Celebrating the last hurrah to summer? Cape May in New Jersey is a great choice. It’s actually my favorite beach town in America, which I wrote about in this post. If you decide to go there, The Virginia Hotel is a lovely property with its own dedicated beach area and services.
This small, impossibly chic boutique hotel is housed in a gorgeous Victorian style building distinctive to Cape May. We were there last summer during my emergency beach getaway and had an amazing time.
Built after the horrific fire of 1878 that destroyed much of the town, the hotel, originally named The Ebbitt House, was popular among the fashionable set from Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia who sought a seaside refuge from oppressive summer heat in their cities. The hotel was later extensively renovated and reopened in 1989.
Pre-arrival concierge services
When I saw the pictures of The Virginia Hotel on its website for the first time, I was blown away. It was so cute! After reading the reviews, I made a reservation and was excited for the trip. I don’t remember exactly, but it was either the day I made the reservation or the day after that I received a phone call from the hotel asking if I wanted to make a reservation for dinner at their restaurant, The Ebbitt Room, or any other restaurants, or book any activities during my stay.
I was pleasantly surprised by the call. I mean, they cared so much about my experience that they took the time to ask if I wanted to book anything in advance to ensure 100% relaxation as they often mentioned on their website. That was excellent service for me. So I made a dinner reservation at the Ebbitt Room, which had some rave reviews. I later learned the call was part of their pre-arrival concierge services. I’d never heard of it until now.
Included in the room rate was breakfast and valet parking. So when we got there, we just parked right in front of the building and the car was taken care of.
Beautiful hotel
The hotel itself was so cute in white and baby blue with white gingerbread trim. The front porch was part of the restaurant and filled with French café chairs and tables with white cloth. I made a mental note to grab a drink and just relax at one of the tables.
The period décor carried on inside but with modern touches. I particular loved the lobby area decorated with velvet green seating, leopard print wallpaper, red arm chairs, fireplace, and bamboo shades. The stairway had a beautiful stain glass. Our room was charming, and the bed was comfortable.
We had dinner and breakfast there, and the food was delicious. What I also loved about the hotel is the dedicated beach area about a block or two from the hotel and complimentary loungers, umbrellas, and towels. Not having to bring our own beach gear was definitely a plus. With everything taken care of, our stay was indeed 100% relaxation.
