2009 Williamsburg Inn - Colonial Williamsburg

THE WILLIAMSBURG INN PERSONIFIES ROCKEFELLER’S VISION
WITH RESPECT FOR THE PAST AND RELEVANCE FOR THE FUTURE
The Williamsburg Inn, the landmark property conceived and built by John D. Rockefeller
Jr. and opened in April 1937, remains today the crown jewel of Colonial Williamsburg Hotels.
Guided by the Inn’s rich history and strong sense of place, and led by an accomplished team
of architects, craftsmen and artisans faithful to Mr. Rockefeller’s original vision, the Inn’s
meticulous renovation in 2001 brought refreshed vibrancy and elegance to the comfortable
Virginia country estate for discriminating guests.
Generations of guests consider the hotel their beloved “second home” with timehonored
traditions and unchanged style. Hand-plastered ceilings and restored ornamental
ceiling moldings re-created by master craftsmen from as far away as Vermont reflect the
strict adherence to Rockefeller’s fundamental vision.
Rooms with a Better View
A review of Rockefeller’s correspondence reveals strong views on the subject of
comfort, about which he wrote, “I shall not be happy to go forward with the Williamsburg Inn
until I feel that the most possible has been made of each room as regards comfort,
convenience and charm.” Not surprisingly, the Williamsburg Inn was the first hotel in
America to have central air-conditioning.
In keeping with Rockefeller’s vision, the guest rooms are spectacularly appointed with
the focus on providing the most luxurious guest experience possible. The number of guest
rooms within the Inn was reduced by more than one-third, from 100 to 62, allowing both
guest rooms and bathrooms to be significantly enlarged.
Historians and archivists poured over documents and artifacts in an effort to replicate
everything from period wallpaper and window treatments to floor finishes and furniture
arrangement. To ensure authenticity, no detail was considered too small during the
renovation, including hand-plastering ceilings throughout the Inn’s public spaces, selecting
original historical paint colors and hand-brushing the guest room doors to replicate original
painting techniques. Additional enhancements comfortably relocated the concierge in what
originally was the Inn’s library. The gift shop now is more convenient to guests and
additional meeting rooms beckon with refined function space. Passionate about providing

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21st-century travelers with the utmost in every detail, hotel archivists indulged their art by
preserving one original guest room with twin beds, a powerful visual reminder of the
standard of luxury more than six decades ago.
The Essence of Elegance
The Williamsburg Inn opened in 1937. Completed in just one year, the Inn was
necessitated by the early, immediate success of the adjacent Historic Area, today a 301-acre
living interpretation of colonial Virginia’s history. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
restored the town to its 18th-century splendor beginning in 1926 under the direction of
Williamsburg rector and historian Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin and Rockefeller, who was so inspired
by Goodwin’s passion for the project that he became a partner.
Because so many visitors to Colonial Williamsburg were personal friends of Rockefeller
and his wife, Abby Aldrich, the couple became involved in every aspect of the Inn’s design,
construction and furnishings. They felt strongly that the Inn should be as unlike a traditional
hotel as possible, preferring the furnishings and décor to have the ambience of a gracious
country residence. Working with renowned Boston architect William Perry, they designed and
decorated the Inn in the Regency style of early 19th-century England and took an interest in
every detail, traveling throughout Europe in search of furnishings and even having a
“sample” guest room built and furnished at Rockefeller Center in New York City so that they
could visualize the décor. When it opened, the Williamsburg Inn was without peer among
American luxury hotels. A newspaper editorial in the local “Virginia Gazette” summed it up
best, noting that those who had visited the new Inn “have only the highest praise for this
fine addition…we have yet to hear of anything like it anywhere, not even in Europe.”
Singular Style, Inside and Out
The Inn’s architectural style was specifically chosen in contrast to the colonial
architecture of the neighboring Historic Area. Its striking whitewashed brick façade,
intentionally underplayed so as not to appear too massive, is marked by a generous balcony
with tall Ionic columns, wrought-iron railing and a graceful arched portico entrance. Then
and now, the Regency style is evident in neoclassical architectural features ranging from
interior cornices and chair rails to the exterior’s pediments, arches and columns.
Throughout the Inn, painstaking research has preserved historical authenticity to the
smallest details. Room amenities such as the guest services book, door hangers and
postcards, feature vintage photographs and handwritten text. The guest services directory
resembles an intimate period scrapbook in a raw-silk fabric binder.

