The Tides Inn

Older hotel on the water, the walls between our room and the room next door are paper thin. If you are looking for any privacy do not stay here. One bright spot the restaurant had the best Vegetarian Curry Pasta.

A very tired, expensive dump. There is nothing to recommend the Tides Inn. Those who have given it above par ratings must have very low standards. The rooms are grim. The facilities are crumbling. The food is mediocre. The management is rude. The service is non-​existent. The prices are exorbitant for the value. Stay elsewhere!

We were so excited to experience The Tides Inn and gravely disappointed. We’ve stayed at several Preferred Resorts before and unfortunately this doesn’t even compare. Keswick, Salamander, Kingsmill — are all an entire different level of hotel. This compares to a below average Marriott Courtyard but on a great piece of property. The potential for this hotel is amazing — it could compare to an Inn at Perry Cabin, if done correctly.
Rooms — Average. They’ve at least been remodeled but still lack in amenities of a nice boutique hotel. Beds and bathroom products are great — hair dryer is from Wal mart and towels were Holiday Inn level. The carpet on the outside leading to the rooms and the balconies is disgusting and needs to be pulled up and restored to it’s original beauty.
Activities — Good They offer water activities included in the price of your resort and several perks that were very fun for our family — s’mores and cookies in the evening. Bikes and several lawn games were very fun!
Pool — From 1970’s — terrible. Could be AMAZING on the water. Needs a major overhaul. Commodore restaurant at the pool needs to be gutted. Almost embarrassing. Felt like we were at a family camp.
Restaurant — Decent — Good food and a very nice staff
Check in Procedure — The bell man station was delightful the staff at the check in desk — extremely rude and unprofessional.
Workout Room — Poor — Felt like it was a major afterthought. Dirty mats, TV’s that didn’t work but good equipment. Building needs a major upgrade — view of the water is a no brainer.
I had high hopes for our stay but sadly we were ready to leave after only one night. Tides Inn is a gem of a property, just needs some major help!

Once upon a time the Tides Inn was known for it’s service and hospitality. About the only thing it is known for now is its high prices.
Although not staying at the inn, as locals we drove there this morning for breakfast. Sitting on the patio, we were told we had to check in with the hostess. Sure, no problem. Saw the hostess (who I thought had a bit of an attitude, but maybe it was me). She asked for our room number. When I told her we were not guests but had driven there for breakfast, I was sure she had an attitude. She told us her assistant would take care of us. Her assistant provided three menus and disappeared.
For the next ten minutes we sat and watched a half dozen of the staff walk around, talk, pick up a dish, talk, laugh, talk and joke. Nobody came to the table to ask if we wanted a beverage, to place any set-​ups on the table, to ask if we were interested in ordering, yada, yada, yada. The assistant hostess came to the table next to ours to wait on a couple who arrived after we did. Never looked in our direction. Perhaps things would have been different if we had been staying at the Inn, but as mentioned, there was a time when everyone received the same level of service. Not anymore
Can’t comment on the food, because we got up and left.

I love it here! Rented a boat and went out in the river today. It was a nice new boat. Had the best salmon at the restaurant and a delicious piña colada at the pool this afternoon. The waitress came by the pool while we were in it and said. How many puns coladas?! It was the best service.

Anything less than 5 stars would be a discrace. This place as a maratime destination is refreshing reflection of old world southern charm combined with modern amenities and a touch of class. From the moment we arrived the dock attendant in a clean pressed white shirt helped us professionally tie up the lines and greeted us. Dockside kayaking, paddle board, canoe, and pedal boats were available free of charge as included in your slip fee for the night.
The surroundings boast stellar views and picturesque landscapes via paddle board or small craft cruising. Old money meets new here in the banks and coves of Clark creek.
The menu was nothing less than 5 stars. Dinner was delightful. Served in three courses, delivered promptly with fine service and southern charm. The elequence which the staff attended to guests in the dining room was reminiscent of classic Charleston, SC. Everything was made fresh, presented beautifully and tasted phenomenal.
The Tides prides itself on having lots to do. The location geography is remote and far from urban life which may lend to boredom by some… the Tides had actively combated this delema with traditional lawn games (croquettes. Rope and ladders, corn hole. Lawn chess, and beach cruiser bicycles)
POOL side is delightful with a modified menu from the main dining. The bar attendant is always friendly and ready to be of service with the miracles of mixology and cocktail elixirs. Wait staff are full service bringing any of your needs while relaxing in the sun or the shade of drooping trees. Beach bonfires seal the deal as an after dinner affair. the glow of the fire flames and flickering moon light makes any evening transform from the typical into the extraordinary

I was so looking forward to my stay at the Tides Inn but I was so disappointed. The facility needs attention, and the food service was slow and food was ok to poor in quality. We requested that our pull up bed me made up while we were at dinner and was surprised to find that it was not done and that all three of us noticed that someone had gone through our belongings and I had money missing. After reporting this, we were offer a fifty dollar credit. Our ice buckets were never filled, we did not get new sugar and creamer for the second morning coffee. I wrote a private email to the management hoping that they would care, but got an email back that said thanks for letting them know so they could train better! At the rates they charge for a room I should not have to let them know of poor service– I should have had good service. VERY DISAPPOINTED. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY.

