Experience exceptional service & luxury amenities!
201 to 250 guests
Holds ceremonies and receptions
The Clifton is Charlottesville, Virginia’s premier boutique hotel, restaurant and wedding venue. We offer luxury amenities and exceptional service. Whether staying with us to experience Charlottesville’s wine and horse country, presidential homes, or simply dining with us for an evening, we look forward to making it memorable.
The Clifton, Charlottesville’s most iconic estate welcomes you with lush, rich interiors, offering a modern twist on this historic property. Overlooking the stunning forests of the Blue Ridge mountains, our welcoming staff will indulge you in elegant, personal service, taking your cares away. Every guest feels at home at The Clifton.
The Clifton also boasts a long-standing reputation as Charlottesville’s most beautiful setting for weddings.
Pricing details
Starting prices
Reception:
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Ceremony:
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Bar services:
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Catering:
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Starting prices don't include service fees, taxes, gratuity, and rental fees. Guest count and seasonality may also affect prices.
Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Elopement
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Settings
Estate
Garden
Historic Venue
Hotel
Mountain
Restaurant
Tented
Trees
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Destination Weddings
Food & Catering
Rentals & Equipment
Tents
Service Staff
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Reviews
4.7
out of 5.011 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
The Clifton is described as a perfect wedding venue with multiple stunning ceremony options, a timeless white tent, and incredible staff. Reviewers highlight the expertise and guidance provided by staff members Nick, Luda, Phyllis, and Barbara, emphasizing how they helped bring wedding dreams to life. Guests enjoyed the beautiful fall setting, amenities, and private dining options, along with the exclusivity of the venue for hosting close friends and family. The overall experience exceeded expectations, with praise for the picturesque property, services, and accommodations.- Top reviews
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Liza R
2.0
11/24/2024
While our wedding turned out to be wonderful, thanks largely to our planner Barbara and other vendors, we cannot recommend The Clifton to couples seeking a smooth, professional planning experience. For context, we hosted a full weekend of events at the venue, including a Thursday night dinner, a Friday-to-Sunday room buy-out, a Saturday wedding, and a Sunday brunch. Although the property itself is stunning, the mismanagement and relentless nickel-and-diming severely undermined what should have been an extraordinary celebration. Here are some of the key issues we encountered:
Abysmal Customer Service
The most disappointing aspect of The Clifton was its lackluster customer service, especially given the six-figure cost of our wedding. The general manager was consistently rude and unresponsive throughout the process, adding unnecessary stress to an already complex planning process. During the planning process the sales manager verbally assured us that the bride and groom’s stay during the wedding would be fully covered. However, after the wedding, we were charged the full amount for our stay. When we raised the issue, management not only denied their prior promises but also claimed we were entitled only to a 50% discount. Even after we accepted the 50% discount, our repeated efforts to resolve the matter and receive the refund were met with silence. The hotel ultimately stopped responding entirely, forcing us to dispute the charges with our credit card company to recover what we were rightfully owed. This level of dismissiveness and unprofessionalism was shocking for a venue of this reputation and price point.
Broken Promises on Event Size
We booked The Clifton over a year in advance, enticed by the idea of hosting our closest friends and family for an intimate weekend. When we booked, we were told that the venue was already hosting a “petite” wedding the Friday evening before our wedding. We were assured that The Clifton’s policy for a “petite” wedding meant fewer than 50 guests, and that they would never host two full-sized weddings over the same weekend . Just three weeks before our wedding, we were informed that this event had ballooned to 124 guests. The Clifton’s response? A dismissive “we have the right to do this,” despite how it had been presented to us when we booked the venue. Couples should beware—get everything explicitly written into your contract and signed. Ultimately, The Clifton comped a few of the rooms Friday night for our friends and family most affected by staying in rooms overlooking the “petite” wedding, but not without a lot of unnecessary stress, hassle and anxiety on our part shortly before our wedding.
Unacceptable Issues for the Price
For a venue of this caliber and cost, the amount of issues was astounding. Warm beer was served during the reception due to “insufficient cooler space”—a shocking oversight given the $109 per-person bar tab. Guests reported unpleasant smells, excessive bugs in their rooms, tiles coming off the floor, and a broken balcony railing at the farmhouse. During the not-so-petite Friday wedding, our guests were disturbed by loud music, despite being promised this would not happen. Additionally many of our guests mentioned that one woman on the waitstaff was consistently unpleasant and rude.
Bottom Line
The Clifton is a stunning venue, but its management is profoundly unprofessional and disorganized. If you’re accustomed to the service and professionalism of similarly-priced hotels, you will be sorely disappointed. It’s a shame that such a picturesque property is so poorly run. Look elsewhere for a wedding venue unless you want unnecessary stress during what should be one of the happiest times of your life.
Jessie L
5.0
10/15/2023
The Clifton is the perfect location for a wedding. With a plethora of gorgeous ceremony options and a timeless white tent, you can host an event of any style or size. The staff is incredible both in the planning and carrying out of events. We were so thankful to have Nick and Luda's expert advice and guidance throughout the wedding.
