The Inn at Little Washington

We went for dinner at the inn. As a group with a food and beverage background we were excited for the experience. Unfortunately it was underwhelming from a service standpoint. When we arrived early we planned to go have a drink at patty o’s bar. Sadly it was closed even though it said it was open online. Once seated in the restaurant I was looking through the wine list and was immediately greeted by the sommelier. He immediately directed me to the page in the book of magnums, bottles beginning at $600 and ending at 25k. Our group had a bmmix of tastes and two who do not drink alcohol, so we opted to start with cocktails and then order wine by the glass for those who wanted to partake. That was it, it felt like it set off a warning to the staff, glasses were left empty all night, I had to constantly ask for the wine by the glass list, we were served bread once and our B&G plates sat empty u til dessert, never offered bread again. We felt rushed, we were not offered coffee and overall just felt un welcome. The food was good, but I have never felt the way I did sitting at the inn in other Michelin restaurants around the world. Save your money and your drive …. Eat at Fiola in DC

From the moment we arrived the staff treated us like royalty; welcoming and delightful. The property was magnificent and the restaurant a five star meal. The room was spotless and beautiful and the amenities complete. We were treated to many indulgences during our stay, can’t wait to return.

I have to say, our experience was truly underwhelming. This is a 3-Michelin-star restaurant, which we expected to exceed our visit to the 1-Michelin-star restaurant Unforgettable (Turin, Italy) and Jean-Georges in Philadelphia (which is not Michelin-starred). Unfortunately, it fell far short of expectations. We drove 4.5 hours to dine here for a special occasion, (and paid 3 times more than the other two) but we left extremely disappointed. The portions were small, and the amuse-bouche was underwhelming. At both of those restaurants, they served a delightful selection of multiple small bites, each unique and memorable. Furthermore, the overall experience here felt overly commercial and impersonal, detracting from what should have been a refined and intimate dining experience. Most of the staff, including those at check-in and serving, seemed barely engaged and rarely smiled. Their demeanor was robotic and impersonal—unlike the other two restaurants, where the impeccable service enhanced the entire evening and left us feeling truly amazed and delighted. Sadly, this fell far short of the standard expected from a 3-Michelin-star restaurant, and we won’t be returning.

Unsolicited observations from a Florida couple on their 27th wedding anniversary. Friends gifted us a stay at the Inn at Little Washington. We found that every aspect of the visit was a 10/10 - restaurant, accommodations and physical plant. Most impressive was the large number of highly skilled / experienced professionals trained in the philosophy of "Esprit de Corps". This was exemplified by two trivial observations - delicious tomato soup that was delivered below temperature and a minor delay in retrieving room service dishes resulting in us placing them in the hallway - when this was pointed out to the staff - they photographed the dishes left in the hallway - posted and delivered the image to the entire staff - the ultimate in service recovery. We will make this a favored vacation destination. Sarasota, Florida

The food preparation itself was classic Patrick - exquisite! However, the lack of options for selecting the courses and the DIMINUTIVE SIZE of the courses was beyond ridiculous; this is based on having been to the Inn on several occasions. For the price charged versus the quantity of food provided, there was NO VALUE FOR THE MONEY SPENT! BITE SIZED PIECES WERE SMALLER THAN A QUARTER (we were both extremely hungry the next morning, having eaten very little the night before). We were apoplectic about being served a small box of popcorn half way through the meal???? Perhaps it was to make up for the lack of food???? To say we were disappointed to have chosen the Inn to celebrate an anniversay is an understatement. It is not The Inn I remember from days past, and it makes me sad.