Anne Hathaway's Cottage B&B

Anne Hathaway's Cottage went beyond what I have experienced at other Bed and Breakfasts. It was a delightful environment that provided great rest and relaxation. It was within walking distance of historic Staunton and the service could not have been improved on. The cost of staying there was not much more than staying at some hotels yet you would never get the personal touch.

The first night we stayed we had the place to ourselves and enjoyed a quite evening together. The following morning, we were served a half a grapefruit some homemade breads for breakfast and an english muffin. It was good enough but I was expecting a hot meal rather than a continental breakfast. We ate an early lunch (eat at the Pampered Palate, it is a great value) and walked around town a good part of the day exploring. We were made to feel very welcome by the locals. My wife blew her own glass Christmas ornament which she enjoyed and we rode the town trolley, which was a little ghetto. The driver was a great guy but I have to say that in spite of his best efforts, we did feel a little uncomfortable when he had to tell us to look at him rather than look at this guy getting off the trolley. We would not use the trolley again. We hung out at the B&B for a while to read/relax in the common room and later, we drove back into town even though the trolley could have taken us and did a little Christmas shopping and ate at Emilio's. Dinner quality was in line with the price but the waitress did not seem to get that I was looking for a little help on the wine menu. I could tell she knew a little about it but I cold not get her to give me a straight recommendation. We drove back to the B&B and retired for the evening as my wife was tired from walking most of the day. We got up the final morning and had a breakfast much more in line with what I expected, quiche, bacon and cut fruit. The quiche was store bought which surprised me given how easy it is to make but it was decent enough. The best part of the trip was that they have good tea out all the time. Oddly enough, we enjoyed this part the most and was a major factor (in addition to the nice common area) in us choosing this B&B a second time. We will be back.

Spent a delightful night at Anne Hathaway's Cottage and would have spent a week if I could. Perfect in every way – very close to downtown, comfortable and convenient room, wonderful and helpful hostess, fabulous decor, and a sweet kitty to keep me company as I sat on the couch and read. I felt so at home! The Juliet Room was lovely and the bathroom had plenty of room and good water pressure. Each room is individually climate controlled, plus I could open the diamond-paned windows for some crisp fall air. This is definitely the place to stay in Staunton. I'll be back!

This is an incredible B&B, the attention to detail is staggering and it was extremely comfortable - truly unique! The owner and staff were amazingly helpful, friendly and welcoming. It really is like staying in an English Country home. Staunton centre is but a 10 minute walk with lovely restaurants and a great place to explore. The only minus point was the breakfast - considering the outstanding nature of the B&B it fell rather short and was meagre - don't let this put you off though, it was exceptional apart from that!!

I wanted a place, for one night, where I could spend some time alone with my thoughts and reading books in one of my favorite time period settings. After my stay, I felt refreshed, renewed, and energized. The room was immaculate, the bed restful, the bathroom and shower relaxing, and the setting refreshing. Juliette was a gracious hostess. I am hoping to go back for a longer visit next year.

I just loved it. Breakfast was superb. My room was beautifully appointed, and so in keeping with an Elizabethan cottage. The building itself is so authentic it was hard to believe I wasn't actually vacationing in Stratford-on-Avon. Innkeeper Juliette and her husband John were charming and gracious. I plan to come back to Staunton as soon as possible and stay there again.

Over a 2 night stay we were impressed with the magnitude of the cottage and the amount of work which had gone into creating such a special place. It was therefore a disappointment that the breakfasts were so lacking in quality and quantity - no hot food was available, and what was offered did not make the grade.

[Resource Id: innkeeperresponse, Set: reviews]
The guest probably stayed during the week when only an extended continental breakfast is offered - when the nightly rate is lowered to reflect this difference. Always availabable for a continental breakfast are the following: home made granola - made with top quality ingredients and sweetened with honey, and other cereals, as well as hot oatmeal. All the jams are home made - recently pear lemon balm was available, as well as strawberry peach. Usually 3 different kinds of baked goods are offered as well - maybe the whole thing was the result of a bad hair day!

