Fife And Drum Inn

For our anniversary we stayed at The Fife and Drum, and it’s hands down the best place we’ve stayed when visiting Williamsburg. The rooms were clean and comfortable, and you can’t beat the location. We had breakfast at aroma’s every day and appreciated the patio, plus having water and snacks available through the day. We’ll stay here on our next visit for sure.

The rooms at Fife and Drum Inn were spotless, charming, and full of character, and we could walk to Colonial Williamsburg’s main attractions with no trouble. But what made the stay special was the staff. From arrival on, every interaction felt personal and caring, and they thought ahead about what we might need to help make the stay perfect. I don’t usually leave reviews, but this team earned one. They clearly take pride in their work. It’s rare to find hospitality that feels this genuine. Fife and Drum Inn sets a high bar for customer service, and I can’t recommend it enough.

The building has good bones, the location is probably the best for a Colonial Williamsburg vacation, and the rooms are decent, if a little creaky. But my stay at Fife and Drum Inn was pretty unpleasant because it didn’t feel welcoming. I felt like I was tiptoeing around a live-in host in a budget AirBnB, and like I didn’t belong there. You barely see staff during a visit, so getting help or asking questions feels difficult. There’s no front desk, just a strange, creepy office beside the breakfast area. If someone is there, they’re on a computer and you have to approach from the side, which made me feel like I was interrupting and wasn’t supposed to be there. I couldn’t tell if the person was a receptionist, the owner, or someone else. Eating breakfast with them silently lurking in the office was awkward and uncomfortable. The breakfast options were also lacking. My first night the room was very cold, and I couldn’t find a blanket. I found one in a drawer the next day, but there should’ve been a note about it on the welcome sheet. Housekeeping doesn’t come until after you leave, though I think you can request it. Asking feels awkward because there’s rarely anyone around, and I wasn’t sure if it was okay to speak to the person in that office. There may be a phone number to call, but having to ask for basics like fresh towels made me feel like a bother, and the whole setup seemed like cost cutting, especially for a place with much cheaper options nearby. I needed internet for remote business meetings, but the connection in my room was unusable. It seemed like the whole hotel had one access point in the office by the breakfast room. Staff thought things were fine since it worked there, but it didn’t work in my room. They need more wireless access points throughout the building. When I checked out, I hoped someone would ask how the stay went so I could mention my concerns. Of course, nobody was in that creepy office, so I just left. It didn’t feel like I’d stayed at a hotel. The place has a nice building and area, but the operators need to work on hospitality.

Everything was amazing, from the decor and rooms to the staff and location. Ashley was wonderful to talk with and helped with all our questions so kindly. The Fife and Drum Inn feels like home. I can’t wait to visit again, and I’ve been telling friends and family about it.