Iris Inn

About The Hotel

The Iris Inn is a 4.9-rated Shenandoah Valley B&B on 21 wooded acres above Waynesboro at the foot of the Blue Ridge — one of the highest-rated stays in Virginia. The Deep Woods Cottage room type includes an in-cottage hot tub with a kitchen and loft; the property also has a shared hot tub, hiking trails, horseback riding, couples-massage bookings, pet-friendly rooms and gourmet breakfasts. Subratings are near-perfect (5.0 cleanliness, 4.9 location, 4.9 rooms, 4.9 service, 4.9 sleep quality). Minutes from the Rockfish Gap entrance to Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway northern terminus.

What Guests Are Saying

“We truly enjoyed our stay at the Iris Inn, which checked many boxes for a relaxing weekend getaway. Because we were traveling with our small senior dog, we stayed in the pet-friendly Deep Woods Cottage. Upon arrival, we were pleasantly surprised with a basket that included extra towels, a designated dog blanket to place over the duvet, and a baggie of dog treats. The cottage itself was cozy and inviting, especially with the fireplace adding to the ambiance. The décor felt professional and modern, and everything was clean. The hot tub was modern and well-maintained, which enhanced the overall relaxing experience. The bedding was plush, and the sheets felt luxuriously smooth. The shower was very large with dual faucets and jets—our only wish was for heated floors or a built-in heat fan for warmth, as there was a noticeable temperature drop when stepping out of the steamy shower. Considerations: There are only a few considerations to note. When we arrived, we didn’t initially realize that the cottage was attached to another unit and not standalone. Looking back, this is mentioned on the website as “next to”, so it’s certainly not a fault of the Inn—just something for future guests to keep in mind. That said, we only briefly heard the neighboring guests while in the bathroom, so noise between units was minimal. There is also some road noise from the interstate, which slightly detracts from the quiet, “in the woods” feel one might be seeking. We visited at the end of winter, so this may improve when the trees have some leaves. The staff were very accommodating and customer-service oriented, with one small exception the day of checkout. While friendly, the housekeeping staff member assigned to our cottage knocked and attempted to enter around 10:30 a.m., then knocked again at 10:45 a.m. Since checkout is at 11:00 a.m., we were a bit surprised by the early attempts to access the room and felt slightly rushed as a result. Breakfast was excellent, with different scratch-made items available each morning. One suggestion would be to extend breakfast slightly past 10:00 a.m. and to more openly offer guests the option to select and bring their breakfast back to their cabin or cottage to enjoy in the kitchenette. We were able to do so, though we sensed that this is not ideal and/or staff may have preferred to deliver the food directly. The dinner menu looked appealing; however, we missed the 12:00 p.m. ordering deadline for evening delivery to the room. Overall, we would absolutely consider staying again. The Iris Inn provided a wonderful getaway experience and checked the boxes for a relaxing stay.” — Theresa W., 5 stars

“What a hidden gem! I went to Iris as a solo getaway for the evening (last Thursday), traveling from Northern VA (the concrete jungle) and stayed in Cabin #4. It was gorgeous. It was super clean, with a nice, cozy bed and comfortable, bougie amenities, including the shower you’d see at the St. Regis (open shower with a rain showerhead and sprayer). The private hot tub on the deck overlooking the mountains is gorgeous. I watched the sunset from my deck. I also discovered there’s a washer/dryer in there in addition to a microwave and a fridge. So it’s like a bougie version of a Residence Inn. Also, since I’m in my own cabin, I didn’t hear anything from the outside unless I was outside. The property is beautiful. It has some small on-site hiking trails that take about 20-30 minutes. The clubhouse has an AMAZING chef-cooked breakfast in the morning that’s included in your stay rate, and the on-site manager is so nice. They also put sparkling water and Fiji water in your fridge for free. You’re also near the cute town of Staunton, which has gift shops, glass art (and glassblowing if you want to try), a historic railway, a high point city view (Sears Bridge), book shops, and restaurants/cafes. It’s good to spend a few hours. There’s no dinner on-site at the inn, but I went to the nearby Blue Mountain Brewery, which gets very popular. I hope you have a wonderful time here, and I HIGHLY recommend it.” — Jennifer A., 5 stars

“The Iris Inn is a gem! We stayed for a few days in the Deep Woods Cottage to celebrate our anniversary, and we loved it. The location is close to both Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge Parkway, so it’s a great jumping off point for hiking, breweries, and wineries. The resort itself has high-quality food and drinks, and a spa for massages, which we took advantage of. The Inn is also perched up on a hill with a beautiful view of the mountains that is prime for a sunset. We also appreciated that the cottages allow dogs, so we had our pup with us. The screened in back porch, hot tub, huge shower, and super comfy bed also made the price per night worth it.” — Lydia D., 5 stars

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• A 4.9 rating with 5.0 cleanliness and near-perfect subratings across the board.
• The Deep Woods Cottage room type has an in-cottage hot tub, kitchen and loft.
• A shared hot tub plus 21 acres of hiking trails and horseback riding.
• Couples-massage bookings and gourmet breakfasts included.
• Minutes from Skyline Drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park.

Cons:

• The Deep Woods Cottage is a specific room type — book directly to secure the in-cottage hot tub.
• A $359+ nightly rate for the cottage-tier rooms.
• One guest flagged an Expedia dog-policy dispute — book direct and confirm the pet-friendly room type.

The Location

On Chinquapin Drive above Waynesboro at the foot of the Blue Ridge, minutes from the Rockfish Gap entrance to Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway northern terminus. About 40 minutes west of Charlottesville and 15 minutes east of Staunton. You can find more details or book your stay on TripAdvisor.