Top Villas in Albemarle County in 2026

Monticello was the primary plantation of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, who began designing and building Monticello at age 26 after inheriting land from his father. Located just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, in the Piedmont region, the plantation was originally 5,000 acres (20 km2), with Jefferson using slaves for extensive cultivation of tobacco and mixed crops, later shifting from tobacco cultivation to wheat in response to changing markets.

Jefferson designed the main house using neoclassical design principles described by Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, subsequently reworking the design through much of his presidency to include design elements popular in late 18th-century Europe and integrating numerous of his own design solutions. Situated on the summit of an 850-foot (260 m)-high peak in the Southwest Mountains south of the Rivanna Gap, the name Monticello derives from the Italian for "little mount". Along a prominent lane adjacent to the house, Mulberry Row, the plantation came to include numerous outbuildings for specialized functions, e.g., a nailery; quarters for domestic slaves; gardens for flowers, produce, and Jefferson's experiments in plant breeding — along with tobacco fields and mixed crops. Cabins for field slaves were located farther from the mansion.

At Jefferson's direction, he was buried on the grounds, in an area now designated as the Monticello Cemetery. The cemetery is owned by the Monticello Association, a society of his descendants through Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson.[4] After Jefferson's death, his daughter Martha Jefferson Randolph sold the property. In 1834 it was bought by Uriah P. Levy, a commodore in the U.S. Navy, who admired Jefferson and spent his own money to preserve the property. His nephew Jefferson Monroe Levy took over the property in 1879; he also invested considerable money to restore and preserve it. In 1923, Monroe Levy sold it to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation (TJF), which operates it as a house museum and educational institution. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark. In 1987 Monticello and the nearby University of Virginia, also designed by Jefferson, were together designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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English Inn of Charlottesville

10/10 Excellent

"English Inn is located in a previously busy area, but in 2026 , it is somewhat tucked away. We love that! Very clean! Excellent breakfast offerings. If there was anything negative I could say, it would be to say that the mattresses are somewhat hard, but not enough to make them uncomfortable to sleep."

Massanutten Resort

2/10 Terrible

"Never been there before, and they offered a tour of the place. Sounded nice until it turned out to be a time share scheme in which my son and I were berated for refusing to take out a 14k loan. They told me I was letting my family down because I would make an impulsive decision. Ruined the whole time, I will never be spending another dime."

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English Inn of Charlottesville

Omni Charlottesville Hotel

Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Conference Ctr

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Charlottesville

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Charlottesville by IHG

Massanutten Resort

Extended Stay America Premier Suites - Charlottesville

Comfort Inn & Suites Charlottesville Hollymead Town Center

Extended Stay America Premier Suites - Harrisonburg

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