Spring Time in Middleburg

Do you feel spring? It’s coming… The most beautiful time of the year. What could be better than having little vacation before summer time? Would you like to have couple days off and run away from the routine of your job, home, life? Relax and get some energy, go outside! Come to visit the town of Middleburg in Virginia!

Middleburg and it’s area is the perfect place for relaxing, shopping, dining, visiting farms, tasting wines and many other attractions. Do you like horses? Perfect! Since the early 20th century, Middleburg gained a reputation as the Nation’s Horse and Hunt Capital. The Middleburg Spring Races and the Virginia Fall Races are highlights of the Hunt Country’s spring and fall racing seasons. The Spring Races got its start in 1911 and has gone on to become a regional icon. The Fall Races, also known as the Fall Race weekend, is an event that many horse lovers look forward to every year. The Middleburg Spring Races is coming on April 17^th, 2010. All information you can find on: www.middleburgspringraces.com

Don’t know where to stay? Stay in Briar Patch Bed and Breakfast Inn! For your best little vacation we offer 8 rooms in the main house and for more privacy – the cottage with separate kitchen. Also you can spend great time around large pool or the hot tub, front porch with a beautiful Bull Run Mountain view or go exploring Middleburg. For more information, visit our website: www.briarpatchbandb.com

Hotels for Large Briar Patch Weddings and Parties

We are often asked at Briar Patch Bed and Breakfast Inn about nearby hotels for out of town guests for whom there is no room at our inn (which accommodates about 20 people). We have developed strong relationships with several hotels in the Leesburg and Chantilly areas, each about a 20 minutes drive from Briar Patch. These hotels offer significant Friday and Saturday night discounts for Briar Patch guests blocking rooms there. Some even extend those discounts to Sunday night as well, so be sure to let them know you're with Briar Patch. Two of these hotels offer a free shuttle to and from Briar Patch for guests staying at the hotel (usually one run each way for up to 14 passengers), subject to availability and usually with a minimum of ten rooms booked.

These hotels are:

Comfort Suites Leesburg (80 Prosperity Ave, Leesburg, VA) 703-669-1650

Dulles Homewood Suites (44620 Waxpool Rd; Dulles, VA) 703-723-7500

We strongly urge you to talk directly to the hotels as to the availability of the free shuttle service on any particular date. They have also been very generous by waiving the minimum room requirements on several occasions. If you need additional shuttle service, you can talk to us about our driving a Reston Limo van or going through us to get a 20% discount off the posted Reston Limo rates.

In addition, you can check with the other hotels listed on our Briar Patch resource links page where you can see the various hotels with which we have relationships, as well as many of the B and Bs in the area. So, for example, we have had many guests use the Hyatt Dulles, the Staybridge Suites, the Hampton Inn, and others -- all of which, at a minimum, offer a special discount for Briar Patch guests, some of which provide shuttle service at a minimum cost, and some of which will also provide a free shuttle occasionally, although most only offer a free shuttle to and from Dulles Airport.

We have made arrangements with these hotels primarily because there are no hotels in Middleburg or the immediate area, although there are two very nice inns -- The Red Fox Inn and Middleburg Country Inn -- both of which are right in downtown Middleburg, about 4 miles to the west of Briar Patch. Like us, they each have a limited number of rooms, however. In addition, there are several inns who are members of the Loudoun County Bed and Breakfast Guild.

You can also get in touch with us if you need any particular advice on additional lodging and/or shuttles, of course.

Briar Patch Hosts Middleburg Singers for Renaissance Dinner

About 100 guests were treated to a delightful evening of song, food, and grog for a Renaissance performance by the Middleburg Chamber Singers and the Washington International Chorus at Briar Patch Bed and Breakfast Inn in Middleburg, VA.

The evening began with the King and Queen took their seats, the court jester announced the arrival of the court, and the court citizens marched into The Fox Den reception room in costume and in full voice. The evening proceeded with wonderful food provided by Forlano's Market in The Plains, VA. The selection of international music was woven throughout a play with lots of corny jokes and camaraderie, aided by the grog.

Here are a few pics from the fun evening.

Wedding Shuttle Service Story

As many of our bridal couples know, Briar Patch provides shuttle services between nearby hotels and Briar Patch for weddings and receptions. You might enjoy one of my shuttle adventures this past summer.

I did two round trip shuttles to the Hyatt Dulles and was delayed by an Indian wedding with the groom on horseback at the Hyatt Dulles parking lot but managed to make both rounds ferrying 28 people round trip before and after the wedding and reception for a wonderful wedding couple. After dropping off the Reston Limo van I drive, I returned to Briar Patch and checked that everything was going well at the pool after-party.

Around 2 am, I noticed a young lady lying on the grass. Rather out of it, she asked whether I could take her to the Hyatt so that she could get her car to drive home. Telling her that she was in no condition to drive, I asked whether she wanted to stay at Briar Patch or for me to drive her home to Chantilly. She opted for my driving her home.

Somehow, she gave me directions to get her home and I dropped her off. I sure hope it was her home and assume it was since I haven't heard any complaint since!

Dan Haendel

A Guest's Poem

Briar Patch Bed & Breakfast

Oh lovely mansion on the hill

From lovely log house built,

Whose walls still echo with the sound

Of gunshot, pain, and mirth.

You stood among these ancient trees,

Trembling as cannons thunder

While the country of our hopes and dreams

Was sadly torn asunder.

But through that civil war this house

Would proudly serve both sides,

Caring for all wounded as

The battle turned its tides.

Speak to us, historic walls,

That we may now record,

The story of each Blue and Gray

Now resting with the Lord.

Written by Bill Markstrum, August 15, 2008

Welcome to the Briar Patch Bed & Breakfast Inn Blog

Welcome to our first entry of Briar Patch Bed & Breakfast Inn's blog. We hope to make this blog interesting, fun, and interactive. In particular, we want to provide a forum for Briar Patch brides and grooms to learn about ways to make your wedding at Briar Patch more enjoyable. We will provide tips and allow past, current, and future Briar Patch brides & grooms to add their suggestions.

For other guests besides bridal couples, we plan to highlight things to do in the area, post upcoming events in the area, discuss new developments at Briar Patch, and provide a forum for guests to add their suggestions.

We are new to the "blogosphere" so please cut us some slack as we get used to this communications method!

We look forward to beginning a fun relationship with you.

Dan, Ellen, Henriette, & Jennifer