A Wedding at Nesselrod on the New: A Beautiful Day Marred by Broken Promises…read moreWeddings are meant to be magical and stress-free. When we began planning ours, we envisioned an intimate micro-wedding with about 50 guests on a crisp November day. We chose Nesselrod on the New, under new ownership, for its rustic charm. Unfortunately, what should have been a beautiful experience was marred by disorganization, broken promises, and unprofessional behavior. When we first toured the venue in July, Brittany, the new owner, promised the barn would be fully enclosed with permanent walls and heated floors by our wedding date. She also offered to decorate based on a Pinterest board I sent. However, early signs of disorganization appeared: Brittany gave different price quotes, delayed the contract (which still had the previous owner's information), and needed multiple reminders on details we had already discussed. The major issue arose two weeks before the wedding when Brittany casually texted us that the barn walls would not be built; instead, she would hang cream-colored tarps. A week before the wedding, she added that the heated floors might not work either. At that point, with guests' travel already arranged, it was too late to cancel. The night before our wedding, while we were in the middle of a special family dinner, Brittany sent a picture of the barn with clear plastic stapled up around it. Her accompanying message was, "I like it better without the tarps, brings in more natural light." I responded, "The main thing is to make sure it is warm. It's going to be dark. We want the tarps." Her response? "I'm not going to use them, they cost a lot for one-time use." This was the moment everything came to a head. She had promised tarps. She had promised walls. And now she was choosing, unilaterally, to back out of those commitments the night before the biggest day of our lives. Her tone grew increasingly defensive and dismissive. She claimed she'd gone "above and beyond" for what we had paid, even though she hadn't delivered what was contractually promised. She even said she had sold a car to afford the plastic sheets, which she insisted were superior to the tarps anyway. Her texts continued to get more hostile. When I began crying, my family insisted I cease communication. On the wedding day, Brittany and her husband were still stapling plastic up hours before the ceremony. Our florist arrived to install floral arrangements on the arbor, and Brittany's husband--Joe--helped her while muttering curse words and angrily saying, "Who the f** holds a wedding in November?"*. That is not something a vendor should ever say, let alone at the actual event. Guests had to wear coats indoors because the heated floors were non-functional. Brittany and Joe spent the reception sitting at the edge of the dance floor in casual clothing, scrolling on their phones. They looked completely disinterested and detached--like they were bored employees at a DMV, not hosts of a once-in-a-lifetime celebration. Two teenage girls--wearing jeans and sweatshirts--wandered through the barn mid-reception holding a small dog. They helped themselves to food, stood around the drink table, and chatted with Brittany like it was a casual get-together. They even let the dog run around the dance floor, posing a tripping hazard while people were dancing. These girls made it into our wedding photos. Let that sink in. After the event, our family stayed behind to help clean up. We had been told that we only needed to remove the trash and that the venue staff would take care of the rest. However, someone had apparently gotten sick in the bathroom--and rather than quietly taking care of it as a venue host should, Brittany confronted my family and asked indignantly, "Who is going to clean the bathroom?!" My father and daughter-in-law ended up cleaning the mess in their wedding clothes. As our family packed up the decorations, Brittany casually suggested they leave them for her to use. She also wanted to keep the extra plates, cups, silverware, and food. It felt exploitative and incredibly presumptuous. At this point, our family was so done with the situation that they only left behind a box of crackers--which Brittany said she could use to feed her chickens. Brittany may be new to owning a venue, but there's no excuse for this level of disorganization, broken promises, and rudeness. What was most disappointing wasn't just that things didn't go as promised--it was the lack of professionalism, the gaslighting, and the hostile tone she took when we asked her to follow through on basic commitments. Our wedding ended up beautiful because of our loved ones and in spite of Nesselrod. Brittany's behavior added unnecessary stress to what should have been a joyful occasion. If you're considering Nesselrod on the New for your event, I strongly urge you to reconsider. A pretty venue is meaningless without professionalism and trustworthiness behind it.

Great service, incredible property, and wonderful rooms!…read more My partner and I loved staying at this charming cozy inn. Our room, the Lily of the Valley, was clean, spacious, adorably decorated and exceedingly comfortable to stay in. We loved the wallpaper, elaborate seating, and wooden furniture accents. Most of all we loved the huge bathtub surrounded by gorgeous green tile. The inn keeper, Jeff, offered a delicious home-made breakfast in the morning and was a joy to talk with! Are you tired of staying at hotels that nickel-and-dime you and don't care about your comfort? Ditch the hotels and stay at Nesselrod of the New, you won't regret it!

