Historic House with Gardens Near Universities & Downtown

Combined shower/tub, hair dryer, bidet, towels

4.7

Outstanding(47 Reviews)

House in Lexington, VA

6 guests · 4 bedrooms · 3 baths

Reasons to book

Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating

Includes essentialsGarden, Kitchen or Kitchenette, Air conditioner and more

Book with confidenceWe partner with the top travel sites so you know you're getting a great deal on the perfect rental

About this house rental

McDowell House offers the unusual opportunity to stay in an exquisitely restored historic residence in one of Lexington's most beautiful neighborhoods. Surrounded by other 19th-century properties, the house sits just blocks from Washington & Lee, VMI, and downtown's restaurants and shops. A deep front lawn and tranquil gardens provide quiet and privacy.

McDowell House sleeps 6 guests--or up to 10, when combined with the property's 3rd floor apartment, McDowell Studio (VRBO #339861). Combined bookings receive a special rate.

All beds have high-quality mattresses, silky all-cotton linens, and hypoallergenic duvets. McDowell House's charming 1st-floor Garden Bedroom features a tall-post double bed and a window overlooking the secluded rear garden. An adjoining tiled bathroom retains its original marble sink and claw-footed tub, but with shower mounted above.

On the 2nd floor, the West Bedroom has a queen-sized brass bed and tall windows on 3 sides. The Turret Bedroom features an elegant pair of antique brass twin beds and its own little circular porch overlooking the front lawn and mountains beyond. Two well-appointed bathrooms serve these bedrooms: a marble-floored bathroom next door with tiled shower and claw-footed tub and the house's original bathroom, on the same floor, which contains a tiled shower.

Guests may use a rowing machine located on the 2nd-floor porch and a vibration platform located in the 2nd-floor conservatory.

McDowell House has an amazing eat-in kitchen with original wainscot, Virginia soapstone counters, and state-of-the art appliances--from restaurant-grade gas stove to espresso maker. With windows overlooking both rear and side gardens, it's the perfect place to enjoy cooking--or eating--local vegetables, meats, breads, and cheeses. Glassware, china, flatware, and serving pieces make dining or enjoying take-out easy and fun.

McDowell House is a magical place to spend time with friends and family. A large, airy parlor with tall windows opens into the generous dining room, via sliding doors. The sunny library provides comfortable space for reading, working, watching television, or catching up on the day's activities.

Rooms feature luminous colors and period carpets, wallpapers, and curtains. Art covers the walls, as it did in the 1890s. Musical guests love playing the c.1890 ebonized Knabe piano in the handsome 1st-floor hall.

Visitors also enjoy lounging on the porches that wrap the house.
In the back garden's rock-lined pool, waterlilies bloom all summer. A round table and chairs sit on a stone terrace, surrounded by lush Japanese maples and evergreens, ferns, and native woodland plants. McDowell House provides a quiet refuge--and a perfect base for visiting Washington & Lee and VMI, exploring scenic Rockbridge County, and enjoying Lexington's vibrant downtown.

Keywords: historic property, residence, villa, self-catering house

Amenities

Air conditioner

Kitchen or Kitchenette

Internet / Wifi

Fireplace

Parking

Laundry

Balcony or Patio

Dishwasher

Gym or Fitness Center

Garden

Map of Lexington, VA

Nearby attractions

SeaQuest Lynchburg

52.2 mi

Natural Bridge State Park

19.3 mi

Virginia Safari Park

13.8 mi

Frontier Culture Museum

51.4 mi

Historic House with Gardens Near Universities & Downtown

4.7

Outstanding(47 Reviews)

House in Lexington, VA

6 guests · 4 bedrooms · 3 baths

Reasons to book

Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating

Includes essentialsGarden, Kitchen or Kitchenette, Air conditioner and more

Book with confidenceWe partner with the top travel sites so you know you're getting a great deal on the perfect rental

About this house rental

Amenities

Air conditioner

Kitchen or Kitchenette

Internet / Wifi

Fireplace

Parking

Laundry

Balcony or Patio

Dishwasher

Gym or Fitness Center

Garden

Map of Lexington, VA

Nearby attractions

SeaQuest Lynchburg

52.2 mi

Natural Bridge State Park

19.3 mi

Virginia Safari Park

13.8 mi

Frontier Culture Museum

51.4 mi

Reviews

4.7

Outstanding(47 Reviews)

4.7

Aug 2024

And Lexington was great!

4.7

Jul 2024

Location could not be better. Easy walk to restaurants and shops. Home was spacious. Peonies were in bloom, and gorgeous. Our son had to work the majority of our stay, in between his brother's graduation activities at VMI. He had a very comfortable, private space to work from. The rest of us were able to visit, and didn't feel we were disturbing him. Thank you for sharing your beautiful home with us!

