WASHINGTON, Va. — The problem with the Inn at Little Washington is this: At some point you're going to have to leave. If your wallet doesn't start groaning, your waistband will.

It's a common complaint, the desk clerk says as I check out. "We have a whole room full of people in the back who refused to go," she quipped.

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IF YOU GO Getting there • Flying: The Inn at Little Washington is in the Blue Ridge foothills about 90 minutes southwest of Washington, D.C. From the nation's capital, take I-66 West to Front Royal, Va., then U.S. 522 East to U.S. 211 West to Washington, Va. Expect to pay about $150 for flights to Washington, D.C. • Driving: The drive from Atlanta is in the better-to-fly range, about 585 miles, nearly 10 hours, though most of it is interstate. Take I-85 North to I-77 North and merge onto I-81 North, then take U.S. 211 to Washington, Va. About the inn • The Inn at Little Washington, at Middle and Main streets in Washington, Va., is a Relais & Chateaux member and has received lavish praise — from five Mobil stars to Condé Nast Traveler and Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report. Information: 540-675-3800, www.theinnatlittlewashington.com; www.relaischateaux.com /site/us/rc_washington.html.

The Inn at Little Washington gets raves for one really good reason: It's worth it.

Tucked at the main crossroad of a historic hamlet an hour north of Charlottesville, the Inn is a cozy five-star hostelry with cuisine that ranges from memorable to the best meal of your life.

Let your mouth water, and consider my recent meal of chef Patrick O'Connell's locally inspired offerings: a canape platter with tiny potatoes dotted with sour cream, salmon roulade with capers and barbecued-rabbit empanada; thinly shaved Virginia ham with D'Anjou pear, Italian parmesan, toasted pine nuts and organic greens; a pairing of hot (seared) and cold (pate) foie gras with homemade quince preserves; a cucumber sorbet with red-onion salsa; homemade breads worth the carbs; a duet of veal (roasted loin and a buttery braised cheek) with lusty morels and peppery ravioli; and for dessert, a ménage à trois — no kidding — of rhubarb (tartlet, shortcake and sorbet). Complemented, perhaps, with an Elke pinot noir?

"I think every night for the rest of my life I want this," murmurs the woman at the next table.

And did we mention the 15-room inn itself? It's a melange, so to speak, of 19th-century country house and upscale bordello — acres of fabrics, whimsical touches, bona fide antiques, cloudlike duvets and pillows.

Hard to imagine that when owners O'Connell and Reinhardt Lynch first found the place in the late 1970s, it was an auto repair garage with oil cans in the garden. The current incarnation includes a monkey-theme bar, comfortable public living room and sparkling eat-in show kitchen.

Service, too, is remarkable: friendly, prompt, professional and unintrusive. Turndown includes European-style linen mats at bedside, plus a nightcap of sherry and a dogbone-shaped shortbread (this on account of the inn's trademark mascots, a pair of Dalmatians belonging to the owners).

By day, if they can haul themselves from their chairs, guests head to Luray Caverns and the Blue Ridge Mountains, or venture to nearby Colonial towns for farmers' markets and antiquing.

No surprise, none of this comes cheaply. The four-course dinner — fixed menu with many options — costs $118 per person, plus tax, gratuity and beverages (yes, the wine list is deadly). A night in the inn, including a sumptuous breakfast, starts at $370.

If the tariff is too astounding, you can always stay at another B&B in town (www.bedandbreakfast.com) and visit for dinner. Just be sure to wear loose clothes.