A gated wall, murals of the Battle of Williamsburg, a waterfall, renovated rooms and an outdoor kitchen serving Civil War-era fare are among several renovations to be implemented in the coming years at Fort Magruder Hotel & Conference Center.
The 303-room hotel opened in 1974 along Pocahontas Trail on the edge of James City County’s eastern border with Williamsburg. It is close to the historic Fort Magruder — a fort that saw combat during the 1862 Battle of Williamsburg — and the hotel’s new owners have planned the history-themed upgrades to coincide with a general upgrade of the 40-year-old building.
“We’re looking to bring it back to a local staple,” General Manager Reg Marvin Jr. said in an interview.
He said he wants the Fort Magruder Hotel & Conference Center to be a place locals use for family events, weddings and conferences while also serving as a destination for out-of-town visitors.
Marvin said the current plan is to implement these changes by the end of 2015. During 2016, the hotel’s 303 rooms will be revamped with new carpet, paint, appliances and vanities. After that work is complete, the hotel’s 36,000 square feet of conference center will receive similar upgrades.
To bring the history-focused vision to fruition, the hotel will update its exterior to look the part of a fort: The main entrance for vehicles off Pocahontas Trail will bring visitors through a tall gate connected to a wall running along the front of the property.
Landscaping work is planned for the exterior, too. The lone cannon in the grass in the parking area by the front of the hotel will be elevated on a lighted platform, while a bare brick wall along the front of the building will be adorned with a waterfall.
Once inside, visitors will find the current beige-walled, carpeted interior of the bar and family-style buffet restaurant replaced with a new interior, emphasizing sections of hardwood floor and repainted walls. All of the furniture will also be replaced.
Marvin said the family-style restaurant will be joined by a fine-dining restaurant, though menu details are still being worked out. There will also be the outdoor Civil War-era kitchen, where visitors can “get a feel for what it was like back then,” Marvin said.
The kitchen will allow guests to watch as period-inspired dishes are cooked and then to sample the dishes. The specifics of what those dishes will include are still being worked out.
“We want it to be a unique experience you can’t find somewhere else,” he said.
The bar area will grow larger as a result of the renovations. It will also gain wooden floors and a more intimate atmosphere than the open range of tables and chairs currently in place. A room next to the bar currently used as an office will be converted to a game room, with offerings like a pool table and darts. The children’s game room will receive new video games.
Visitors who enter the hotel through its main entrance are currently greeted by a wall and a hallway. That will be replaced with a large painting of Generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee embracing. The entrance area will also feature a lounge area, where tea will be served in the afternoon and drinks will be served at night in what’s called the “Whiskey Bar.”
In the main lobby, two rows of three murals each depicting scenes from the Battle of Williamsburg will be installed along a broad three-story wall in the lobby. The interior of the lobby will also be rebuilt with new floors, furniture and decorations.
The hotel will remain open while the work is underway.
