Adding Spa to the Agenda
The 296-room Lansdowne Resort is offering a new group spa program at its Spa Minerale (left), a 12,000-square-foot facility overlooking the Potomac River. Menu options include conveniently short 25-minute treatments, yoga and Pilates wellness workshops, and an option to have spa therapists come to the meeting room for simple on-site treatments, like massages and hand reflexology. (703) 729-8400;
lansdowneresort.com
At the end of this month, the 168-room Salamander Resort will open in Middleburg, featuring a 22,000-square-foot spa and wellness center set among Virginia's wine country. The facility offers 14 treatment rooms, an infinity edge spa pool, a spa suite for couples and a fitness center. (866) 938-7370; salamanderresort.com
The 483-room Omni Homestead in Hot Springs unveiled its new Canyon Ranch SpaClub in July as part of the property's $25 million renovation. The 60,000-square-foot facility includes 28 treatment rooms and features stone massages and restorative mineral body treatments. (540) 839-1766; thehomestead.com
Coastal Virginia Updates
The Hampton Inn & Suites Newport News completed a $3 million renovation in April. Upgrades include new furnishings in all 120 guest rooms, an update of the property's 850 square feet of meeting space and a renovation of the pool deck.
The 182-room Omni Newport News is now the Magnuson Hotel and Convention Center at Oyster Point following a rebranding in March. A $102.2 million expansion is planned that will add 300 guest rooms, a parking garage and a 70,000-square-foot water park. The property features more than 15,000 square feet of meeting space.
A $126 million hotel and conference center has been approved by the Norfolk City Council. The project, slated to be completed in 2017, will include a 300-room luxury hotel as well as a 50,000-square-foot conference center. It is estimated that the complex will generate about $2 million in new revenue annually for the city.
In Chesapeake, the former Country Inn & Suites has become the Baymont Inn & Suites. Features include 82 guest rooms, an indoor pool, a Jacuzzi, a fitness center, free wireless Internet and one meeting room that can accommodate up to 20 people.
The 90-room Best Western Plus Portsmouth-Chesapeake completed a renovation and rebranding this past March. The property includes a 24-hour exercise facility, free wireless Internet and a business center.
Meeting Hotels
Properties in Chesapeake include the 226-room Norfolk Marriott Chesapeake Hotel, 136-room Aloft Chesapeake, 132-room Springhill Suites Chesapeake Greenbrier, 124-room Comfort Suites, 119-room Hyatt Place Chesapeake/Greenbrier and 118-room Hampton Inn Chesapeake/Greenbrier.
Properties in Hampton include the 289-room Best Western Plus Coliseum & Suites and 178-room Crowne Plaza Hampton Marina.
In Newport News are the 256-room Newport News Marriott City Center, 182-room Magnuson Hotel and Convention Center at Oyster Point, and 150-room Point Plaza Suites at City Center.
Properties in Norfolk include the 468-room Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, 405-room Norfolk Waterside Marriott, 247-room Hilton Norfolk Airport and 204-room Crowne Plaza Norfolk.
To find and compare hotels and send RFPs, go to mcvenues.com.
Convention Centers
Hampton Roads Convention Center; exhibit space, approximately 320,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 33; (757) 722-1222; visithampton.com/hrcc
Norfolk Scope; exhibit space, approximately 85,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 17; (757) 664-6464; bit.ly/183I9LV
Hampton Coliseum; total exhibit space, 84,827 square feet; number of meeting rooms, three; (757) 838-5650; hamptoncoliseum.org
Airport Transit
Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport, about 13 miles from downtown Newport News and downtown Hampton. Transfer cost by taxi to Hampton Roads Convention Center, $25. Transfer cost by tax to downtown Newport News, $30
Norfolk International Airport, about 10 miles from downtown Norfolk. Transfer cost by taxi, $17-20
A Taste of the Boardwalk
The Virginia Beach Boardwalk recently was named one of the top boardwalks in the U.S. by
Oyster.com. The three-mile-long stretch originally was built in 1888 and is lined with surfside restaurants. A few eateries of note:
Tautog's Restaurant at Winston's Cottage
Set in a quaint 1920s coastal cottage, Tautog's offers fresh seafood served in a cozy and casual atmosphere. The venue's creative menu includes crab-topped nachos, mussels steamed with lemon and jalapeno, and potato-chip-encrusted mahi. The restaurant is available for parties and events of up to 100 people. (757) 422-0081;
tautogs.comZoe's
Just steps from the boardwalk, Zoe's is well known in the area for its blue crab mac and cheese, which combines lump crab meat, cavatappi pasta and three types of cheese. A private dining area is available for parties of up to 16. (757) 437-3636; zoesvb.com
Salacia
Having been bestowed with an AAA 4-diamond designation in 2012, Salacia offers an upscale steak-house experience overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. An extensive raw bar features local Virginia oysters, tuna tartare and scallop ceviche, while steak options range from buttery Wagyu cuts to a 22-ounce bone-in ribeye. (757) 213-3473; salaciavb.com
Taxes
Chesapeake: room tax, 8%; sales tax, 6%; total tax on hotel rooms, 14% plus $1 per room, per night
Hampton: local tax, 8%; state tax, 5%; total tax on hotel rooms, 13%
Newport News: local tax, 8%; state tax, 6%; total tax on hotel rooms, 14%
Norfolk: local tax, 8%; state tax, 5%; total tax on hotel rooms, 13% plus $2 per room, per night
Group Venues
The Lee Hall Mansion in Newport News once served as the headquarters for Confederate generals during the Civil War. Though the venerable mansion itself is not available for rentals, the surrounding grounds can host groups of up to 100. (757) 888-3371; leehall.org
Built in 1908 as the summer home for prominent New York textile merchants, the Hermitage Museum and Gardens in Norfolk now features 12 acres of gardens and an extensive art collection. The estate sits along the Lafayette River and offers several outdoor areas that can host up to 250 people. (757) 423-2052; thehermitagemuseum.org
The Virginia Air & Space Museum in Hampton offers space for up to 2,000 guests among a variety of air and spacecraft on display, including the Apollo 12 Command Module, which orbited the moon in 1969. (757) 727-0900; vasc.org
Contact
Visit Chesapeake, (757) 502-4898; visitchesapeake.com
Hampton Convention & Visitors Bureau, (757) 722-1222; visithampton.com
Newport News Tourism Development Office, (757) 926-1400; newport-news.org
VisitNorfolk, (757) 664-6620; visitnorfolktoday.com