Boar S Head Resort

The location was fantastic for getting to UVA, and we’d definitely stay again. Our lake view room was spacious, with a lovely winter view. The bathroom was small, with very little counter space. The beds were comfortable but worn, and one had a noticeable dip in the middle. Once the trees have leaves, the lake view will be more limited.

The barking dogs nearby kept going for hours, and there were a lot of them. We love dogs, but not when owners leave large ones locked in their rooms while they go out. We also had to call maintenance to get the heat turned on. For what was about $1,600 for two nights after the holiday rates, taxes, resort fee, dinner, and breakfast, that’s a lot to put up with. The room was smaller than a Hilton suite and barely adequate for $378 on Thanksgiving Eve, then nearly $595 on Thanksgiving night. We know it was a holiday and crowded, but Boar's Head calls itself a four-star resort and has a long way to go before it earns that label.

There isn’t a mini fridge in the room, and beyond the golf, sports complex, spa, and one restaurant, there wasn’t much for us to do. For entertainment or other activities, you have to head into Charlottesville. I came based on other reviewers’ recommendations that it was better than the Omni homestead, but I didn’t think it was. It was just more convenient and much cheaper. If you’re after somewhere more upscale with more to do, this place isn’t for you.

The lights and drone show were good, but the visit was crowded and uncomfortable, with a high entry price for what you got. The walking path was only about 3 to 4 feet wide, and it was packed the whole way, so we were stuck moving as slowly as the slowest people. At the shelter, there were three food booths with one worker each. The drink line took 30 minutes, and the meal and dessert lines were 30 minutes each. I left. Very poor management.