The Tinder Guest House

My husband and I used to go to bed and breakfast accommodations in Virginia before we had children. Now that we are empty nesters, we have decided to go back to this type of trip. We booked a Thursday night at The Tinder Guest House ($143), because we were going to pick up our daughter Friday morning in Richmond. We felt that Ashland was a good choice because we could leave home but be near Richmond the next day. We had a good experience at TGH. This is not a bed and breakfast in the truest sense - there is no hot breakfast, multiple rooms or an innkeeper on site. But the charm, accommodations and hospitality are all the same. The guest house is a former (Hughes) drug store that was built in the late 1800s. There is one guest room - former office space that has been converted into a bedroom with a comfortable queen bed and period furniture. It is cozy and clean, and the bedding is plush and warm. I liked the old building - it has a lot of character with creaky floors and a past that made me wonder about the people who walked the hall and sat in the rooms more than 100 years ago. In previous years, the upstairs had more bedrooms for guests, but now there is one and someone rents a second bedroom. That person has their own bathroom. If we hadn't been told there was a tenant, we would never have known - it was a quiet night. The guest room is stocked with a coffee/tea maker, water and juice bottles, cookies and muffins for the morning. The bathroom and a sitting/reading room and game room are down the hall from the guest bedroom. We visited just before Christmas and the rooms were nicely decorated for the season, including a little Christmas tree in the sitting/reading room. There, the owner, Sharon McKenna, has a white binder filled with things to do in Ashland and surrounding areas. There also is a bulletin board with need-to-know phone numbers, books, and a TV, though you may be content to wait for the trains to go by - the guest house faces S. Railroad Avenue. TGH is near everything - charming shops, Randolph-Macon College and Richmond is less than 30 minutes away. We visited a feed and seed store and picked up a chocolate chess pie from Homemades by Suzanne. If you book a room, be aware that trains pass right by the building. I grew up near a Navy base and am used to hearing jet noise. The trains were quiet in comparison and did not bother me. If you think you might be annoyed, Sharon has a white noise machine in the guest room. She also offers a $20 gift card to Origin Beer Lab, which is downstairs. There is a separate entrance to TGH and Origin. One note: You have to climb up a narrow, steep staircase to get to the guest room, similar to a "walk-up" apartment. I am struggling with a leg injury, and it was a bit of a challenge. Keep this in mind if you are disabled or have leg trouble.

The wife and I stayed at the Tinder Guest House for a weekend getaway and concert at the nearby Richmond Harley Davidson concert venue. The accommodations checked all of the boxes for us. The guest house is located right on Railroad Ave about only 2 blocks away from the Amtrak station and Sharon, the guest house owner, was waiting outside to greet us upon our arrival. The room more than met what we needed for our 2 night stay and was located within easy walking distance of many fine dining options including many of the top rated restaurants for Ashland on this site. The room was perfect for two guests and although the bathroom was down the hallway, it's only for the guests staying in the guestroom. The bed was either a full size or a queen and there was also a refrigerator and microwave. As some have mentioned, yes it is on Railroad Avenue and there are several Amtrak and freight trains that do come through. However, unless you're a very light sleeper, it shouldn't be a problem. If you're into photographing trains, this is definitely a place to stay to get many photo opportunities since the trains literally run right down the middle of the street. So, overall the Tinder Guest House is a charming place to stay for a couple looking for a weekend getaway and Sharon is an excellent hostess. I would definitely recommend you give it a try.

If trains are your thing and all-things-railroading is your mojo, then this is the place for you! From the hallways adorned with classic railroad photographs to the reading room & game room facing the CSX tracks, you will be in railroad heaven here. The bedroom is spacious and comfortable, the game room was fun, and the reading room had more material than I had time to read. The host, Sharon, was very accommodating and extremely passionate about trains as well. IF, and that's a big IF, there was a "drawback" to the Tinder Guest House is that the TVs (one in the bedroom and one in the reading room) are digital over-the-air (in other words, no HBO/Cinemax). BUT the property has a strong Wi-Fi and you could use a HDMI Roku/streaming stick if you really want to watch TV. My advice, turn off the tube, and look out the window! Better yet, go downstairs, and take in the vibe of this quaint town!!

Sharon was very helpful and friendly. Her food suggestions were excellent. The sheets smelled amazing.

We loved the location, close to everything. Sharon was a lovely host. You do have to be able to walk up a flight of stairs. I would stay again.

An alumnus of RMC in town for niece's wedding and found the TGH was outstanding. Sharon is extremely hospitable. Location could not have been better for our stay. Considerations: 1) long flight of steps to the living quarters, and 2) bathroom is about 60 feet from bedroom past two rooms where a tenant resides. I mention these as the stairwell might be a challenge for some and the location of the bathroom could be inconvenient too. Not issues for us but, who doesn't like having the bathroom close by? Game room was very neat but, alas we were unable to take full advantage. Sitting room view was wonderful. The breakfast was the definition of a continental breakfast.