What Makes Piney Hill the Best Little Country Bed and Breakfast in Luray, Virginia

There are about a dozen B&B options in Luray, VA. The temptation would be to find one closer to Skyline drive, but don't rule out the ones closer to Main Street where dining and night life options are closer together. One of the nation's most highly rated bed and breakfasts deep in Virginia farmland is called Piney Hill Inn.

Inn keepers Wiley Gregory and Hank Overton run the small rebuilt farmhouse in a simple and super casual way. These guys have two obvious gifts: home décor and home cookin'. Their warm living room would make a Pottery Barn catalogue jealous with its handmade quilts, real wood fireplace and high backed couch. With their first cookbook (possibly) debuting this year, their country style inn offers an expansive front porch, year-round hot tub, and as much or as little involvement in your stay as you like.

A framed cross-stitching a guest gave them reads: "How nice it is to do nothing all day and then rest after." Hank thinks it sets the right tone for the residence. "We're a casual, country, relaxing get-away," says Hank. "We want you to enjoy the outdoors, the cows, the crickets; kick off your shoes, kick off the structure of the city and just relax!" Hank, if you could not tell already, is a riot. To Wiley's dismay he told a story of when Wiley was riding the lawn mower when they first moved in. The view had so enraptured his attention that he didn't notice he had just run over one of the shrubs.

You wouldn't think that staring at the rolling hills of farmland all day would be a huge draw for any lodging facility. But it is hypnotic in a rural picturesque way for city dwellers, which is part of the charm that Piney Hill offers. City slickers get to feel like they own a room out in the country, but they don't have to do any work to maintain it. Piney Hill décor is a modern representation of the old farmhouse, with its 20th century American style dining room furniture and ceramic pots - not to mention the lattice covered hot tub out back. They want to greet you personally when you arrive, so try to give them the best guess as to when you'll get there.

To find the one that's right for you, check out BedandBreakfast.com, TripAdvisor, or BBonline.com. Remember, even if you book your stay online, you'll want to speak with the innkeeper over the phone to get a better feel for their personality, let them know if you're vegetarian, allergic to down, etc. You could also save hundreds of dollars by traveling during the week during an off-peak season.