In Country: Virginia’s Hotel Petersburg to Reopen Next Month
By • November 13, 2024 0 21
After decades of dormancy in the wake of a destructive 1969 fire, the historic Hotel Petersburg, located at 20 West Tabb St. in Petersburg, Virginia, will reopen as part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection on Dec. 5.
The work of Virginia architect Charles M. Robinson — who also designed buildings at James Madison University, the University of Richmond and William & Mary — the six-story hotel opened in 1916. During its heyday, Hotel Petersburg was a community hotspot, frequented by tourists and local politicians alike.
In hopes of restoring the property to its former glory, Petersburg native Nat Cuthbert bought the property in 2017, marking the beginning of a seven-year, $13.5-million renovation.
Amid this massive undertaking, Hotel Petersburg partnered with Retro Hospitality, a Richmond-based consulting firm that specializes in transforming historic properties into boutique hotels.
“The service that they provide and the support that they’ve been for the Hotel Petersburg team has been unmatched,” Director of Sale Erika Montenegro told The Georgetowner. “You know, they are a small hospitality company, but they’re growing and they’ve got the right idea in mind. They are collaborating with investors to bring unique hotels to Virginia.”
Hotel Petersburg is also partnering with Historic Hotels of America, an official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
As for the renovations themselves, the hotel’s new facilities will include an outdoor courtyard, a restaurant, a rooftop lounge and a whiskey bar called the Boiler Room.
“The Boiler Room is going to have this speakeasy feel, so that’ll be a nice touch for once the rooftop is no longer the preferred area because of the seasonality,” Montenegro said.
In addition to attracting the attention of tourists, Hotel Petersburg hopes to become a beloved venue for city residents. One way the hotel plans to accomplish this is by developing relationships with local businesses.
“For our breakfast, we are going to be using one of the local bakeries to provide the pastries, so it’s going to feed into the economy in Petersburg,” Montenegro said. “We’re excited about being able to just really keep the bond with our local entrepreneurs here in Petersburg, and about being able to offer them a place to showcase their talents.”
More information about Hotel Petersburg’s history and amenities can be found at thehotelpetersburg.com. The hotel is currently accepting reservations for Jan. 4 and beyond at hilton.com.