My family of 5 needed a little getaway within driving distance over Spring Break. I found a deal on Expedia for a 3^rd night free with the purchase of 2 nights at The Tides Inn. The Tides Inn was perfect for us as we were looking for something low key. We took advantage of the Inn’s bikes and took a family bike ride to town for a bite to eat at Nate’s Trick Dog Café (delish) and it felt like a scene out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Early evenings were spent on the terrace enjoying cocktails, watching the kids play croquet while the sun set over the water — very peaceful and relaxing. We spent one afternoon with Captain Gene on his boat exploring the nearby creeks and rivers. Gene is very knowledgeable, personable and charged $ 100/​hr for our private outing. The restaurant at the Tides Inn was fine, but definitely overpriced — $ 100 for breakfast and $ 300 for Easter Brunch.
A highlight of the trip was Easter service at the Irvington Baptist Church — Pastor Farmer was fantastic!

Being two and a half hour away from home, you probably could stay here for a week and enjoy a pretty good time when the skies are starlit clear, and the dock at night is silent beneath the rustling leaves.

Christmas Dinner, it’s a wonderful celebration isn’t it? Well, at the Tides Inn… it’s okay. So my family and my elderly grandmother in a wheelchair arrive to the valet desk. We wait, nobody there. After we go inside to see what the deal is, we’re told to park our own car and to take my grandmother up a wheelchair ramp in the dark that isn’t lit at all. Thank God for cellphone lighting. After getting into the restaurant, we’re seated immediately and tell what I think was either the GM or close to it about the dangerous wheelchair ramp that I pushed my 94 year old grandmother on. He just responds with, «I know.» And he walks off. Wow, lighting must take weeks to install and thousands of dollars to install. Whatever. The food, however, was great. I had the she crab soup, filet mignon with crab stuffed shrimp, and gingerbread chocolate bread pudding. The soup was light and creamy with plenty of crab meat and the steak was cooked flawlessly. The drinks and wine however were pretty lackluster for the pricing. The Chardonnays we’d ordered were overly acidic, but hey, anything to get through the holidays. At the end of the meal, we asked for help getting my grandmother out of the restaurant in safe condition. They generously obliged, all the way the same gentleman who initially sat us just staring off in the distance as if he couldn’t be bothered with anything. So all in all, four stars for the food, one star for the unacceptable ramp condition and pretty slow service. Maybe I’ll try back another time for the food if they get their lighting situation figured out.

Sooo… during checkout at the front desk, the clerk did not ask how our stay was, if everything was ok or nothing of the kind… just a «Merry Christmas». It really left us with the impression that the staff just did not care, was apathetic, and did not pay attention to their guests.
I have seen responses from the GM so I know he reads these. Kind of wondering why someone did not contact him after I had to speak to two members of his management staff about the issues we encountered? No need to contact me now; we will find another resort who appreciates our business.

Just returned home from an overnight visit to the Tides Inn. My review on 7÷7÷14 was 5 stars! And all of what I said was true, then. WE were so impressed we wanted to go back and spend the night. We checked in around 2, early but they were cool with that. The front desk staff, bell hop and concierge were all delightful and very friendly. Our room was great, we had our dog with us. They brought him his own bed, bowl of water and a bowl of treats (lol) We went down to the patio for a bite to eat & made dinner reservations for 6. The patio is great but the fly’s are insane! Not that the Tides can help that… I don’t know. maybe some type of yard spray would help. Had the smoked fish dip, which was delicious. Then walked down to the BIG cedar tree and watched the water planes land and take off. That is the most relaxing spot on the property.
Ok on to dinner time. Great table, great views, good service, food was delicious. Husband had Grouper and I had shrimp and scallop skewers.
This is where the 2 stars come from… The Inn is seriously infested with fruit flies! You can see them flying around everywhere. I am not exaggerating, we had to fight them for our dinner. Every time I picked up my wine glass one or more flew out! It was gross! Which is why I could not give 3 stars because this is simply NOT «A-​OK» with me.
After dinner we sat outside and enjoyed the live music on the patio.
Got a late checkout so we slept in a little late. Forgot to put out the breakfast order so I called around 8:30 and ordered a Spa Omelet. I was told it would be «right down». About 1.5 hours later it still wasn’t there. I called and was told «it would be 10 – 15 more minutes… if you still want it». Which basically told me they had not even started. I guess they forgot to put the order in. I was really scared to eat anything anyway cause all I could think was how many fruit flies were on it!
Positive note. We left things in the closet and they are mailing them to us. That was nice :)

