Jamie Inlow’s ears perked up when her neighbor said the luxe apartment above his rust-red barn sat empty.

It was June 2019. Inlow, her husband and their redheaded toddler had just moved to Scottsville, Virginia, 20 miles south of the University of Virginia, where Inlow worked as a student program director. 

When you want to stay the night or the weekend in Staunton, you’ve got choices. The Historic Berkeley Place, which dates to 1896, is an elegant boutique inn that’s steeped in history. This one-time mansion has changed hands over the years, and most recently was sold and renovated in July 2022 into a luxury self-checkout boutique with private suites, beautiful gardens, and a welcoming porch. 

After nearly a year of work, renovations on Barrister’s Row in Staunton are complete.

The historic building is a boutique hotel with 7 short term rental suites. The builder’s owner, Oliver Dahl, said a few of the units opened in early November, after the renovations are completed, all suites are open.

My parents came for a visit last week and offered to watch the boys while Thomas and I went on a little getaway. We had Staunton in mind, and booked a stay at the Historic Inn at Oakdene. Oakdene was recently renovated by my friend Jamie’s short term rental company, Be Still Getaways, who hosted our stay. If you’re looking for somewhere to stay in the greater Charlottesville/Waynesboro/Afton/Staunton area, they have so many lovely properties, from inns to full houses. Oakdene is one of the newest! Here’s a recap of our stay.