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Killahevlin
1401 North Royal Avenue
Front Royal, VA 22630
800-847-6132
Kilahevlin Home Page
June 2001
Welcome to
www.weloveourlife.com. This is our page dedicated to our experiences while staying at
Kilahevlin in Front Royal, Virginia.
Accommodations
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We stayed in the Plum Cottage Suite, which is on the first floor
of the tower building right behind the main house. The suite was
lavish, with homey touches, and exquisitely decorated. Keith noted
that when light switches were wallpapered over, the time was taken
to match up the wallpaper on the light switches exactly to that on
the walls. There was a sitting room with sofa, gas fireplace, and
tv. The bedroom had a queen size bed. The bathroom was very large
and contained a large whirlpool tub and separate shower.
Killahevlin's website is very good and includes pictures of all
accommodations. We could not do it justice, so please check out
Killahevlin's page
to see pictures of our suite.
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There were two outside private porches for the suite overlooking
the countryside. We enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend
this inn to others.
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Inn Amenities
A feature we particularly enjoyed was the pub, free to the
guests. It included a bar with stools, other seating, and was
stocked with a keg of beer, and a refrigerator with wine, champagne,
beer, and soft drinks. There were also snacks sitting out on the
bar (popcorn, nuts). There was a large tv, so we spent one evening
in the pub watching the NBA finals with another couple from western
Pennsylvania. The pub was a nice, informal gathering place for
guests and encouraged guests to get to know each other. There is
an outside entrance to the pub, which was handy for us, since we
were not staying in the main houes. There was also a door from
the pub that led to the wrap-around screened porch, where we sat
the first evening and watched the colors of the fading sun over
the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The grounds are well-maintained. There are two restored gazebos
that are available to guests and were most inviting. There is a
1930s swimming pool that has been turned into a koi fish pond in
back of the main house (and next to the tower where we stayed).
We observed the innkeeper taking care of the pond several times
during our stay; she obviously took great pride in her beautiful
inn.
Inn Food
A full breakfast is served each morning, beginning with a buffet
where guests can help themselves to fruit, breakfast breads, cereal,
and juice. Although we don't drink coffee, a large thermal carafe
of coffee was placed on each table. The first morning we had waffles
and sausage. The waffles were very tasty. The servers were
extremely pleasant and more than willing to bring additional
helpings. (We heard the record for waffles was seven.) The
second morning, we had eggs benedict. While we were helping
ourselves to fruit, the innkeeper told us what the entree would
be, and Lori requested no meat, and that was accommodated. Again,
they asked if we wanted additional helpings, but eggs benedict is a
pretty filling way to start the day, so we declined. The breakfast
room is sunny and pleasant and has several individual tables. Snacks
were available throughout the day (nuts, popcorn). It is possible
to purchase some mementos of Killahevlin (Irish cake, coffee mug,
beer mug). We purchased a green ceramic beer mug with a rendition
of Killahevlin on the front.
Inn Bar/Lounge
The inn does not sell liquor, but as noted above, has a pub that
is free to the guests.
Inn People/Service
The innkeeper, Susan O'Kelly, greeted us upon our arrival with a
big smile and her charming accent. She showed us around the public
area of the main house and even introduced us to some couples in the
pub, and we noted she remembered all of their names. She then walked
us through our suite and showed us everything we would need to know.
She gave us a map of Front Royal, complete with restaurant
recommendations. We already had a restaurant in mind, and she
picked up the phone in our suite (she had the number memorized)
and requested a reservation. She even remembered how to spell our
last name. We had called prior to our arrival and requested a bottle
of champagne be chilled and waiting in the room, and it was waiting
for us, along with glasses and a bowl of nuts. Because champagne is
also available in the pub free-of-charge, we were not charged for
this extra little service. Susan was a good innkeeper, intent on
seeing her guests had a good time, and seemed to light up the room
when she entered it. We noted that she is a well-respected member
of the business community. In one restaurant we ate in, the hostess
spoke reverently of our innkeeper.
Area/Attractions
Skyline Drive
Skyline Drive Web Site
Killahevlin is located in Front Royal, which is in northern Virginia
(about an hour and a half west of Washington, DC). It is the
northern entrance to Skyline Drive, which is part of Shenandoah
National Park. It is a nice drive, with plenty of spots in which
to pull over and gaze out at the breathtaking scenery. There are
camping spots in the park, along with picnic areas, food service,
some lodging, and many other activities. We drove approximately 32
miles on Skyline Drive, from the northern entrance in Front Royal,
to the Thornton Gap Entrance Station, where we exited and route 211
west to Luray.
