Damascus Old Mill Inn

Staff is incredible, very kind and welcoming. The food was delicious both for dinner and breakfast. Great beer and wine selection. The rooms were so unique, comfortable, and clean. They had modern upgrades but still held some old charm. Great launching point for hiking and biking!

This was our first and last stay at the Damascus VA Old Mill. I really want this hotel and its employees to succeed, so I am writing this review/critique, hoping the manager/owner will pay attention. June 2022, my husband and I stayed 2 nights, with another couple/friends in a separate room. Each room total was $357.12. When we arrived hungry and hoping to get in before the restaurant closed at 4:00 (per their website), I couldn’t determine where the front door was. Finally I went up some steps to a porch and pulled on the LOCKED door. WHY? It was 3:30 p.m. in broad daylight. As I turned to walk away puzzled, a woman opened the door. She said they keep the doors locked all the time, and the restaurant had already closed at 3:00. I told her they should update the time on their website for accuracy. Our room (coincidentally handicap accessible) Fridge: A tiny dorm fridge sat on the floor, so I had to get on my knees. A person in a wheelchair would have had to stand on their head to access it. Access. Since the whole place is always on lockdown, we were given a single key (not two)… not to the front door…but to an inconvenient back door, which required dragging luggage up a long ramp and across an even longer deck. All the locked doors proved to be a total hassle throughout our stay. Very unwelcoming! Bathroom. Huge square footage, which would accommodate a wheelchair, but there was no horizontal space to set anything down, and no hooks. Only a sink, toilet, and shower (with fold-up bench). I dragged in a side table from the bedroom area so I could lay my clothes and toiletries. Bed. Described as a KING on the website, but no! It’s a queen, so we didn’t really get what we paid for. Mattress was like crusty bread around the edges and sloped to the center, so my hubs and I fought keep from rolling down into the center. Don’t be fooled by website photos of pretty headboards and bedspreads. People care more about a good night’s sleep on a decent mattress than anything else. Shower. First morning, the water was lukewarm and I froze to death until I hurried to grab my towel, which was inconveniently sitting on the toilet lid (since there was nowhere else to put it). Friends’ room Our 2 friends felt like they stayed in a closet; the room was TINY. The king bed took up so much floorspace, they had to shuffle around it to get to the teeny bathroom. The first night, the husband felt as if his lungs were not getting sufficient air. They discovered the next morning the air filter/humidifier had not been properly maintained and badly needed attention. Staff Even though they were civil, the staff were unapologetic about all the inconveniences. They had the “it is what it is” attitude. The biggest problem was that they were missing so many times when we needed something. Oftentimes, NO ONE was in the front lobby. I rang the bell and called out, but it was crickets. When we finally caught up with an employee, I felt as if I was a bother. Bikes They agreed