- Juliette Swenson (innkeeper)

Julliet, our hostess and owner, went out of her way to make us feel comfortable and at home. The sherry and brandy offered before going to bed was a lovely surprise. Breakfast in the morning was delicious. We look forward to returning and strolling through her beautiful well tended English garden.

So quaint and comfortable yet elegant and spotless. We will be back for sure when next we visit JMU.

No better place to stay for an English teacher who wishes to see Shakespeare performed in Staunton. The outdoor gardens are magnificent, the innkeeper is gracious, and the entire setting is perfect for putting one in the mood for an evening of Shakespeare or romance. Definitely a must stay for an Anglophile. The cottage truly evokes Tudor England, and the helpfulness of the hostess is an added dimension--we took the two night special package and saw two plays at Blackfriars, and the hostess arranged tickets for us. We definitely plan to return here.

We enjoyed a lovely two night stay. Enjoyed the beautiful accomodations & exploring Staunton. Blackfriar's Playhouse was fantastic & Zynadoa Restaurant was top notch! Excellent recommendations from our hostess Juliette. Loved our stay!

Wonderful weekend stay great English setting and gardens, close to restaurants and American Shakespeare Center. Rooms very nice, common areas wonderful, Breakfasts outstanding, Juliette was helpful, great hostess.

All the romance of a Shakesperian-era home and garden, the cleanliness of a German Pension, and with all the modern conveniences, it, and our stay, were absolutely delightful!

Stayed for a weekend and attended the American Shakespeare Center, which was a great deal of fun. The cottage was delightful, but the breakfasts were only satisfactory. Unlike some other bed and breakfasts at which we've stayed, which have gone all out for breakfast, these were fairly basic.

We stayed two nights and really enjoyed the unique decor and style. The house and garden are amazing! Staunton is a neat town and we visited the Black Friars Playhouse (to see a show) and a nearby vineyard. The stay was very nice and we intend to return for another stay in the future.

I loved everything about Anne Hathaway, it was nice and quiet as it said in the information guide. I was expecting Scones but did not get any, and the owner should provide better and more than one pillow. It was hard to sleep on one old pillow. Everything else was good.

One couldn't find a more beautiful enclave, a charming Cotswold cottage with a thatched roof, and wonderfully tended grounds. Great food served and plenty of it. Charmingly appointed rooms. I'll be returning to Anne Hathaway's on my next trip to Staunton!

My girlfriend and I greatly enjoyed our Valentine's Day weekend getaway. The room was fantastic and the meals were delicious. The cottages proximity to the Black Friar's Theatre was also a huge bonus.

Your delicious food, Elizabethan ambience, and gracious hospitality combined with our delightful excursions around Staunton (in January even!) have made it a momst memorable celebration. You can be sure we'll return, Lord willing, before too long. Fred and Miriam

Wonderful hospitality & charming home! We had an excellent stay.

....What a sincere pleasure to stay in such a special place. The rooms were excellent, the breakfast out of sight, and the innkeeper Juliette was such a pleasure to get to know. We will definitiely come back soon. Wayne Stark Senior Director of Career Cervices Sweet Briar College

My husband and I stayed here on a weekend getaway to Staunton. What an absolute gem! There's nowhere else in Staunton that we saw that was anywhere close in terms of quality. The cottage: We were surprised to learn that the cottage is newly built because the owner has done such an amazing job of recreating the famous British cottage in the original style: everything from the antique furniture to the artwork, wood trim, hand-painted border design and even old, reclaimed windows. My husband and I often found ourselves sitting in the communal great room, just reading or talking. Or just wandering around the lovely gardens. The location: on the main drag, just a short walk up from downtown. The room: We stayed in Juliette's room, which, along with Romeo's room, is upstairs. The room was beautiful, bed was comfortable, temperature perfect (it was in the middle of summer, so quite hot outside), bathroom was very large and the bathroom soap and shampoo were very nice. Breakfast: We really enjoyed the morning breakfasts prepared by Juliette. The food was delicious and had that taste that food only has when prepared with care and love. She used Polyface eggs one morning for a frittata. And served a lovely fruit "starter" garnished with mint from her garden. Portions were just right. We're tea drinkers and she serves a bizillion different teas. Juliette is so fun and easy to talk to, as were the other guests. I had much more the feel that I was visiting a family member than someone else's B&B. My husband and I definitely plan to return.