Very dissapointed
Service was slow-​waited over an hour after ordering place was not that busy
Wrong drinks served
Begged for basket of bread
2 of 4 meals returned — salty and overcooked
Manager not too helpful
Waiter needed English lessons
Not like it used to be
Probably won’t go back

I’m rating the Chesapeake Club at The Tides Inn, not the whole Inn itself.
Had lunch here with my family on a lovely Monday afternoon. Well, it was hot by Virginia standards, but about normal for Florida, so it felt about right.
I had the Crab and Avocado Grilled Cheese with the peanut soup. The peanut soup is excellent. I had to ask if they made it there or bought it in, and the restaurant manager assured me they made it. So it’s a must have in my book.
The sandwich was fine. The brioche was a bit too much bread, and I think it needed something else, something to cut the creaminess of the avocado a bit, like lemon or even just cracked black pepper. Don’t get me wrong, none of the sandwich got left behind. Lots of crab, lots of avocado — a big sandwich. Go hungry!
The rest of the party had:
the Seafood Tchoupitoulas — very dramatic presentation, definitely the coolest looking of lunches we had. The flavor was excellent according to my father
the Avocado Bacon Burger — huge burger, far more than my mother could eat. She reports it was also excellent
the Northern Neck Oyster Po Boy — again, huge sandwich, far more than my wife could eat. She scarfed down all the oysters, though, and would have finished the whole thing if she could have.
The service was good and fast, but we were just about the only ones there. Our waitress has been with the Tides Inn for over 25 years — I’m so sorry I don’t remember your name. The view is spectacular and the perfect accompaniment to the lunch.

re: Commodore’s Waterfront Restaurant, Sunday Brunch, June 8^th
I’m not certain how to average 5 stars to 1 star, so I will go with 2.
First off, the views are spectacular. The Service was well above average, the Drinks (Spicy Bloody Mary and a Lancaster Lemonade) were excellent, albeit somewhat expensive (as was the entire meal).
My thinking as a very good cook myself, is that the chef ought to taste what goes out the door. We ordered the Avocado/​Crabmeat/​Grilled Cheese Sandwich and the Oyster Po’Boy…
In a greasy spoon what you do it take some form of oil and butter, paint the bread with it and slap it on the grill to «toast.» Apparently that is done here, too which wouldn’t have been such a problem, but the oil mix was either rancid or the grill was filthy. I suspect the oil. The bread in the grilled cheese overpowered any taste of avocado, crab or cheese due to the oil.
The Po’Boy sub bread so saturated the bread that I couldn’t taste the sweet/​saltiness of the oysters! Once the bread was removed, all was well, but folks, this was served as a SANDWICH, so the bread counts.
I informed the server who says she informed the manager who may have informed the chef, but who knows. My guess is that this same grease was used to cook the eggs and everything else. Such a shame for what ought to be the crown jewel of the Northern Neck restaurants.

Arrived around 10pm on a Friday night. Check-​in was a breeze. The valet was very friendly as well as the gentlemen at the front desk. We booked the King Vista suite which includes a separate living room with a flat screen tv, DVD player, sink, coffee maker with coffee, a couch, a desk, and a mini bar (stocked with 6 different beers, Gatorade, Fiji water, Red Bull, and an assortment of snacks). The room is separated by French doors and sports a king sized bed (firm and comfortable) and a big screen tv. My wife mandates that we sleep with noise in the background, so years ago I bought her a sound machine from Brookstone, which struggled to drown out the snoring bear in the adjacent room. I’ve experienced this at many other hotels/​motels, so this was not too surprising or annoying. The bathroom is quite large with two sinks, a closet, an accommodating deep tub and a separate shower (enclosed with just glass). The carpet throughout is a bit dated and many would consider its color (a light green) and leafy pattern a bit tacky. Not really a big deal to us, however.
The next morning we ordered room service and the staff brought their A game. The delivery was prompt and the food was fresh and warm. Perhaps more to follow later in the day.
Wine tasting and Cove Cruise today!
Captain Bill was very knowledgeable on local history, friendly and really made the cove cruise enjoyable. Along the way we say many Osprey, including their nests with babies! We also saw Bald Eagles.
The wine tasting was also very informative (I had no understanding of wine prior) and the gentleman conducting the demonstration (I forget his name but he is also the buyer for the hotel) was awesome.
Bottom line: loved the Tides Inn. The staff is comprised of friendly locals dedicated to making your stay enjoyable. If something is not right (I can’t say I was displeased with anything), I have a feeling the staff would do whatever it takes to make it right.

