Once Upon A Mountain

A perfect cozy get away with my husband! I would highly recommend this bed and breakfast for the cleanliness, the views, the delicious breakfasts and a wonderful host. We will definitely be going back!

We stayed at her log cabin on 2÷8−2÷9÷14. The drive, view, service and Christa and her dog, Willie, went beyond their means to assist us. The room was facing the mountains, so waking up to such a view made it worth while. Christa cooked dinner for us (pampered) and followed it up with a breakfast to remember. Thanks Christa. If you want a personal reference, please contact

My girlfriend and I love exploring new B&B’s. We came across Once Upon a Mountain a few years ago and have not found such a perfect weekend escape since. The house is small (only three guest rooms) and intimate with breathtaking views (after all it is located on top of a mountain), incredible service (Christa is amazing), and a great breakfast. Located in the quiet town of Luray (with a couple decent restaurants), it is a great central location to hike (Shenandoah), explore Luray Caverns, or visit some wineries. We’ve now been twice and look forward to our next visit, hopefully soon!

My husband and I are having a wedding reception in Luray in June. We took a little trip there a couple of weeks ago to «scout Bed and Breakfasts» and try caterers. We lucked into Once Upon a Mountain and LOVED it. The house and property were BEAUTIFUL. Think: sitting in a hot tub with a glass of champagne and watching the sunset. Betsy was so friendly and so helpful. She gave us SO many tips to help us plan fun activities and provide nice housing for our friends and family. I’d highly suggest this place! I’d also highlight that I am not a BnB person and the fact that I loved this place says a lot.

An absolutely fantastic little B&B! This is the perfect romantic getaway! It’s conveniently located a few miles outside of Luray, set against the idyllic backdrop of a mountain landscape. It’s near several hiking trails and there are a number of decent restaurants in the vicinity for dinner. We had a great time in the hot tub, hammock, and roasting marshmellows for smores at night. Betsy (filled in for the normal proprietor, who was on vacation) was wonderful. Very easy going and patient about a late check-​in. Breakfast was great and we had a fun time getting to know the other guests. The rooms were beautifully decorated as well. We stayed in the «Princess on a Pea» suite, which I thought might be a little too «feminine» for my fiancé given the title, but it was great!
P. S. Do NOT go to Uncle Bucks for dinner! (That was our only mistake and to the B&B’s credit, it was NOT one of the restaurants recommended by Betsy!)

See the review by Mary Kay for accurate details on this B&B. We stayed 3 nights here in the Queen Suite while the owner was in residence. The beautiful setting and other amenities outside the room like the hot tub and fire pit make this a wonderful place to stay.
We also felt that visiting with the owner during breakfast was an extra treat. Besides being a very gracious hostess, she was very friendly and knowledgeable of the area, which helped us to learn more than we might have on our own.

What a beautiful location this B&B has! I would kill for a house like this one. Big rooms, tall ceilings, and a view of the Shenandoah Mountains that is mostly unspoiled by any signs of civilization.
We selected this B&B mostly based upon that view — we preferred to be out in Nature rather than in town. We certainly got what we were looking for in that regard.
Our rooms were on the lower level, and really it was like having our own apartment — a bedroom, a sitting area, a bathroom, and a closet. The décor was quite tasteful and restrained, unlike so many country B&B’s I have seen pictures of.
Both the bedroom and the sitting area had sliding glass doors to a stone patio, with a small table and chairs. Beyond the patio was a jacuzzi, on an auto-​temperature gauge and ready to go at any moment.
Beyond the jacuzzi was a broad expanse of grass, along with a fire pit surrounded by Adirondack chairs. The yard also included a second, smaller seating area, and a large hammock. There were lots of flowered plantings, and the overall effect was of a large informal garden.
Betsy was our hostess for the weekend. She isn’t the owner, but often takes on the hostessing duties. She was just our type — matter of fact, pleasant, laid-​back, and non-​intrusive. We had a few good chats with her when we sought her out, but otherwise we were left on our own.
Our first night we made use of the fire pit, and that was a great bonus, seeing as the night air was pretty chilly. The second night was even colder, so we stayed inside and picked out a DVD to watch on the large, flat-​screen plasma TV in the common area.
Breakfasts were well organized and delivered on time. Juice, tea, coffee were ready for us, as well as a fruit dish on both mornings. However, the main breakfast entrees could both have been better. Betsy was experimenting with new dishes, which I commend her for, but neither was a really great dish. One of the things I really look forward to at a B&B is getting a marvelous breakfast, and sadly I didn’t get that here.
All in all I really liked Once Upon A Mountain. It is small for a B&B, with only three rooms. It wasn’t built as a B&B, but instead was originally a private home, and though that may make the hostessing job more difficult, I actually like that the kitchen was open to the dining area — it had a very homey feel.
The best part of the whole experience, though, was definitely the mountain location, and the gorgeous view. It’s only about twenty minutes outside of Luray, but you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere, with all the amenities you might want close at hand.