Updated on Jul 20, 2026
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Type
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Private vacation home
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Bedrooms
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3
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Bathrooms
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3
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House Rules
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No pets allowed
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Adults only
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Smoking is not permitted
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No events allowed
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Max Occupancy
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6
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Host Language
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English
German
Russian
Spanish
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Property Id
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369363
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McDowell House offers the unusual opportunity to stay in an exquisitely restored historic residence in one of Lexington's most beautiful neighborhoods. Surrounded by other 19th-century properties, the house sits just blocks from Washington & Lee, VMI, and downtown's restaurants and shops. A deep front lawn and tranquil gardens provide quiet and privacy.
McDowell House sleeps 6 guests--or up to 10, when combined with the property's 3rd floor apartment, McDowell Studio (VRBO #339861). Combined bookings receive a special rate.
All beds have high-quality mattresses, silky all-cotton linens, and hypoallergenic duvets. McDowell House's charming 1st-floor Garden Bedroom features a tall-post double bed and a window overlooking the secluded rear garden. An adjoining tiled bathroom retains its original marble sink and claw-footed tub, but with shower mounted above.
On the 2nd floor, the West Bedroom has a queen-sized brass bed and tall windows on 3 sides. The Turret Bedroom features an elegant pair of antique brass twin beds and its own little circular porch overlooking the front lawn and mountains beyond. Two well-appointed bathrooms serve these bedrooms: a marble-floored bathroom next door with tiled shower and claw-footed tub and the house's original bathroom, on the same floor, which contains a tiled shower.
Guests may use a rowing machine located on the 2nd-floor porch and a vibration platform located in the 2nd-floor conservatory.
McDowell House has an amazing eat-in kitchen with original wainscot, Virginia soapstone counters, and state-of-the art appliances--from restaurant-grade gas stove to espresso maker. With windows overlooking both rear and side gardens, it's the perfect place to enjoy cooking--or eating--local vegetables, meats, breads, and cheeses. Glassware, china, flatware, and serving pieces make dining or enjoying take-out easy and fun.
McDowell House is a magical place to spend time with friends and family. A large, airy parlor with tall windows opens into the generous dining room, via sliding doors. The sunny library provides comfortable space for reading, working, watching television, or catching up on the day's activities.
Rooms feature luminous colors and period carpets, wallpapers, and curtains. Art covers the walls, as it did in the 1890s. Musical guests love playing the c.1890 ebonized Knabe piano in the handsome 1st-floor hall.
Visitors also enjoy lounging on the porches that wrap the house.
In the back garden's rock-lined pool, waterlilies bloom all summer. A round table and chairs sit on a stone terrace, surrounded by lush Japanese maples and evergreens, ferns, and native woodland plants. McDowell House provides a quiet refuge--and a perfect base for visiting Washington & Lee and VMI, exploring scenic Rockbridge County, and enjoying Lexington's vibrant downtown.
Keywords: historic property, residence, villa, self-catering house
Located in Lexington, this vacation home is in the city center and near theme parks. Boxerwood Gardens and Natural Bridge State Park reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Virginia Safari Park and Stonewall Jackson Grave. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Alumni Memorial Field or Cameron Hall. Kayaking and motor boating offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking/biking trails and cycling nearby.
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