The Property: Small Inn, Big Soul
Bedford Landings is a unique timber-frame bed and breakfast near Smith Mountain Lake, created by hosts Karen and Jack as a welcoming place for guests to land, settle in, and feel at home.
Whether you are visiting the lake, flying in, seeing family, exploring the area, or planning a quiet getaway, Bedford Landings offers more than a room. It offers a stay shaped by thoughtful details, local insight, and genuine hospitality.
OUR STORY
Designed, Built, and Hosted by Karen & Jack
Bedford Landings is not a chain hotel or a standard vacation rental. It is a place Karen and Jack imagined, designed, built, and continue to host with care.
Their backgrounds help shape the personality of the inn. Jack is a retired mechanical engineer, pilot, and flying instructor. Karen is a Professor Emeritus retired from North Carolina State University and Virginia Tech, with extensive experience in family, child, and human development.
Together, they bring curiosity, creativity, hospitality, and a strong sense of place to Bedford Landings. The result is a bed and breakfast that feels personal without feeling fussy: warm common spaces, thoughtful guest rooms, breakfast each morning, and hosts who are happy to help guests make the most of their visit to the Smith Mountain Lake area.
YOUR HOSTS
Meet Karen & Jack
Karen and Jack are part of what makes Bedford Landings feel different from a hotel or rental house. They are here to welcome guests, share local insight, answer questions, and help make the stay feel easy.
Jack brings an aviation spirit to the property as a pilot and flying instructor. Karen brings warmth, storytelling, community connection, and a love for helping guests feel at home. The inn reflects both of them: practical, welcoming, creative, and full of personality.
THE BEDFORD LANDINGS DIFFERENCE
A More Personal Alternative to Hotels and Vacation Rentals
Bedford Landings is not trying to be an Airbnb or a standard hotel. It is a hosted bed and breakfast near Smith Mountain Lake for guests who appreciate hospitality, breakfast, local insight, and a stay that feels more personal.
You will have the privacy of your own guest room, but you will not be left to figure everything out alone. Karen and Jack are here to welcome you, answer questions, and help you make the most of your time around Smith Mountain Lake.
- Four guest rooms, each with its own personality
- Fresh breakfast served each morning
- Timber-frame common spaces for relaxing and gathering
- Hosts who know the Smith Mountain Lake area
- A special connection to aviation and fly-in guests
- A quieter, more personal alternative to hotels and vacation rentals
LOCAL CONNECTION
Rooted in the Smith Mountain Lake Community
A stay at Bedford Landings gives guests more than a place to sleep. It gives them a home base with hosts who know the Smith Mountain Lake area and enjoy helping visitors discover it.
Whether you are looking for local dining, lake activities, wineries, scenic drives, family-friendly stops, or a quieter way to spend the day, Karen and Jack can help point you toward options that fit the kind of visit you want.
That local insight is one of the quiet advantages of staying at a bed and breakfast. You are not starting from a search bar and hoping for the best. You have real people who know the area and want your stay to go well.
FLY-IN SPIRIT
A Bed & Breakfast With an Aviation Story
Bedford Landings has a special connection to aviation. Jack is a pilot and flying instructor, and the inn welcomes guests who appreciate the joy of arriving by air.
Even if you are not a pilot, that aviation spirit is part of the property’s personality — from the name Bedford Landings to the Flying Room and the sense of arrival woven throughout the guest experience.
A LITTLE PERSONALITY
Yes, You May Meet Doolittle
Bedford Landings has always had a personal, family-friendly spirit. Guests may also get to meet Doolittle, the friendly Bedford Landings dog who adds another bit of personality to the inn.
It is one more example of why Bedford Landings feels less like a transaction and more like a place with people, stories, and character.
STAY WITH US
Choose the Room That Fits Your Visit
Bedford Landings offers four guest rooms — Fishing, Forest, Flying, and Fourth — each with its own personality, private bath, and thoughtful amenities.
Whether you are planning a romantic stay, family visit, fly-in trip, fishing weekend, or quiet getaway near Smith Mountain Lake, there is a room ready for the way you travel.
The Fishing Room
A cozy fishing-inspired room with a queen bed, fireplace, private bath, and seasonal view toward Smith Mountain Lake.
The Forest Room
A peaceful nature-inspired room with a queen bed, private bath, warm timber-frame comfort, and a quiet place to unwind after exploring Smith Mountain Lake.
The Flying Room
An aviation-inspired room with a queen bed, private bath, and a welcoming place to land after the journey.
The Fourth Room
A relaxing guest room with a queen bed, private bath, and jetted tub for a little extra comfort.
About Bedford Landings — FAQs
Who owns Bedford Landings?
Bedford Landings was created and built by Karen and Jack, who continue to host guests and shape the experience of the inn.
Is Bedford Landings near Smith Mountain Lake?
Yes. Bedford Landings is a bed and breakfast near Smith Mountain Lake and a welcoming home base for guests looking to relax, explore the lake area, and enjoy nearby outdoor activities.
Is Bedford Landings lakefront?
No. Bedford Landings is not a lakefront property. There are views of Smith Mountain Lake from parts of the inn and property, but the inn should not be described as lakefront lodging.
What makes Bedford Landings different from a hotel?
Bedford Landings offers a more personal bed and breakfast experience with hosted hospitality, breakfast included, shared common spaces, local insight, and four guest rooms with individual personalities.
Is Bedford Landings like an Airbnb?
No. Bedford Landings is not trying to be an Airbnb or vacation rental. Guests have the privacy of their own room, but they also enjoy hosted hospitality, breakfast, shared common spaces, and local insight from Karen and Jack.
Can guests fly in to Bedford Landings?
Yes. Bedford Landings has a strong aviation connection and welcomes fly-in guests. A tie-down space is located within sight of the front door, making arrival especially convenient for guests flying in. Guests planning to arrive by air should coordinate arrival details in advance.
Are children welcome?
Yes. Children are welcome when supervised by parents or caregivers.
Are pets allowed?
Pets are not allowed, but trained service dogs are welcome. Bedford Landings can refer guests to local boarding options if needed.
READY TO VISIT?
Find Your Place to Land Near Smith Mountain Lake
Whether you are visiting the lake, flying in, planning a quiet getaway, or seeing family nearby, Bedford Landings offers a thoughtfully hosted bed and breakfast stay shaped by comfort, care, and local connection.
Come meet the hosts, choose your room, and enjoy a more personal way to stay near Smith Mountain Lake.
Friendly hosts · Breakfast included · Smith Mountain Lake area