4.7

May 2024

We were in Lexington for a family wedding and wanted a place where we could comfortably visit between events. This house is so charming! It’s like walking through a museum! We loved the art, the books, the awesome kitchen and reading about the house history. We would definitely stay here again if the opportunity presents!

4.7

Nov 2023

there were several issues which negatively impacted our stay. front walk in poor condition. tripping concerns. porch light never worked, broken lamp shade in lr, burned out chandelier bulb and broken outside door lock in dr, flickering bulb in kitch will probably burn out, inconsistent heat-2 of 3 bedrooms no heat at all 1st night, radiators always luke warm at best, found men's clothes in mast br wardrobe!!, also, one bulb was out in over head light. "gym" unusable-too small contained excercise bike, medicine ball, wash basket w clothes in that half covered up major hole in floor, electric cords all over floor, large flower pot w dirt-no plant in corner, broken, cracked missing tiles-no swimming pool vrbo had adv, sauna out of order, paint cans, junk on side porch, 4 full trash cans back of prop-we didn't even know were there til we tried to put our1 bag trash on departure date. the landscaping/garden was a an overgrown mess. the bedding was good, high ceilings nice, staircase lovely, furnishings just ok. this property is not well maintained. when you open your home to the public and charge them to stay, it is not unreasonable to expect everything to work-hotel standards to be met. someone needs to look into this immediatley. frankly, i believe we are owed at least a partial refund as this property far from met expectations VRBO listing created. we may return to lexington but, never again to this property.

4.7

Nov 2023

Enjoyed our stay.. would definitely stay again

4.7

Oct 2023

The location allows you to experience the town of Lexington from right in the middle of it, and the house captures the historic feeling of the area beautifully. Filled with art, books, and history, it is a great place to stay when visiting Lex.

4.7

Sep 2023

Fantastic stay. The home is a historical experience. We loved sitting on the porch. The big dining table was nice for us all. The host thought of everything you’d need. Would come back again.

4.7

Sep 2023

Comfortable home. Enjoyed the location as it is so close to Main St and other downtown shops. Bring your own toiletries as none are available in the home.

4.7

Aug 2023

The host gave us check in directions to the wrong house, but we found the place. It's large, decorated in period style, but mice feces are on kitchen surfaces and in the drawer with pots and pans. This continued throughout our 2-wk stay. By the third day we couldn't get the oven to work. Host was unhelpful & unapologetic when we contacted him about the problems. Also has spotty Internet and not all lights work.

4.7

May 2023

Perfect, our family loved the home and walking distance to campus and downtown.

4.7

May 2023

Fabulous location for graduation! So much history, charm, art, unique outdoor and indoor space! Plus an amazing kitchen!

4.7

Nov 2022

Beautiful historic house in an ideal location. Very comfortable and lots of spaces including a front porch. We could walk to everything downtown and to two campuses. Perfect weekend get away

4.7

Oct 2022

Girls' weekend at this beautiful house. The historic neighborhood is amazing! Easy walking distance to the shops and restaurants.

4.7

Sep 2022

We enjoyed this beautifully restored historic home for a ladies’ weekend getaway to Lexington, VA. Everything was clean, the kitchen was well-stocked and the beds very comfortable. Walking to shopping and dining in downtown Lexington was easy - we didn’t need our car all weekend! Our favorite feature of the house was the wide front porch, where we enjoyed lounging with coffee each morning and gathering for a glass of wine each afternoon. We loved our stay and hope to return!

4.7

Sep 2022

The property is wonderful - very old restored home Its proximity to downtown and to the horse show grounds made it a stressfree stay.

4.7

Aug 2022

My fiancé and friends stayed at this stunning and historic home for a Lexington area wedding. The downtown location was ideal to walk to several events and parking was easy. This home has incredible character and each room is interesting to explore. It was plenty of space for 6 adults. We were a little startled initially when we learned the homeowner was staying on the third floor, but Peter ultimately clarified things and equipped the house very comfortably. We also had some issues with locking the door, but this was also resolved. An excellent choice for a memorable visit to Lexington.

4.7

Aug 2022

4.7

Jun 2022

The house was spacious (two "living" rooms). The front porch was delightful for relaxing. The lighting was too dim (at front door, in the bedrooms) for old people. The air was musty. The dining room table was expandable, with quite adequate seating. for a large family brunch. We enjoyed our stay.