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Kelly M
5.0
11/10/2022
We had our wedding at The Clifton and it was truly unbelievable. The service, food, drinks, rooms, entire property - everything was perfect. Comfy beds, great amenities, easy check in/out process. The staff truly takes care of every little detail making you feel right at home.
Phyllis and Barbara are a DREAM TEAM - I cannot say enough about how great they are to work with, they made all of my wedding dreams come true!
The ceremony was held on the front lawn, cocktail hour on the side croquet lawn and back patio, with the reception in the beautiful on-property tent. All of the guests loved how magical it felt - between the fall leaves, the sun peaking through the trees and the twinkle lights. The entire property is beyond stunning. Note - late October is THE PERFECT time for foliage. I dreamed of a perfect fall wedding in Virginia and this was IT.
It was SO special to have our closest friends and family stay with us on the property so we could have breakfast and lunch together. I highly recommend going with the exclusivity of the venue and having a farewell brunch the day after your wedding!
Some people look back on their wedding and wish they did some things different...but I can confidently say I would not have changed a thing and a large part of that is because of The Clifton Inn staff. Thank you so much!!
Jenna L
5.0
10/30/2022
I could not imagine a more beautiful location for our wedding! All of the guest rooms are stunning, and our guests all enjoyed "touring" each other's rooms. Special shout out to Chris the bar manager who hosted a whiskey tasting during cocktail hour, he did a fabulous job. Our photos are incredible, and we had a magical wedding.
Hope P
5.0
9/03/2022
I hosted a brunch for my bridal party here the day before my wedding. The rear sun porch was the perfect private dining space for our group. The team at Clifton went out of their way to make us feel welcome, and the food they served was amazing. An excellent choice for private dining or a small event!
Sylvia S
5.0
8/31/2022
We were pleased beyond expectations with Clifton as our wedding venue. Not only is the setting beautiful in the Blue Ridge Mountains and nearby to downtown Charlottesville and all there is to do, but the accommodations, amenities, and staff are top notch. We enjoyed having the pool and the grounds for meet ups with wedding party and other guests before the wedding. The facilities are truly wonderful. If you want a wedding venue that allows the couple, their wedding party, and families to spend quality time together before, during and after the event, this is the place.
Caroline H
5.0
7/13/2021
With so many amazing options in the Charlottesville area, I really think the Clifton was the best of the best. The Clifton had everything we wanted in a venue. We were initially drawn to the Clifton due to its sheer beauty and secluded location. We loved having our friends and family stay on site to really have a full wedding weekend. I loved the idea of a hotel wedding for that reason but did not want a typical hotel ballroom or venue, so the size and the beauty of the Clifton was absolutely perfect. The exclusivity was a huge positive since there was no one else on the property before and during the wedding which was very important to us. The onsite catering was another huge plus, and we had the hardest time deciding what food we wanted because everything we tried was truly amazing. We had our ceremony on the beautiful front lawn and our reception in the court tent. The tent was so easy to customize and was so much more than a typical tent reception.
We had so many people coming up to us all day complementing everything about the venue and there was nothing we would have changed. The staff was incredibly friendly and responsive to everything we needed and made the entire weekend so much less stressful. We are so excited to be able to go back and celebrate anniversaries by going back and staying at the Clifton!
Josh B
5.0
12/10/2019
We had a smaller winter wedding and the Clifton was the perfect venue for it. Not only was the location beautiful, but the staff was exceptionally well organized and helpful with getting the details in order. Kara anticipated a potential problem with the amount of heating we had reserved for the wedding and we were able to make sure our guests were comfortable despite near freezing temperatures outside.
I'll repeat again that the food and service was excellent, and if the Michelin guide were in Charlottesville, I have no doubt that the Clifton would earn at least one star.
Couldn't be more pleased and we're looking forward to future anniversary celebrations here.
Melanie V
5.0
9/21/2019
We had the absolutely most magical wedding weekend at The Clifton! Brianna, Maggie, and all of the staff were so accommodating and truly tailored our weekend to our needs. They eased the planning process and made a lot of magic happen!
Brianna was so sweet to work with and I felt like she listened to our vision. She was present the weekend of and she ensured everything was in working order. When we ordered a box of sparklers that showed up empty the day before the wedding, she personally pulled strings to find sparklers for our exit! This meant so much as those last minute details can make or break a bride!
We are so grateful to have had such a beautiful venue and professional team. Our guests loved the accommodations and thought everything was more than perfect. We cannot wait to return for anniversaries and special events!
Lindsey A
5.0
10/18/2018
I wish I could give it 6 stars! The Clifton was the perfect place to get married. From the food, to the accommodations, to their attention to detail - it is unmatched. HUGE thank you to Fotini Williams (Director of Sales) who was with us throughout the whole wedding planning process. She made sure everything was perfect, and the Inn is lucky to have her onsite to help brides and families have a fabulous, fun weekend! It was such a dream to work with her and would highly, highly recommend The Clifton!
Nell C
5.0
10/10/2018
Fotini and the entire staff of The Clifton made our wedding weekend an amazingly perfect experience. The staff was so attentive, food was amazing, and rooms were fabulous! Fotini's amazing warmth, kindness, and flexibility made rain on our wedding day such a distant thought - she and her staff adjusted the timeline day-of seamlessly to keep everyone out of the rain.
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