Cute restaurant - lodge kind of vibe. They do over emphasize they're allegedly short on staff. The…read moresigns greet you as soon as you walk in & follow you in the bathroom too. Speaking of which, half the bathroom stalls were out of order. Additionally, they have their servers prepare/plate the appetizers, salads, & dessert which is the first I heard with that. And I heard other customer's complaints about the server taking too long with their dishes, so I just fear it hurts their tips not having the kitchen prepare them already. I will say the spinach artichoke dip was really good & my favorite thing we had. However it seemingly was reheated since some parts were way hotter than others. The Shrimp pasta was alright, on the $$ side, & was mediocre. The burger was okay too, they were out of the one I wanted. The Apple bread pudding was a nice way to finish off the meal.

Beautiful building but the place has gone downhill in recent years. Pasta sauce tasted like…read moreketchup, steak was raw and burgers were overcooked. Beer tasted moldy. They need a new owner. Service was fine but slow and not attentive.

Dreams do come true The Pavilion at Blackwater Junction made…read moremy daughter's dream come true. The venue is just perfect for a partially outdoor wedding. The ceremony view of the amazing Virginia countryside with pond, hills and the changing fall trees was an amazing backdrop. With two sides enclosed, a fireplace and heaters the late night venue was cozy but yet open air (which can be important when pandemics threaten events). Melba made the event so easy for planning. Erica, the bartender, kept all our guests happy. The site has plenty of ice for all bartending needs, a kitchen for food setup and three eclectic bathrooms. We would highly recommend The Pavilion at Blackwater Junction for any event needs!!

From the owner: Our wedding venue is built on the family farm at the end of a road in the country. It has complete…read moreprivacy, beautiful mountain background views, surrounded by woods and horse pastures. The building itself has modern features such as a big screen TV with wifi for your slideshows or videos, yet it is built with old doors, wood and antiques. If you want an amazing wedding, our venue is the place for you!

Our son started at Radford University this weekend and we were looking for a place to stay. All…read morelocal hotels were price gouging with rates triple the norm. I looked into a Bed and Breakfast and found the Rockwood Manor. The price was what you would expect with no price gouging whatsoever. It turned out to be a very happy turn of events. Rockwood Manor is about a 15 minute drive from Radford university and was perfect for our needs. The Manor is on the historic register. A bit rustic on in places, it was last renovated in 2005. It is a beautiful place and our Hosts Frank and Rochelle were warm, friendly and very welcoming. We stayed in the Blakemore room. It had lots of windows which provided a nice view of the property. Our room also had a jacuzzi which we used and it was amazing after a long day on the road. The bed was a bit more firm than what we are used to at home and we recommended a mattress topper but by no means is this a negative as it is a personal preference. The linens were nice and clean and smelled fresh. We walked around the property and they looked to be all set up for wedding events. Lots of space, lots of areas for photo ops. It would be an ideal place for a wedding with room for a reception. The inside while at one point was the family home was like walking through history. We loved it. My favorite thing about the place was that I felt at home. Frank and and Rochelle are wonderful hosts. The breakfast the next morning was great with options for everyone. They also set the food up buffet style which made me feel like I was at a big family breakfast :) The only suggestion I would have is for our hosts to look into some professional rug cleaning. There were a couple of stains in the rug under the table in our room would need professional stain removal to get out. This place is one of the best B&Bs my wife and I have ever visited. We loved it!!!

A good friend of mine, David Hill recommended Rockwood Manor when I asked him where I should stay…read morewhen my son graduated from Virginia Tech on December 15, 2023. The grounds and the home are wonderful. The house is full of the history of the home, American values and beautifully addressed for the Christmas season. The services, food and amenities cannot be beat in a surreal time setting in America's past. Christy was wonderful; she reached out to ensure we could gain access, answers questions and prepared our breakfast the next morning. She is the best and should be acknowledged for her spirit of excellent service. Rockwood Manor also has a Hokie room in the basement, I am sure it was in tribute to my son's graduation. Rockwood Manor is the best of the best!

