Our family of five, with teenagers aged 12, 14 and 17, stayed in the Country Guest House for 5 nights. We had an amazing time. This stay was part of a 3-week road trip through the northeast USA and was planned to represent the nature-part of the trip - it completely lived up to our expectations.

The booking process could not have been more smooth and the communication with Nancy was fast and easy. Instructions before arrival timely and clear.

Upon arrival we were greeted by both Nancy and Robin; we were shown around the grounds and inside the house, we also met all the animals. The children were then basically put to work (after Robin ensured they wanted to :)). They were allowed, and trusted, to look after the horses, cows, chickens and fish for the duration of our stay. They enjoyed that very much and took the responsibilities very seriously. Our oldest got to help Robin moving some hay around with the tractor.

The house is in perfect condition, it shows its history but not a single modern convenience is missing. Next to that Robin and Nancy were very welcoming and generous, e.g. with produce from the garden but even more so with their time and attention. I don't think we have ever felt more at home while on vacation.

The environment is green, spacious and quiet. There is plenty to do, but you need to plan it and drive to it. Apart from quite a lot of deer, young and old, we were lucky enough to see a black bear cross the road, encountered a raccoon on one of our hikes and heard, but not saw, coyotes.

The absence of a mobile network in the area takes some adjusting but is a breath of fresh air really. We stocked up on groceries in Harrisonburg on our way to McDowell, which is certainly something I would recommend (Staunton is an alternative).

Being from The Netherlands, it is quite unlikely that we will have the opportunity to return to McDowell, but should it present itself, we will not hesitate.

Thank you Nancy and Robin for a wonderful experience.