The Virginia May Inn Style

A warm welcome to 2025 and new beginnings. With the hustle of Thanksgiving and Christmas behind us, the quietness of January is a good time to reflect upon the upcoming year. It’s also a good time to not step on the scale until February. Let’s just ease into the year one baby step at a time.

Here at The Virginia May, the leaves are finally picked up, and the lawn tractor is hibernating until spring. While the Christmas decorations have been taken down, the plaid flannel still adorns the beds to keep guests cozy. The deer are still bandying about with their cute little white bums.

I have one begonia plant that continues to bloom, and I think that is a great metaphor for business.

As I enter into year three of business, my heart is full with the vision that has come to life, and those I meet each week who come to enjoy the best of rest and relaxation. So without further adieu, let me introduce you to my labor of love.

The Property

The property was purchased in 2020, and cottages came to life in May of 2022. Coming from an education background my business sense was limited to good cooking, entertaining, and wine drinking.

I admit, I knew nothing of business, but I had heart and a heavy dose of grit. I have been blessed to see the business grow, and have met so many great people — many coming back each year to mark life milestones and celebrations, and a good stream of newcomers who find me with one quick click on Google.

Located on a half-acre on the quiet Randle Lane in Fort Worth, it’s 25-minutes to the Stockyards and Texas Motor Speedway, and minutes to everything in between – wineries, great dining, shopping, and entertainment. Eagle Mountain Lake/Lake View Marina is minutes away for fishing and the boat launch.

There is a large herd of deer that roam quietly and freely on the street delighting guests, an array of birds, and squirrels chattering reminding us of just how special nature is here in the country. 

So many guests are stunned at how the deer wander around, and many have great pictures of baby deer during the birthing season in June. There are no lights on our street, so night is wonderfully dark.

The Cottages

Here at The Virginia May there are two private cottages to choose from. A cozy one bedroom, and a roomier two bedroom. Each cottage boasts queen size beds with comfy toppers to ensure your sleep is dreamy. A small kitchen in each for those longer stays, and a front porch to sip your coffee, visit or read a book. Games and books are available, outside cornhole, a firepit and horseshoes for nights spent outside. Plush robes, fine linens and towels, and soap products to ensure each guest feels spoiled.

Breakfast
The gold standard of the B&B

Each morning a lovely home-cooked breakfast is delivered to the door. No need to worry about getting dressed for breakfast here (I make sure I am dressed) – it’s the ultimate pampering to start the day. A variety of cuisine is prepared from endless styled egg dishes, breakfast pizza with sausage gravy and bacon, or the famous fruit crepes drizzled with a (calorie free of course) cream cheese topping. Sourdough bread is made fresh several days a week, and is also available for purchase to take home and enjoy. I have really enjoyed the creativity of spending time in the kitchen and presenting guests with all sorts of dishes to tempt their palette.

Those with dietary needs have no need to worry. I tailor each meal to compliment paleo, vegetarian, pescatarian, meat lovers, sugar free, almond milk – whatever accommodations are needed.

The Total Culinary Experience More than just breakfast

One of the most pleasant surprises guests have when they book online is learning that a variety of dinner choices are available, and many guests opt for dinner options as they unwind for the perfect weekend break, or a mid-week celebration without the need to drive, or the discussion of “what do you want to eat?”

 The Private Dinner boasts a five-course meal and two complimentary bottles of wine. The Luxurious Dinner is a three-course arrangement with one bottle of complimentary wine. For the more casual diner, homemade pizza and Caesar salad, or perhaps the ultimate snack box – a charcuterie board with complimentary wine. All designed to ensure that rest and relaxation is paramount for your time here, and all made in the main house kitchen and brought to the cottage door.

Gift Certificates & Experiences

What has become my most favorite revelation is gift certificates purchased for those hard to buy individuals, or the young couple who need a bit of a break, or those convalescing from illness. These guests marvel at the kindness of others who recognize their need for a break, and ultimately after a restful weekend or weekday experience, they are able to reset for the week ahead.

A business owner who booked a weekend for him and his wife earlier this year,  spoke highly of his staff, many of whom had been with the company for 10+ years. What better way to say thank you, he said, than with a weekend away. So he bought two weekends as a start of his appreciation for his staff. We spoke of the team and what the heart of any good company is, and he was adamant that strategy was not just product focused – but people focused. Each of his employees who came out with their spouses or partner gushed about how great the weekend was. A successful gift all the way around and thus a partnership was created. I am looking forward to hearing from more businesses this year who want to model this employee appreciation.

For me, meeting these guests has been so much fun as they share their stories of how they came to The Virginia May, and their gratitude, and as the saying goes, they came as strangers and left as friends.

The Ultimate Guests

I have had the pleasure of hosting mothers and daughters, girls trips and weekends, wedding night brides and grooms, bridal parties, birders, artist weekends, writers’ weekend, crafters’ weekend, young families, staycationers, out-of-towners, and everyone in between. Whatever your group or your needs, I can happily accommodate you here at The Virginia May.

For all your hospitality needs, gift certificates, partnership opportunities for employee appreciation, sourdough, or take-out charcuterie boards, call 817.739.3935 or visit thevirginiamay.com to book online reservations.

Happy New Year,
and see you soon!

Colleen