Such an amazing experience! Our server was very welcoming…read moreand interactive and funny. It was a bit busy so we expected a slight delay on drinks/food, but our server kept checking on us every few minutes and kept our drinks full. The atmosphere/design is very unique and offers great talking points for the table. You can look around and always find something new you haven't seen before. For food, I got the French dip, my husband got the fried catfish, and mom got the smash burger. Food was EXCELLENT. The au jus from the French dip was not overly salty as I've had in the past, and it was the perfect amount for the sandwich. Not like other places that will either give you a big tub of au jus or ever a small saucer cup. After lunch, we walked around as they have a shopping area inside with soaps, handmade pottery/kitchenware, and local vendor products such as hatch chile cream cheese and pickled vegetables. Price was very favorable too and didn't seem to be overly priced where the business/vendor up charges significantly to make a huge profit. Definitely worth stopping by even if you only have time for Togo coffee, a snack, of just to shop around!

Let's start with the coffee the menu is impressive. Whether you're in the mood for a perfectly…read morecrafted latte, a specialty espresso drink, or something more unique, they clearly take their coffee seriously. The breakfast and brunch menu is anything but ordinary creative twists on Southern comfort classics that feel fresh and inspired. From hearty savory dishes to lighter options, there's something for everyone. Service was warm, attentive, and genuinely friendly the kind of staff that makes you feel like a regular even on your first visit. And the location itself is charming: a beautifully restored historic building with a character and atmosphere you just can't manufacture. Highly recommend to anyone passing through or looking for a standout local breakfast and brunch spot.

My son and I moved here a little over a year ago and we stopped in for coffee. Coffee was…read moreexcellent. Customer service was great and it's such a cool spot. It's also super close by! The cranberry orange scone was also delicious. We will definitely be back!

The university has a constructed garden kind of on the edge near where the academic buildings end…read moreand the sports start. It has a variety of interesting plant life and the pond was filled with some lively fish. It's not a major destination like the botanical gardens and arboretums I've seen at some other universities, which was a bit of a surprise, but it's a nice place to stop through.

Stunning. Absolutely stunning…read more This seven acre garden is located on the Virginia Tech campus and does that a little winding to access. Established in 1984 as the Virginia Tech Horticulture Garden, it was renamed in 2004 to honor Mrs. Hahn and her husband, T. Marshall Hahn, former president of Virginia Tech (1962-1974). All features have been built and planted by students, staff, faculty, and volunteers. Several benches throughout allow you to sit in the shade, perhaps near the small waterfall, to relax and shut out the outside world. It is extremely peaceful and beautiful. The only problem I found was that parking is a PITA. Fortunately, there were a lot of open spaces and it seems like whoever patrols was off today. I do not have a VT decal and was not bothered. [Review 13816 overall, 1137 of 2020, number 1250 in Virginia.]

Bluefield's most precious gem! Full of well made eccentric art with plenty of interactive…read moreexperiences for all ages. The people that run this are the kindest you will ever meet.

A Very eclectic museum called the Thin Dime Museum or The Ramsey school has been started in an old…read moreschool in Bluefield, WV. Fortunately I called ahead to set up a tour (205-5404754) because they are only open Saturday 11-4. What a gem in local history and artists. They had just opened a section on "Wheels" by George T Anderson, Jr on the history of wheels brought to life with hand carved and handmade examples throughout time. There was a native American section with more arrowheads than I have ever seen collected. A 2 seater outhouse and an African-American musician section. Loads of local history and so many other sections to see. We were there almost 2 hours and you could easily spend more time if you wanted. If you are looking for a unique experience this is the place to go!

The layout of this restaurant was very inviting, although I really did need the street signs to…read morenavigate back to my table. Launch was great, but the sugar coated waffles my wife ordered trumped my special. My daughter loved the burger. Very nice lunch. Trust me.

The environment and service were great but the food seems to be a hit or miss. I spent $70 on 2…read moresirloin steaks on they were just bad. It tasted like they just got 2 pieces of meat and tossed it on a grill with 0 prep. I couldn't taste any seasoning or butter at all and the cuts were not to the quality I was expecting for such a price.

this wasn't our original destination but like moths drawn to candlelight we stopped in for a bit,…read moreknocked back a couple of the advertised cheap rum and coke at the bar but anyway didn't like the vibe, the drinks or the music so no offense but moved on. hey this far out of town i'm a supporter of any nightlife. Marketing plan is basic: hire a few cute numbers working the bar, farm girls and coeds come in so more guys come in and they do the pool tables until the critical party mass happens and all go home with somebody: college town bar. Anyway Blue ridge rural virginia gets pretty dark after, you know... it starts gettin really dark. Something not right here at least for me... maybe too far from home.

This was my spot 2006-08. A perfect dance club scene with great music. Very crowded but very funread more