Four miles west of Lexington, in a hollow across the road from a river, stands Lavender Hill, a working 20-acre farm with pet goats, sheep, dogs, and cats. Newcomers John and Sarah Burleson plunged into innkeeping full time in the fall of 1996, having stayed as guests in other inns only a couple of times previously. John graduated from VMI several years ago, worked in Northern Virginia as an engineer for a while, then returned with Sarah to the part of Virginia he found most familiar.
The central section of the main building is a 200-year-old log cabin. (One guest stayed here because his research revealed that it was his grandfather’s birthplace.) The inn is not filled with antiques or laden down with quaintness. Room renovations over the years have somewhat obscured the old farmhouse charm, but John and Paula are working hard to remedy this. In keeping with the farm setting, rooms are simply furnished, the windows dressed with lace curtains that ripple in summer. John is the chef, providing four-course meals (by reservation) for $14.50; his homegrown herbs are his culinary trademark. Sarah sheers the farm’s sheep and lets guests help if they show an inclination. Guests may also fish in the river, bird-watch, or—the usual favorite—lounge on the porch with a cool drink. Horseback-rid-ing packages, outdoor theater in summer, and horse boarding are also available.
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