Patrick O’Connell abandoned his dream of becoming an actor for cooking and the “living theater” of the restaurant world. Just an hour’s drive from Washington DC, this sumptuous hideaway nestled at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains is a world-renowned destination for gourmets in the know. The menu spotlights Chef O’Connell’s spectacular, refined American dishes, like carpaccio of herb-crusted baby lamb with Caesar salad ice cream, served in dining rooms whose inspired décor creates a wondrous cocoon of luxury. The Inn’s rooms and suites are aptly named after America’s culinary pioneers, and opulent lounges complete the transformation to an idyllic fantasy world.