It’s a special day for you — maybe a class reunion, a neighborhood reception, a quilting club retreat, or a gala at the local arts center — and you’re looking for that perfect place to stay. Well, the Boxley Place Inn beckons you!

Many locals know the Boxley Place for its stately Ionic columns and its convenient location by the railroad on the west side of town. Some may have strolled the grounds during a wedding at St. James Church across the street. Others may have visited as part of the Louisa County Old Homes Tour (the inn is featured in the book Old Home Places of Louisa County!). But with only five rooms, only the lucky few — or those who plan ahead — get to spend the night.

The inn began life as a farmhouse around 1860. In fact, the cabin behind the inn predates the house by decades, though its exact construction date has been lost to time. In 1913, the home was purchased by the Boxley family, who upgraded it with a brick exterior and added the porches and colonnades. In 2004, the property passed to its current owner, Breese Glennon Boxley, who converted the home into an inn, beginning operations in 2009.

The inn is gorgeous inside — with exposed radiators, early 20th-century furnishings, and art and books with historic perspective in every room.

Three separate sitting rooms give guests plenty of space to spread out, and breakfast is served family-style at the eight-person dining table, complete with fine china for that just-right elegant touch. Most mornings, breakfast includes conversation with innkeeper Heidi and quiche from Floozies — the local iconic pie shop — along with fresh fruit, yogurt, and cereal.

We stayed in Ethel’s Suite (all the rooms are named after Boxley ladies!), which was spacious — a particularly valuable trait given that it includes a massive armoire (or kast) with a six-foot-tall mirror, and a clawfoot tub in the ensuite bath!

Guests can enjoy three separate covered porches or wander about the three-acre estate. The sightlines are memorable — our personal favorites are the tree-lined drive leading to the steeple of St. James Church, and the small garden with ivy-covered statuary, fire pits, and arbors.

The guest register highlights the many special reasons visitors choose the Boxley Place — contestants competing in the Lake Anna Triathlon, artists performing at local venues, or alumni attending their 50th high school reunion. During our recent stay (to coincide with the Arts Center’s Gala), we met a mother and son who were thrilled to be taking a steam train trip the next morning! Whatever your reason, you’ll find the Boxley Place Inn to be a special destination for your special occasion.

Dave Richards

Dave Richards and his wife danni are long time Lake Anna residents (since 1996) with a penchant for travel.   They also LOVE to stay in unique places, which have included a hanging spherical tree house in Qualicum BC, the Marilyn Monroe suite in Edith Palmer’s place in Virginia City NV, and a quonset hut in Yosemite.  Closer to home, they have stayed in the Lighthouse in Smithfield, the Silo at Kelly’s Ford, and the Tepee at Eagle’s Landing In Lynchburg.   They are looking forward to visiting the unique accommodations nearby at Lake Anna!