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Imaginative touches such as these are the work of the Inn’s former interior designer,
Susan Winther, who joined the hotel in 1976 as an apprentice to the legendary Eleanor
Duncan. Well-known for her attention to historical accuracy, Winther directed every aspect of
the 2001 renovation, from re-upholstering and refinishing to collaborating with Schumacher,
Colonial Williamsburg’s licensee representative for document textiles, to replicate the Inn’s
original wallpapers. Today, head interior designer Cheryl Griggs — who worked alongside
Winther since 1988 — continues Winther’s passion for authenticity and attention to detail as
she oversees design elements for the Inn.
The Inn’s guest rooms are exquisitely decorated in three distinctive styles: floral,
classic and restoration. All rooms feature period furnishings of Honduras mahogany (many
pieces are original to the hotel), original artwork and the handmade silk window treatments
that have been a Williamsburg Inn signature for decades. Handcrafted in a Colonial
Williamsburg workshop, they feature rich silk fabrics, luxurious trim and delicate handmade
tassels. Complementing the floor-to-ceiling window treatments are beautifully upholstered
easy chairs in silk damask. With comfort the primary consideration, rooms feature king or
queen beds with luxurious bed linens, night spreads and an evening turndown tray that
neatly presents the guest service directory, daily activity sheet and room service breakfast
menu. Rooms offer views of the golf course, lawn bowling, gardens, the Historic Area,
courtyards, and some feature canopy beds with separate sitting and working areas.
While the rooms are rich in history, with many original furnishings, fixtures and finishes,
hotel amenities also address the contemporary needs of 21st-century travelers. If he were
alive today, Rockefeller surely would applaud the addition of more spacious writing desks
and two-line telephones and delight in the convenience of the concierge staff and 24-hour
room service.
The guest bathrooms are extraordinarily spacious and feature twin marble vanities,
Italian marble-enclosed soaking bathtubs and large marble showers in shades of salmon and
rose. Bath amenities include hairdryers, lighted magnifying mirror and plush terrycloth
bathrobes.
Even the Inn’s corridors received painstaking attention to detail. They feature a
custom-made Wilton weave carpet with patterns in cream, coffee, cocoa and black. Adorning
the walls are original John James Audubon prints of birds and animals, donated to Colonial
Williamsburg by two generations of guests and longtime supporters.
Throughout the Inn, the work of floral designer Clark Taggart and his team of florists
is evident from the moment guests enter the lobby. Trained at the National Trust of
Scotland’s Threave, Taggart’s ingenuity and sense of style add elegance to every hallway and
public space, reflecting the colors of the Inn and themes of the seasons.

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Given the strong connection that many guests feel to the Williamsburg Inn, gifts are
not unusual, including an exquisite 19th-century tall clock located near the lobby, a gift from
a frequent guest. Some of the Inn’s most cherished gifts are those from Mr. and Mrs. John D.
Rockefeller Jr., including Chinese porcelain vases and urns from his distinguished collection
and American folk art paintings from her celebrated collection.
Noteworthy Visitors
The Inn’s guest rooms offer insight into its “who’s who” guest register, which is
sprinkled with the names of royalty, heads of state, military leaders and celebrities from all
over the world. A number of guest rooms feature a framed photo and background
information about a famous guest who has stayed at the Williamsburg Inn, including Queen
Elizabeth II and Prince Philip – in 1957 and again in 2007 – Sir Winston Churchill, General
Dwight Eisenhower, President and Mrs. George H.W. Bush, Emperor Hirohito of Japan,
Shirley Temple (both as a child star and as an adult), Christopher Plummer, