The “hotel that made Virginia Beach famous” will soon be emerging from a $75 million, three-year restoration and reopening its oceanfront doors to group business. The Cavalier Hotel, which debuted in 1927 and is a member of the National Register of Historic Places, will feature 63 guest rooms and 22 suites with décor that is inspired by its heritage, three signature restaurants and bars, and a 6,000-square-foot spa.
The hotel, which will reopen as a luxury-class member of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, also is the only historic hotel in the U.S. that houses a fully operating distillery, including a tasting room where guests can sip its bourbons, rye whiskeys, and vodka. For those who prefer to sip alfresco, it also has an on-site beach club with sundeck, cabanas, an oceanfront bar, an infinity pool, and secluded beach access.
Among its 3,700-plus square feet of meeting and event spaces is the Cavalier’s Grand Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 228 seated guests and comes with an attached foyer and an outdoor terrace. For more intimate events, the property has two smaller salons of approximately 650 square feet that can also be combined into a single space. There also is more than 5,000 square feet of outdoor event venues, including porches, lawns, the Magnolia Garden, and a stage for bands or speakers. The meeting spaces all are designed to pair historic luxury with modern technology, including multiple drop-down projectors and screens; 90-inch, wall-mounted Smart displays; and complimentary, non-dedicated Wi-Fi throughout the property.
Larger groups can buy-out the entire property—including the restaurants, outdoor gardens, and beach club—while smaller groups can purchase complete floors of guest rooms.