Luray Caverns
Luray Caverns Web Site
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Lori had been to Luray Caverns
a long time ago - in 1975, when she was a kid, with her family. As
we drove into the parking lot, she said it did look familiar. Luray
Caverns is one of the premier underground attractions in the US. It
was found approximately 125 years ago and excavated to allow visitors
to see the spectacular rock formations. The operation is very well
run. Even though we visited late on a Sunday morning, there really
was no wait (tours ran every 10 minutes, as this was summer season).
Note that the tour is 1 ¼ mile, and some of the footing is slippery,
so wear sneakers or hiking shoes. The cavern is a constant 54
degrees Fahrenheit, but we were comfortable in shorts (it is
extremely humid). There are some inclines and quite a few steps
at the beginning and end, so this is not recommended for those who
have difficulty getting around. The tour took about an hour. Our
tour guide was only 14, but had been trained well and had a
commanding presence. There are several caverns in this area, but
Luray is the largest.
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We also stopped at several wineries in Virginia. Please visit
our wine page
for more information and links to these wineries.
Dining
Stadt Kaffee - 300 East Main Street Front Royal, VA 540-635-8300
Stadt Kaffe Web Site
We love authentic German food and dine in German restaurants whenever
we get the chance. We had found the website for Stadt Kaffee when
researching our trip to Virginia, and were happy when we saw it was
one of our innkeeper's recommendations. Stadt Kaffee literally
translates to "street cafe." It is a storefront restaurant full
of German ambiance. Free parking is available nearby. There was
a nice selection of German beer, and we each had some Hefeweiss,
which was on tap. It was nice and crisp, served up with a slice
of lemon in the glass. We split potato pancakes as an appetizer.
They were more than enough for the two of us: three large potato
and onion pancakes, served with fresh applesauce. The entrees
included a salad and thinly sliced bread. Keith had the cordon
bleu schnitzel, which was a huge helping of schnitzel smothered
with ham and swiss cheese. It was accompanied with potatoes (cooked
with onion, of course). Lori had delicious fresh bratwurst
accompanied by spaetzle. Since the Hefeweiss can be filling,
Keith switched to a Pilsner and Lori chose a glass of a local
Virginia wine. We noted with pleasure that the restaurants we
went to in Virginia proudly featured local wines. The desserts
looked wonderful, but we were simply too full from dinner to
indulge. The owner of the restaurant is from Germany, and several
of the staff spoke German. While we were eating our dinner, a
German couple from Munich sat down near us, and the server easily
switched to German, much to the delight of the patrons. Note that
Stadt Kaffee is closed on Sundays. For those who enjoy German food,
we would highly recommend this restaurant.
14th Street Bistro -101 West 14th Street Front Royal, VA 540-636-8400
14th Street Bistro was another recommendation by our innkeeper. We
went there Sunday evening for dinner. They have limited hours on
Sundays, so it is necessary to make reservations. We dressed a
little nicer for this restaurant, but noted that other patrons
were quite casual, so casual attire is definitely acceptable. As
soon as we walked in and gave our name and reservation time, the
hostess smiled, and said, "Oh yes, you're with Susan!" We had a
very secluded booth (the hostess told us it was our innkeeper's
favorite table). We ordered a bottle of local white wine from
Naked Mountain, a winery we were not able to visit. (We got a
laugh at the cork, which said Drink Naked.) The meal began with
a basket full of tasty warm rolls, some with herbs, and accompanied
by three dips: hummus, pesto, and olive. It was great and our server
smilingly provided us with a second basket of rolls and fresh dips.
Keith had a good (and large) caesar salad as his appetizer, and
Lori's meal came with the house salad. Lori had an appetizer of
warm brie with walnuts and wafers. Keith's entree was a strip
steak coated in bleu cheese, and Lori had shrimp and angel hair
pasta. The service was attentive and we enjoyed our dining
experience.
Nightlife
Since a pub was provided for guests at Killahevlin, we simply
returned to our inn after dinner, and did not sample any of the
local nightlife.
Weather
We were fortunate and had beautiful weather with low
humidity. If visiting this area of Virginia in the summer,
expect warm, humid days. Air conditioning is a necessity.
Tips/Suggestions
Whenever possible, we try to exit the major highways and
travel some of the local roads to get more local "flavor." If
you are visiting this region and have some time to spare, try
out some of the less-travelled routes. Nearly every road is
also a numerical route (even dirt roads, it seemed), so it is
pretty simple to follow maps.
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