Courtesy Williamsburg Area Destination Marekting Committee
Luxurious Williamsburg
In eastern Virginia, Williamsburg is nearly synonymous with history. As part of the famous “Historic Triangle” of destinations — along with Jamestown and Yorktown — this city showcases the best of early America. Its signature attraction, Colonial Williamsburg, is the country’s best living-history site.
Although you may have visited Colonial Williamsburg with your group in the past, you might not be aware of the luxury lodging, dining and other options available onsite. A great upscale experience begins at the Williamsburg Inn.
“The Williamsburg Inn is a top-notch luxury hotel,” said Priscilla Caldwell, spokesperson for the Williamsburg Area Destination Marketing Committee. “It has fewer than 100 rooms, and the Williamsburg Spa is within walking distance. The spa is in the historic area in a building that used to house a folk art center. It’s also right at the edge of the Golden Horseshoe Golf Course, one of the area’s top courses.”
For a great dinner, the inn’s Regency Room serves classical American cuisine rooted in traditional European flavors. Diners will find seasonal specialties such as crabmeat Randolph, tableside Caesar salad, pork tenderloin schnitzel and a special hazelnut ice cream cake.
Other restaurants inside the historic area give groups a tavern-style meal experience complete with reproduction silverware and staff costumed in period dress. King’s Arms Tavern, the finest of Williamsburg’s historic establishments, features dishes adapted from 18th-century recipes. Highlights include Colonial game pie, chop of shoat and a chocolate fudge torte.
Groups can find more fine cuisine experiences just outside of the historic area.
“We have the Chef’s Kitchen, a teaching kitchen where the chef cooks right in front of you,” Caldwell said. “There’s a new bistro called Mad About Chocolate that is a wonderful place for a small group to come in and experiences some fantastic cuisine. We also have the Fat Canary on Duke of Gloucester Street, which the chef opened up right next to his family’s wine and cheese shop.”
Groups visiting Williamsburg can opt for modern luxury by staying at Kingsmill Resort, a large property that features a spa, a golf course, water sports and a number of fine-dining restaurants.
Downtown Roanoke
In the western part of the state, the city of Roanoke and the surrounding Roanoke Valley have developed a modern lodging and cultural scene around the area’s railroad history.
“Our focal point for lodging is the Hotel Roanoke,” said Catherine Fox, director of tourism and communications at the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It was originally built in 1882. It has a historic designation and a wonderful interior and exterior. It was originally built by the railroad to house people who were coming in to do business. The railroad was right next door, and we still have active tracks very close today.”
This year the hotel is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its signature restaurant, the Regency Room, with a renovation that will include an upscale private dining area for groups. The restaurant is also getting a new menu that features highbrow versions of traditional Southern specialties, including peanut soup, spoon bread, bananas foster and steak Diane.
A covered walkway connects the Hotel Roanoke to the city’s historic downtown market, where groups can shop and dine at their leisure. In May, downtown will become even livelier with the opening of a new cultural facility: Center in the Square.
“We’re opening a $30 million cultural facility,” Fox said. “The lobby will have aquariums and touch screens, and on each floor, there’s a different attraction. One will house an African-American culture museum, one will have a science museum and a butterfly garden, and another will host a museum of Virginia history. We’ll also have a professional theater company there.”
For experiences that blend luxury and natural beauty, take your group to cruise portions of the Blue Ridge Parkway that run near Roanoke. In addition to historic sites and mountain scenery, visitors can stop at a number of wineries along the parkway.
“There are some unique wine experiences,” Fox said. “One that raises the bar for groups is Chateau Morrisette Winery. They have tours and tastings, as well as a restaurant that adds to the experience. It’s very close to Mabry Mill, one of the most photographed spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway.”