This is really such a lovely B&B, and Juliette makes it so comfortable to stay there. We highly recommend this! I've been in the lodging business for years, and Anne Hathaway's Cottage brings the best of the different types of lodging together at a great value. The rooms are exquisitely decorated and extremely clean and comfortable. It is much more convenient than staying in a hotel, though, as Juliette has thought of everything so you have all the comforts of home but in this charming cottage. You can make your own tea or coffee at any time, store your dinner leftovers in the fridge, get recommendations for dining (there are some terrific restaurants in town), have a spot of sherry or port, read a book in the great room, borrow a movie to watch in your room, and get a lovely full breakfast served in the morning. There is even free wi-fi, in case you just must check your email. At breakfast we got to know the other guests. We were there for 2 nights, and other guests can be quiet, or very interesting.

Thanks to Juliette we experienced warm hospitality and a really charming and comfortable cottage!!! We will certainly mention it to anyone we know planning a trip to Staunton!! And we look forward to staying with you again on a future trip to Blackfriars.

We had a wonderful holiday weekend stay. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect romantic get-away, staying in Juliet's room. Hope to sepnd many more restful days in your care.

We highly recommend Anne Hathaway's cottage - not least because Juliette is such a thoughtful and gracious host. Being at the cottage is like having the best of "English Country Living" while in Virginia. The open access to hot tea and the kitchen was also lovely. We had a wonderful stay!

This is a lovely recreation of a beautiful example of English architecture, within a short distance of a great Shakespearean theatre. We were quite pleased and well-fed during our short Thanksgiving stay. Just goes to show - - you can have a great little English B&B, WITH washcloths! Thank you, Juliette, for a warm and hospitable stay. Thanks to you Staunton is graced with a unique and comfortable bit of the isles!

What blissful slumber, we have enjoyed a delightful sojourn at Anne Hathaway's cottage, and greatly admire the beautiful appointments and attention to detail. We will surely be back for a return visit. Miss Dolly, our pre-spoiled pooch loved it too.

We stayed one night and I wish we could have stayed longer. Juliette, the innkeeper, is very friendly and a great conversationalist but knows the value of letting her guests relax to themselves. The place is extremely well kept and tastefully decorated in keeping with the original cottage's history. We stayed in Romeo's room and loved all the details, from the embroidered bedspread to the signed playbills on the wall. The garden had wound down for the year but was still very pretty. Breakfast was delicious -- fruit, yogurt, granola, then French toast and sausage. We very much enjoyed our stay and plan on returning the next chance we have.

We felt so comfortable in this beautifully done in - and loved all the small touches and little bits of character. We especially enjoyed being surrounded by all the books. Nice and cozy, size was perfect, delicious food, pleasant conversation. We didn't want to leave! Loved the homemade jams

My husband, Chris and I spent a delightful evening at the Anne-Hathaways Cottage in June, immersed in Shakespeare's time. The Anne-Hathaways Cottage B&B is an charming recreation of Shakespeare's original, with a thatched roof, period furnishings and fabrics, and an inviting, authentic English garden, located in the heart of Staunton, VA. Its three bedrooms, "Shakespeare", "Romeo" and "Juliet" are each appointed in period style with modern bathrooms, phone and cable TV. There are quotes of Shakespeare everywhere along with a stair way photo gallery of Inns in England owned by Anne-Hathaway's seasoned and gracious Inn Keepers. The ambiance had a feeling of intimacy, comfort and engagement. Inn-Keeper, Juliette Swenson greeted us with a glass of sherry and conversation and recommended that we dash off to the Blackfriar's Playhouse Theatre to see the production of The Comedy of Errors. The play was brought alive by its cast and full of laughter and cheer to top off a great evening. The next morning, we were treated by Juliette to a delicious, full course breakfast and more recommendations for where to have lunch and sites to visit in Staunton. We chose the Frontier Culture Museum to learn more about the agricultural history and architecture of the Region and also toured Mary Baldwin College. Our little 24 hour excursion was a delight and possibly our most memorable mini-vacation.