Village Motel near US 11/I81 maildrop

[Ezra]

Can anybody tell me if the Village Motel near Atkins Va. where the trail crosses US 11 and I-81 is a reliable maildrop? I am trying to find their phone number and cannot find one. What is the proper way to address a post office maildrop?

[walkerat99]

Here is the number I have for the motel, 540-783-5811, not sure if it is still good but you can try it. Also the address is Village Motel, 7253 Lee Hwy, Rural Retreat, VA 24368. I hope the information is still correct, and yes they did hold maildrops for hikers back in 99, not sure now but I would assume they will. A good place to spend the night and try to sleep in a real bed. ha ha. Also a great restaurant is there also. If all else fails, send the maildrop to yourself at Atkins, VA 24311 which is about 3 or 4 miles down the road. Just make it to yourself, General Delivery, Atkins, VA 24311 but also be sure to write on the outside "Hold For Thur-Hiker". They will hold it for at least 30 days and probably even longer. I sent myself maildrops along the entire trail and never had a problem.. Hope this helps....

Ed

[Hammock Hanger]

I just stayed at the Village Motel in Atkins. It is now called the RELAX INN. The room rate was $32.00 including tax. There was a laundry on the premises, $1.25 for washer, $1.00 for dryer. She said she accepts maildrops. -- The Village Restaurant is now a mini storage facility but just up the road a half a block is the The Barn Restaurant. Hammock Hanger

[walkerat99]

HH,

Thanks for the update on the Village Motel, but it still seems as though it is hiker friendly. However, I sure hate to think about not having the restaurant there. I really liked it, as did most everyone I think... I did not expect you back so soon. How was your hike? Kerosene and I will be leaving in the morning...

Ed

[Hikerhead]

Over at Hikerhead's place. My hike with FL Trail friends is over, now I head back out with hikerhead. It has been chilly and wet here in Southwest VA. Hope we all have better weather next week. But then that is what raincoats were made for. Hammock Hanger

[Peaks]

HH: How a place can change in a short time.

I stayed there on May 30, 2002. I paid $35.00 for the room (single). Ate at the Barn Restaurant because the one at the motel was closed, as well as the DQ.

Motel is old, no AC. Not fancy by any means. I used it as a mail drop. No problems there. It was still called the Village Motel in May. Didn't see anthing about being the Relax Inn.

Entertainment for the locals was sitting in the back of their pick-ups with a beer and watching the traffic in I-81.

[Jumpstart]

We stayed here this past summer on our way through. They accepted maildrops with no problems, had a hiker box in the lobby, and for a fee they will shuttle you up the road to Marion, Va and take you to the food lion grocery store (although it will be the ride of your life, I assure you!!!) The Barn restuarant up the road was good and very reasonably priced (just don't order the cheese grits), and the Dairy Queen is now closed. The hotel is kind of old, but the rooms were clean and cheap, and it is RIGHT off the trail, they were "hiker friendly" in the sense that they were friednly enough, and ddin't care if you were a hiker or not.