The Tides Inn is a really extraordinary place to be married. We were married on the croquet lawn, which was followed by cocktails on the terrace, and dinner/​dancing in the Cove Room. Our guests raved about the venue, especially our guests with kids. They had endless options — from crabbing to swimming and paddle boating — and loved how active they could be. Adults loved the views, paddleboard yoga, the pool and exploring the local vineyard, and even my foodie friends inhaled their meals. A few friends even brought their dogs down for the weekend (and to cocktails on the terrace! Loved it). The venue was very accommodating, welcoming and kind. There were a few minor snags through the weekend (breakfast service, a reservation mixup) but nothing to fret over. I highly recommend the spot for a wedding. I know we will be back, as will several of our guests. (Also, the crab cakes… oh my god. I can’t eat them anywhere else now)

Beautiful views and a relaxed ambiance. Dinner 4stars but breakfast is only 2stars. The breakfast buffet ($ 16) is pittyfull and I would have expected much more variety. Yes I am willing to pay more as well. So my recommendation is to go for breakfast to «The Local» coffee shop since you get better quality food for your buck.
Again Dinner was great at a reasonable price. You gotta have some grits!
Overall the Tides inn looks a little but past it’s prime but still I would come back if I found a great deal.
Service overall is about 3.5stars
Spa: excellent deep tissue massage!
Wifi: spotty service and you need to login again every ~3hs, this truly is a pain! Getting coverage in our room 161 requires you to hold your ipad in a 25 degree angle to the balcony in order to get a signal.):

What a place to relax! This place, far away from the hustle and bustle, secluded and on the shore of the tranquil mouth of Carter Cove off the Tappahannock River. My wife and I enjoyed the leisurely amenities and environs. We experienced both sunshine and rainfall, but there was something to not do for both weather situations. From boating and fishing, to lounging on the beach or pool, to drinking and dining, it was one of the most enjoyable weekends we’ve experienced in Virginia. Strolling through their huge property, experiencing man-​made comforts and natural preserved nature, incredible landscaping — birds, trees, flowers, lawns, the giant chess game, bicycles, outdoor patio with fire pit, they even have a sandy beach area, and almost forgot their golf course! …the attention to detail, service and quality by the staff, made it even more accommodating and pleasurable. We dined well thanks to their excellent Chef, enjoyed great selections of local wines, mixed drinks were fantastic by their Ace bartender, rooms are great — especially the huge picture windows facing the cove and shoreline with its tranquil picturesque waters and marina — and the beds were actually comfortable and relaxing. We’re planning on going back!

Recently returned from a weekend at the Tides Inn and had a pretty mixed experience. They seemed understaffed; it was late August so I wouldn’t be surprised if a good portion of their staff were students who had returned to school. Still, somebody should answer the phone when you call the front desk. More often than not, nobody picked up. And when somebody did, they couldn’t authorize a late checkout because there wasn’t a manager on duty. It also took three tries to get the key to minibar sent to the room. Why not just give (or at least offer it) during check in? They don’t even keep alcohol in it.
The room itself was spacious, with a nice balcony that would have been very enjoyable had it not rained most of the weekend. The balcony was carpeted, which might be good for traction but left the deck soaking, damp, and unusable even during the brief breaks in the rain. The shower didn’t drain well — they need a plumber. Kind of gross.
Wi-​Fi is free, but spotty and slow.
The housekeeping staff does a terrific job — the room was always spotless and the evening turn down/​towel replacement is a nice touch.
The resort bills itself as having lots of activities, but if it rains, there isn’t much to do. There was a mixology class the day before we arrived, but not over the weekend. That strikes me as something a weekend guest might be interested in. If you’re going to charge a $ 25/​day «resort fee» (even on top of a bloomspot deal), you should offer some activities that don’t require good weather.
I would not suggest eating at their Chesapeake Room East Dining Room. The food was unremarkable and overpriced. I would highly recommend making the 15 minute drive to the Merroir Tasting Room instead (we went for dinner and lunch the following day it was so good) —
It is well located for going to a number of vineyards on the Viriginia Wine Trail.
All in all: the rooms are fine but overpriced, they don’t offer enough to do for a place that prides itself on its activities, the service is so-​so, and the food is mediocre and overpriced. Might be good for families with young kids, but I would not recommend to friends.