The Collins House Inn in Marion, VA

We’re conveniently located just off of I-81 (at Exits #44 and #45) about 45 miles north of Bristol, TN/VA and about 65 miles south of Roanoke, VA and only 30 miles south of the intersection of I-81 and I-77 in Wytheville, VA.

No, you won’t find a Saks Fifth Avenue or Macy’s here, nor will you find loud nightclubs and bumper-to-bumper beltway traffic. What you will find is a quiet, friendly small town, several really nice restaurants within easy walking distance of our inn (1-1/2 to 3 blocks), an abundance of natural beauty with a bunch of “outdoorsy” kinds of activities (We ARE in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest VA!) and just a very, V-E-E-R-RY slow pace. Marion is home to The Lincoln Theatre in case you’d like to take in a show. Visit their website at www.thelincoln.org for a complete list of upcoming performances.

As for our inn, we renovated and designed it with guests in mind. The furnishings are warm, comfortable and elegant – in a non-pretentious way. The color scheme and soft background music throughout the common areas invoke a sense of relaxation the minute you walk in the door. All of our guestrooms have in-room private baths, reading chairs with ample lighting (in case you decide to curl up with a book), TVs with DVD players, and luxuriously comfortable beds with memory foam toppers and high thread count linens. We also have wired and wireless Internet access in all of our guestrooms, as well as, wireless throughout the common areas – just in case you absolutely HAVE to check your email.

When you’re a guest at The Collins House Inn, you can be as sociable or private as you want to be — this is the “pressure-free” part. We have ample common areas and designed our dining area to allow guests to have their own table. Even though B&Bs are known for encouraging guests to interact during breakfast (thus often times providing only one large table at which everyone is seated) we realize that not everyone who chooses a B&B is a “morning” person. I know, that’s maybe a hard one to believe, but it’s true. So, we opted to give our guests some space while still making it easy for everyone to visit and socialize if they so choose.

Natural beauty abounds in this part of Virginia and provides several terrific places for hiking, biking, and scenic drives. Hungry Mother State Park is just 5 miles from our inn and has a beautiful lake surrounded by hiking and mountain biking trails, as well as a swimming beach. Paddleboat and canoe rentals are also available. Grayson Highlands State Park and Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area are also nearby. You can make a full day’s outing with a hike to the top of Mt. Rogers (the highest peak in Virginia). If the weather doesn’t cooperate for outdoor activites, we’ve got you covered! We have books, magazines, jigsaw puzzles, cards, board games, crossword puzzle books, and a small but evolving DVD movie library to name a few. Bottom line, coming to The Collins House Inn is all about comfort, relaxation, and rejuvenation.

So the next time you’re looking for a quick getaway, we hope you’ll think of The Collins House Inn and Marion. If getting away from a hectic day-to-day pace is what you are after, you won’t be disappointed.

The Collins House Inn in Marion, VA

It’s not too late to make your reservation for a warm and snuggly weekend getaway for Valentine’s Day — or any other weekend for that matter.

We invite you to come to The Collins House Inn and enjoy the quiet, elegant, yet comfortable surroundings you’ll find here. Snuggle up by the fire and enjoy a nice glass of wine or hot chocolate and just relax in knowing that you can spend a couple of days away from email, phone calls and work in general.

We’re located in the heart of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia and are conveniently located in historic downtown Marion, VA within easy walking distance (only 1-1/2 blocks) of excellent restaurants.

We encourage you to visit our website, at http://www.collinshouseinn.com for additional information or you can call us at 276-781-0250 to make your reservation today.

Turned Natural-edged Wild Cherry Bowl by Dave Fields of Marion, VA

It’s a nice feeling to create an atmosphere where guests can relax and unwind from the noise and chaos of everyday life. We believe we have succeeded in creating that atmosphere here at The Collins House Inn in Marion, VA.

Our inn is equipped with all of the “nice-to-haves” and creature comforts any traveler would expect and appreciate. In addition to our many amenities, we also wanted to offer something unique for those guests who like to take home a memento of their stay with us or for those looking for a special, one-of-a-kind gift for a friend or family member. So, we created an artisan Gift Gallery in our inn – highlighting the beautiful and unique one-of-a-kind woodturnings created by innkeeper, Dave Fields.

Dave is an accomplished woodturner specializing in one-of-a-kind creations made from salvaged woods oftentimes destined for fireplaces and wood stoves. Family, friends, and even inn guests have given many of the woods to him. It’s not unusual to have guests bring Dave wood, for which they have a sentimental connection, and commission him to make something special out of it for them. So, it has been a rewarding experience for Dave to be able to channel his skill and creativity into making one-of-kind items for which others are able to share and enjoy for many years to come.

Many of Dave’s turnings are also displayed at other artisan galleries and gift shops throughout Marion – including The Black Rooster Lounge and Gallery, Appalachian Spirit Gallery, Handsome Molly’s Bistro and Small Wine Shoppe, and Main Street Gifts and Eatery.

December 2009 Snowstorm at The Collins House Inn in Marion, VA

Winter (here in Marion, VA) rarely passes without one or two truly beautiful snowfalls. The one shown in the photo here came a couple of weeks ago and blanketed us with about 10 inches. This photo was taken later in the evening — hence, the reason some of the snowflakes look more like little meteors.

I think a snowstorm is one of life’s simple pleasures — not only because of its visual beauty, but because of the unmatched calm and quiet that comes over everything.

Here at The Collins House Inn, we always embrace Winter and find it the perfect time of year for our guests to cozy up by the fire with a nice glass of wine or mug of hot chocolate and just enjoy the peace and quiet.