What is the difference between a place that

is a clean bed and a shower and a place that enhances a trip by surprising and delighting?

As an experienced traveler, I say it is care.

It's the difference between going through the motions and caring enough to pay attention. The proprietor of the Woodbine Inn has led a rich and varied life and the Woodbine Inn appears to be the culmination of multiple passions. It's a combination of city culture interwoven with casual country living, to my eye.
We, a family of three, stayed at the Woodbine Inn over the long Columbus weekend. The weather was still summery although the trees were near peak- a gift from the heavens! When we conveyed to the owner that we were interested in taking a boat tour on the Hudson, she readily recommended her favorite. She loaned us an excellent detailed map that bought us directly to our destination. That was very sweet and very helpful. She also probed our food preferences and recommended New World restaurant. It turned our to be an excellent choice. She also recommended a walk to the lighthouse that turned out to be a highlight of our trip as well.
The room was filled with interesting things to look at, including a rack of "Best Short Stories of all-time"' circa 1929. Maybe it was the reality being cut off of electrical stimulation (no TV, radio, etc. & I forgot my cell) but those books made me realize that "The Best Of All Time..." is definitely a product of ones time. Although the room is full of antiques, the paint and carpeting are fresh- a nice interplay. The house, as a whole, is an interesting mix of different renovations over many decades. It's a big house, so there's many different rooms to hang out in. Although the rooms have no TV, the one in the bar area / meeting room is one of the biggest I've ever seen. In that room, it's so big that it looks like the monolith in 2001, A space Odyssey-have no fear my fellow electrophobes.
I knew we were going to be served breakfast, but was delighted by a sumptuous feast instead. Everything that was served (pancakes, eggs, mushrooms, custard & banana filled french toast) was first class and completely delicious. The care is evident and my tastebuds were very appreciative.
For those who do not like reviews without some sort of negative, cracked floor tiles in the bathroom were a bit of a surprise.
If you're thinking of traveling into the area, there is more then enough interesting things to do and see to keep you busy for several days no matter what your interest is-country or city.
I recommend The Woodbine Inn for the intangibles. You'll never see a category for them, but there should be. The owner will hook you up like a local, feed you very well and provide you with a room that invites exploring, in an area with much to do. The rest is up to you.

TripAdvisor

The Inn was everything we expected and more.  The room was very spacious and comfortable and the breakfast you made for us was wonderful.  It was also a bonus to meet such nice people during breakfast - we had a nice conversation and it was so relaxing.  Again, thanks so much and I look forward to visiting again.

Donna, New York

I just wanted to thank you again, for such a wonderful opportunity at the Inn.

I looked forward to our stay for so many months and when I arrived, I was in awe! The pictures on your site gave a good idea of what to expect but does not do your place justice– so many little details I enjoyed there – The fabrics used all around were fabulous! I loved the color schemes in all the rooms. Truly soaked it all in! I enjoyed the colorful landscaping – was very relaxing, it also brought some beautiful butterflies around.
The library was such a cozy escape – the Mahogany lounge was so relaxing and felt so warm and relaxed. Loved the white fur such a nice touch! We all enjoyed ourselves so much! This place is a diamond! I wanted to thank you for all your help and making our stay there so wonderful!
We truly appreciated your extra efforts in getting the Yoga Instructor for the Sunday.
I hope to visit again and again – Ideally we all would like to make the Inn an annual place to escape!

Priscilla, NY, NY

Whole Inn booking

We had a glorious stay at the Woodbine.

The owner, Victoria, gave us so many wonderful suggestions about things to do with our two dogs. The suite was simple and elegant - and the prices were so reasonable. In the morning, you can smell breakfast from your room but Victoria doesn't make you feel like you have to eat at a specific time. If you want to sleep in - it's ok. Our dogs were treated well too! The atmosphere is comfortable, relaxing and refreshing. We are excited to have found The Woodbine and look forward to returning very soon.

the Johnsons, NJ

We initially chose this charming little bed and breakfast because they are dog-friendly, but it turned out to be an even nicer stay than we had anticipated.

Proprietor Victoria Nelson is most welcoming and a great cook (HUGE breakfasts, freshly baked cookies, always a pot of coffee / tea standing by) and her dog Lola is friendly and sweet... and will happily romp with your dog (should you choose to bring him or her) all day long.

There are just four rooms (the largest, which we stayed in, is really a suite), with a spacious guest area that houses several comfy sofas and a large-screen TV / DVD player. As luck would have it, we arrived the day before a blizzard, and we had the place to ourselves. Between Victoria's kind hospitality and her amazing pea soup, we couldn't think of a better place to be stuck in a snowstorm! By the next morning, the roads were cleared and we were on our way... but we'll definitely be staying there again! Highly recommended to anyone visiting the Hudson Valley / Woodstock area.

Howard, NY, NY