VIRGINIA BEACH –- After being bought last year and closing in November, the former Virginia Beach Resort Hotel and Conference Center on Shore Drive at North Great Neck Road is in the midst of a $25 million renovation.
It is currently slated to re-open next spring as Delta Hotels by Marriott Virginia Beach Bayfront Suites.
Situated on 3.6 acres of land with 295 rooms, many overlooking the Chesapeake Bay, the 263,328-square-foot structure was bought for $19 million by Richmond-based Lingerfelt CommonWealth Partners and is getting a complete overhaul, according to Duane Gauthier, managing director of Virginia Beach-based Commonwealth Lodging.
“This area of Virginia Beach is a very family-friendly, upscale submarket that is currently underserved with the absence of quality branded hotels available,” Gauthier said. “The leisure guests who would stay here are looking for a different experience than what the resort market offers.”
He said that the “premium all suite product” will offer an array of services that will differentiate it from local competitors, including food and beverage beach service, cabana rentals by the outdoor pool, and kayak and paddleboard rentals.
The hotel offers views of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and provides vistas across the bay to the Eastern Shore. Likewise, there’s the chance to watch military and commercial ships move into and out of the bay from the ports in Norfolk.
Commonwealth Lodging was hired to serve as the management and consulting firm for the property. As such, Gauthier said the management and consulting firm will provide a focused, hands‐on management approach overseeing all aspects of the hotel operations, excellence in guest service, revenue generation, strategic direction and overall property performance.
All of the guest rooms and public spaces are being renovated and the rebranded hotel will also offer a family friendly splash pad – the kind you might see at a water park with fountains spraying children as they run through it — and a restaurant offering casual beachfront dining that will be called the Tin Cup Oyster Bar and Grill.
“In the early years the original Tin Cup was one of the most essential parts of the military issued mess kit,” Gauthier said. “It helped keep the soldiers healthy and many said the whiskey tasted much better when served from a Tin Cup.”
The restaurant will partner with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to recycle its oyster shells, which can then be used in a variety of oyster restoration projects.
Weddings will be a focus, and Gauthier said the hotel plans to host beachfront ceremonies, while also offering rentable meeting rooms with sunset views.
