent out plate after plate of expertly prepared foods, not fussy, but quietly sophisticated in terms of flavor combinations and presentation. The wait staff is attentive to diners, can answer any questions about how the food is prepared–and knows when to go away and let you enjoy your meal. They even swing by the table and refold your napkin when you’ve excused yourself from the table to peek in the kitchen. Impressive!”
Nancy Ancrum
“The food is good enough that I’d be happy to sleep on a cot or in a broom closet”… lovely little oasis… 10 min from C-ville… well-appointed rooms.. ‘superb service’… taste of history and a real Randolph/Jefferson connection… anyone for croquet?”
Zagat Survey
“Staying at the Clifton Inn is like having your own country estate complete with staff.”
Washingtonian
“Later, sneaking downstairs in the middle of the night to raid the cookie jar (a Clifton tradition), there’s no need to worry about having to make chitchat with your host. At Clifton, you feel like a guest at the weekend place of some rich guy, without the rich guy.”
The Washington Post
“In Charlottesville, Clifton reigns supreme.”
Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report
“Clifton is a gracious, hospitable inn which dishes up unusually creative fare.”
Wine Enthusiast Magazine
“There are tens of thousands of hotels in the world. But there are just a few that are themselves the reason to make the trip. Among these, Clifton ranks in the top three or four. The meals are a sort Jefferson himself would have appreciated. The food, the service and the atmosphere were all beyond reproach.”
International Living
“The Clifton Inn was the perfect setting for our Commerce student etiquette dinner which was generously sponsored by Hecht’s. The Inn is the epitome of elegant dining and the staff at Clifton made our evening one to remember.”
Sarah E. Isham
Assistant Director, Commerce Career Services
University of Virginia, McIntire School of Commerce
“My wife and I had the pleasure of hosting our daughter’s wedding reception and brunch at the Clifton Inn this past weekend. Over the years business and pleasure have taken us to many of the world’s best hotels. As a result of this weekend the Clifton Inn rates at or near the top as relates to attentive service, friendliness and professionalism of staff and the cuisine. I expected perfection and perfection is what we got. Thanks to everyone at Clifton for fulfilling my daughter’s dream of a storybook wedding!!
Sincerely,
Charles and Joan Longley
