Virginia definitely is for lovers, especially if you are looking for a cozy, romantic getaway for Valentine’s Day. The Lexington, Va., area has many places to choose from for that special time of year for couples.

HUMMINGBIRD INN

Innkeepers Dick and Pam Matthews say their bed and breakfast, the Hummingbird Inn, is a destination in itself. Located 20 minutes northwest of Lexington, in Goshen, the drive to the Hummingbird takes you through the beautiful Goshen Pass to a rural area that’s been noted for its hospitality since the C & O Railroad (now CSX) came through Goshen in the mid-1800s. And yes, in season, there are hummingbirds everywhere in the gardens.

The Hummingbird Inn started life as a log cabin and the post beams that were set in place around 1780 still stand in what is now the inn’s rustic den, complete with stone fireplace. You can have dinner at the inn in front of that roaring fireplace or a candlelight dinner in the dining room or a massage for two in the privacy of your room.

Thinking of getting married this Valentine’s Day? The Hummingbird Inn has a “Just Us Two” package for you that includes a two-night stay in your choice of a room with a whirlpool tub or double shower for two; marriage (or renewal of vows) by a minister or officiate; a ribbon-tied bridal bouquet; a heart-shaped wedding cake; a bottle of champagne or sparkling cider; a romantic candlelight dinner one night and a picnic supper the next, and a continental breakfast delivered to your room. Put all that together with fresh flowers, and chocolate-covered strawberries or chocolate truffles delivered to your room, and the romantic getaway is complete!

The rooms are lovely and each has its own private bathroom, feather beds with down comforters, soft cotton robes, and fireplaces or antique stoves in every room. If you feel like strolling outside your room, there’s wraparound verandas on the first and second stories, original pine floors, a solarium, and a deck that overlooks a wide trout stream outside by the old barn.

For information, visit www.hummingbirdinn.com or call 800-397-3214. The Hummingbird Inn is located at 30 Wood Lane in Goshen, VA 22439.

THE INN AT LEXINGTON

If you’d rather stay in Lexington and explore the old downtown area with its antique shops and stores with unique collectibles, make plans to stay at The Inn at Lexington, where you can book one of four luxury suites.  

This bed and breakfast bills itself as enticing, eclectic and elegant. And it is! The suites have names like Bits and Saddles, named after Ralph Lauren’s Secretariat; Seven Hills, decorated with nature wallpaper and heavy oak and metal furniture; Key West Suite, with sunny Key West décor; and The Fiddler’s Suite, which is decorated in shades of mauve and cream. Each room has its own television and VCR, so you could rummage around the innkeeper’s collection of old VHS movies and find just the right one to share. The upstairs parlor has a computer if you feel you need to reach the outside world.

Breakfast at the Inn at Lexington is always scrumptious and innkeeper Natalie serves up a gourmet treat. On a recent stay, visitors were treated to ice cream for breakfast! The ice cream topped a lovely warm, baked apple filled with grape nuts cereal. Downstairs there’s a comfortable and spacious living room, a good place to curl up with a good book or simply sit and listen to the wide variety of music that plays around the clock while you watch the fire glowing in the hearth.

The Inn’s legacy began in 1927 when it housed a fraternity at Washington and Lee University. In the 1940s, for a while it was the Colonial Inn with 20 rooms, then in 1953 the house was again purchased by a fraternity, none other than the infamous Delta Upsilon men of the movie “Animal House.” For a while it was a refuge for homeless children, then it was remodeled and now the inn boasts four specialty suites, each with an original theme and the convenience of a private bath.

For information, visit www.theinnatlexington.com or call

866-288-4715. The Inn at Lexington is located at 408 South Main Street in Lexington, VA 22450.

ALPINE HIDEAWAY COTTAGES

If you really want your romantic escape and have your privacy at the same time, the Alpine Hideaway cottages, located north of Lexington in Steeles Tavern, Va., could be the ticket. Alpine owner Eileen Hoernlein and her husband used to run a bed and breakfast. Over the years as they found couples wanted more privacy, they built three cottages, Ivy, Sunset and Pond View.

You can make yourself at home in these cottages that come equipped with complete kitchens, but it’s the pampering you can give yourself soaking in the secluded hot tub outdoors or sharing the double Jacuzzi in the large, luxurious bathroom that’s most important. Two of the cabins perch high atop the Blue Ridge overlooking the Shenandoah Valley’s green fields and Blue Mountains. The third cabin is located by a fishing pond and mountain pastures and also comes equipped with the hot tub, double Jacuzzi and fireplace like the other two cabins. A four-poster canopy king bed, plush towels, a skylight in the bathroom and luxurious robes to wear all help complete the picture that just needs you and your sweetie in it.

For information, visit www.alpinehide away.com or call 800-895-6121. The cottages are located at 30 Butler Circle, Steeles Tavern, VA 24476.

For information, visit www.theinnatlexington.com or call866-288-4715. The Inn at Lexington is located at 408 South Main Street in Lexington, VA 22450.