The Conservatory at Goodstone

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Virginia Estate with Three Centuries of History

The land that holds The Conservatory at Goodstone has been shaped by four distinct families across nearly three hundred years. Scottish immigrant James Leith settled here in Loudoun County around 1745. The Goodwin family renamed it Goodstone Farm in 1915 and established its dairy operations. Investment banker Frederick Warburg built the stone Manor House in 1934 and consolidated the surrounding tracts into what he called Snake Hill Farm. Then in 1996, the Betts family purchased the estate and set about transforming it into a full-service destination — a vision that culminated with the opening of The Conservatory on October 12th, 2017.

That layered past is not merely decorative. The ivy-covered wall where the original Goodwin mansion once stood before a fire claimed it in 1937 now frames the estate's pool. A private Leith family cemetery remains on the grounds. The Manor House dining room is hung with a Zuber wallpaper mural depicting early 19th-century "Views of North America." History is present in the fabric of the place.

Seasonal Cooking Rooted in the Farm

The Conservatory sits at the heart of a working 265-acre farm in Virginia's horse and wine country, roughly an hour from Washington, D.C. The kitchen draws directly on what the land produces. Breakfast features eggs from the estate's own free-range flock — between 100 and 150 red chickens kept in what the inn calls a "five-star chicken coop" on a private pasture — alongside Goodstone honey and house-made preparations. The seasonal approach runs through every service, from the farm-fresh breakfast offered complimentary to inn guests, through lunch and dinner, to a tasting menu that guests have described as pairing food and wine with "sheer perfection."

That wine program earned The Conservatory a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence, a recognition that reflects the seriousness of a curated wine cellar designed to complement seasonal, farm-to-table cooking at every turn.

The Setting and the Experience

The Conservatory offers outdoor seating, private dining rooms, and the full breadth of the estate as backdrop — rolling pastures, historic stone structures, and the quiet particular to Virginia hunt country. Guests consistently single out the warmth and attentiveness of the service alongside the quality of the food. The tasting menu with wine pairings is the signature experience, though the kitchen serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with private chef and catering options available for events.

For those who want more than a meal, the estate offers boutique cottage accommodations across seven distinct structures, a spa, and activities tied to the working farm — making The Conservatory a natural centerpiece of a longer stay rather than simply a dinner destination.