The first time I stayed at the Smithfield Farm Bed and Breakfast was a spur of the moment situation. I had been hiking with a group of Boy Scouts on the AT in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. On the way home we needed a place to camp for one night and were having difficulty finding a location. I knew the owner, Ruth, during my college years…about 35 years ago. Although I had not seen Ruth in years, I decided to give her a call to see if there was a possibility that we could camp out on her farm for the night. At that time I knew she was in the process of re-finishing the 1816 manor house and other buildings with a goal of turning the property that had been in the family for eight generations into a Bed and Breakfast. As I expected she immediately agreed. Upon our arrival we were greeted cordially and afforded the best hospitality anyone could hope to receive. Ruth took us on a tour of the farm, the manor house and the cottages! I could not believe all the work that she and her family had put into the re-finishing of the house and cottages. They still had a long way to go to reach their goal. It made me tired just to think of it!

Several years later I decided to visit once again knowing that the renovations were completed and that the Smithfield Farm Bed and Breakfast was now open to the public. I was going to sleep in the Manor house instead of a tent! I was curious to see the finished product. I was absolutely amazed at the final results. It is nothing less than magnificent! Having seen the before and the after it is beyond imagination how spectacular the change!

The atmosphere throughout gives you the feeling that you have stepped back in time! It is a perfect spot to stay if you are interested in exploring this historic region of the Shenandoah Valley or just want to get away from everyday life for some rest and relaxation. The Shenandoah Valley offers numerous activities and many are within range of the Smithfield Farm Bed and Breakfast. The Smith Family has put much effort into the re-furbishing the farm and it shows everywhere: in what you see and feel and how your are treated during your stay.

Ruth and her family are super friendly and go above and beyond to make all guests feel welcome. Just about everything you could want is available and if not Ruth provides any assistance you might need.

The rooms are quiet, clean, and luxurious. They are cozy and come complete with a fireplace. You truly feel you have stepped back in time! What you see advertised on the website is truly what you experience on your arrival.

Breakfast is incredible! The morning meal is anything but routine and absolutely delicious.

You are free to roam the house and grounds. This affords you the opportunity to see a variety of memorabilia.

The Smithfield Farm Bed and Breakfast gets a 10+ on a scale of 1-10 in my book. This is the place to stay if you enjoy the B&B experience or if you have never before had a B&B experience this is a great place to start!

We decided it would be nice to spend Valentines at a Bed and Breakfast in the Shenandoah Valley. In searching for the best place, we found the web site for Smithfield Farm Bed and Breakfast. It was unique because of its age, and the fact that it is a working farm. Having grown up in the mid west on a farm it appealed to me to be able to spend some time just walking around and seeing the animals as well has having a private and romantic experience.
When I called the manager was very gracious and explained that in the winter, they generally only open one guest cottage unless it is for a large group, but we were in luck they had a last minute cancellation on the cottage for Valentines. I asked about places for Dinner in the area, and the manager gave us several recomendations. I was able to make a reservation at a new restaurant in Berryville, which is only a few miles from the B&B.
Our arrival was almost overwhelming, driving down a long driveway with an apple orchard on both sides and driving up to a wonderful old Manor House. The proprieter came out and greeted us, walked us to the cottage and showed us all of the features and amenities. It was charming and even nicer than we had expected. She let us know that she was available to assist us if we needed anything. I asked if we might look around the farm the next morning, and she arranged to give us a tour to show us the cattle and other live stock as well as the new building that was going on.

The evening and morning were great, it would be a wonderful place to go in the summer to relax in the Shenandoah valley or especially for a weekend in the fall when the leaves are out. I know that we will go back.

When we turned between the stone pillars onto the driveway flanked by apple trees, we felt as though we were entering another world and leaving the hustle and bustle of life behind us. There were deer and cattle grazing in the orchard, and coming over the last rise, the stunning red brick "main house" and its two dependency buildings stood glowing in the afternoon sunshine, seeming to welcome us.

The Bed and Breakfast is not generally open in December, but the innkeepers, Ruth and Betsy, were able to make an exception for us for an after-Christmas getaway. They greeted us warmly, made us feel at home, and answered all our questions. The farm is lovely, and we had a wonderful walk around the property to see the fish pond and gazebo, the burbling creek and stone bridge, and the apple orchard. We spent two very restful nights in the spacious Wellford room with our own bath and awakened in the morning to the gentle sounds of the cattle lowing in the field.

Breakfast was outstanding: several delicious, freshly made courses each day served on pretty china. My husband especially enjoyed the ham from the farm's pigs. The hospitality was gracious and attentive without being intrusive, and the house was beautifully but comfortably decorated and impeccably clean. We went home with a cooler of homemade pasta and sauce, frozen meats and eggs fresh from the farm store, which we thoroughly enjoyed as a reminder of our relaxing trip. Another visit to Smithfield Farm B&B in the spring when the apple trees are blooming would be wonderful!

This was one of the best B+B experiences I have ever had. I recommend looking at their website (it's the first two words in the name of the place, dot com) because it shows how beautiful everything is.

The property: It's a working farm that the owners' family has run for generations. The farm itself is beautiful - rolling hills, apple orchards, herds of cows and sheep and pigs. We spent a good hour tossing fallen apples over the fence so the cows could munch on them. There's a stream, and different paths you can walk. And at night it's completely quiet except for the animal sounds.

Rooms: The rooms are in the 200-year-old farmhouse, which is in the National Register of Historic Places. But unlike what I've heard about a lot of places in the region, the building is in pristine condition and completely up to date. Our room was enormous with a (perfectly firm) king four-post bed and a fireplace and huge windows. We picked a room with its own private bath across the hall, because of the king bed (the other room available that night has an en-suite bath but a queen bed). I thought I might mind crossing the hall, but they provide these fantastic comfy (and again, pristine) robes and slippers, so you can just pad across the hall and take a bath in the 100-year-old clawfoot tub or in the fantastic hot shower. Since there are only two other rooms on that floor (the fourth is in a separate building), no one was ever around when we walked out. We peeked at the other rooms in the main house and they were all great.

Food: Breakfast was delicious, with about 6 different items, all homemade and including ingredients from the farm like fresh apples and blueberries.

Hosts: Ruth was incredibly nice and helpful and made us feel comfortable without feeling like we were intruding in someone else's space, which some B+Bs can feel like. There are nice touches all over, like fancy chocolates in the hallway. And Ruth's advice re: dinner restaurants was honest and accurate.

Location: We were visiting Harper's Ferry and all the inns there were full. It turns out this place is only about 15 minutes away, and great as a base for the region.