We fortunately were referred to The Inn on Town Creek by the operator of another B&B who was scheduled to be out of town when we were coming to Abingdon to visit family. Abingdon itself is a great little city with attractions that range from theater to paved hiking paths. The Inn is located in a quiet, attractive neighbor hood with beautifully maintained grounds. A rambling, interesting home that invites the inspection of its collection of antiques and collectables. The Terrace Side Room, which we have now stayed in twice, was plenty spacious for the 3 day visits. Dean's breakfasts ( together with his relaxed Southern hospitality) served on the back patio however is the attraction that draws us back.

We had such a wonderful time staying here in Oct. 2011 we decided to reurn in Oct. 2012. We stayed in the Hideaway Room again and just loved it. Linda is very hospitable. Dean makes a breakfast to die for. The area around Abingdon, Virginia is absolutely beautiful. If you plan to stay in Abingdon please give the Inn of Town Creek a try. You might find yourself returning just like we did this year.

First: the directions on the Website made this B&B much harder to find than it should have been (took us two tries to get it right). Second, our reception was not very welcoming--more about reciting rules than making us feel welcome. It felt like staying overnight with your richest, meanest aunt, and worrying all of the time about making a mess. The "charming" bric-a-brac seemed like it was there, not for ambience, but as a dare for any guest to break or steal. The bed in our suite was way too high off the floor (almost required a ladder to scale it) and the mattress was as hard as cement. The breakfast menu had no options for non-egg-eaters or tomato-haters, when some toast or muffins would have sufficed. (Other B&Bs in the region politely asked if we had special food preferences or restrictions--this one didn't.) Overall, the Inn seemed much too pleased with itself and VERY over-priced for the rigid services & lack of congeniality. Shared our breakfast table with a lovely young couple from Grundy, Va.--but the B&B doesn't get credit for their personal charm.

This was a mixed bag for us.

On the one hand, we appreciated the yard, which featured lovely landscaping that was the site of a wedding the evening we arrived. The house itself was spacious and spotless, and the breakfast the next morning was a treat that included an egg casserole, sausage, fresh fruit and a pastry that was cold but tasty.

On the other hand, the house was so filled with knick-knacks and memorabilia that there seemed to be scant room for people. Unlike many B&Bs where we've stayed, there was little common area where guest could congregate except for the veranda.

The lack of a gathering area could have been redeemed by a welcoming plate of homemade cookies or a glass of wine. While the inn didn't go that far, they did offer packaged peanuts and granola bars, atop a small fridge that contained water and soft drinks.

Another disappointment was the lack of Internet service, which apparently had worked only sporadically since a recent installation of new equipment.

When we went to empty some water out of our cooler into the kitchen sink, the owner appeared immediately and asked, "May I help you?" We felt as if we'd been busted, doing something wrong.

I guess the bottom line was that we felt like we were just renters in the home, instead of welcome guests. Maybe it was just an off day. But at $196 for the night, we expected more.