4.7

Jun 2022

4.7

Oct 2021

This is a fun house. It is Old and memorable. We laughed at the many different paintings and it reminded us a bit of a haunted mansion — with creepy gate, but in a good way. The location was perfect for us which was near Washington & Lee and the downtown of Lexington. I’m not sure you can do better. The beds were comfortable and had nice linens, the bathroom towels were very nice. The only thing I’d ding them on is that we didn’t have soap in ever bathroom and there was no shampoo, anywhere. This may have been in description, but we missed it and was a bit of a bother. The kitchen was very nice, though we didn’t use it. One weird thing is that when we pulled up on friday, all the doors were unlocked. I wasn’t concerned, because of Lexington, but there are enough doors that you could miss one. These need to be locked. You’ll want to know that there is an apartment upstairs and it was occupied, but it was great. We didn’t hear them and we talked with them in the yard. The only thing we had trouble with — and we didn’t reach out to the property owner because it wasn’t a major issue for us — was the TV. We couldn’t get the volume to go up or down. It was at a reasonable level, but we just couldn’t figure out how to mute etc. I think it was user error. Overall, I really liked this house. I’d come back if we need a place that sleeps all 5 of us - and more if needed.

4.7

Jun 2021

We so enjoyed walking downtown and to post for the festivities. The home and it’s many porches were perfect for gathering.

4.7

Mar 2021

My husband, son and I came to Lexington to visit watch our daughter's field hockey game. The house is beautiful with shops and restaurants in easy walking distance. We hope to stay here again in the future!

4.7

Jan 2021

This house was perfect for us! It was close to everything in town, easy to walk to restaurants for pickup orders. The kitchen was well stocked and very clean.

4.7

Dec 2020

This was one of the most gorgeous houses we have stayed in. It is a stunningly restored historical beauty, full of wonderful art, furniture and atmosphere. It is also in the most lovely stylish neighborhood, walkable distance to all of the sights of historic Lexington as well as shops, restaurants etc. I cannot recommend it more highly.

4.7

Oct 2020

This historic property was filled with character and an interesting collection of art and furniture. We loved the wrap around porch and and the location which was walking distance to Main Street.

4.7

Oct 2020

House was so clean and just gorgeous. Quiet with easy access to everything. This home is so well equipped with every small detail! Two Grills, plethora of all sizes bowls, pans, spices, etc. Every kitchen item TOP quality and spotless.The porch was just so beautiful and comfortable for outside entertaining. This house has it all!

4.7

Sep 2020

This was our first getaway since Covid. We love history and this house was a piece of history with lovely upgrades. Peter was very accommodating to our needs. The house was clean, beds were comfortable, water pressure great and kitchen well stocked. We drove to Natural bridge one day and walked around downtown Lexington. But most of the time was spent relaxing in the house. The piano was such an added bonus! We were very happy for the experience. The outdoor yard and garden was nice as well!

4.7

Aug 2020

We stayed to visit Natural Bridge and surrounding areas with our young children. The house was great for our our family...a little hot upstairs in July without access to change the thermostat but we survived. :) The kitchen was easy to navigate and well-equipped. We really enjoyed our stayed!

4.7

Nov 2019

Incredible spot in Lexington. What a beautiful unique Victorian home we had the pleasure of seeing in. Literally on the doorstep of Washington & Lee’s campus. Well stocked, well appointed. An absolute joy to stay

FAQs

How much does this house cost compared to others in Lexington?

The average price for a rental in Lexington is $335 per night. This rental is $59 above the average.

Is parking included with this house?

Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Historic House with Gardens Near Universities & Downtown. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.

Is there a pool at this house?

We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this house. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.

Is Historic House with Gardens Near Universities & Downtown pet friendly?

Unfortunately, this house is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"

What amenities are available at Historic House with Gardens Near Universities & Downtown?

We found 11 amenities for this rental. This includes air conditioner, kitchen or kitchenette, internet / wifi, fireplace, and parking.

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4star

2 queen beds

Air conditioner · Internet / Wifi · Parking

Looking for a memorable stay in Lexington? Our Hotel might just be what you're looking for. Enjoy amenities including Air conditioner, Fireplace and Internet / Wifi, and more during your stay.

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Historic House with Gardens Near Universities & Downtown

House in Lexington, VA

Reasons to book

About this house rental

Amenities

Map of Lexington, VA

Nearby attractions

Historic House with Gardens Near Universities & Downtown

House in Lexington, VA

Reasons to book

About this house rental

Amenities

Map of Lexington, VA

Nearby attractions

Reviews

FAQs

How much does this house cost compared to others in Lexington?

Is parking included with this house?

Is there a pool at this house?

Is Historic House with Gardens Near Universities & Downtown pet friendly?

What amenities are available at Historic House with Gardens Near Universities & Downtown?

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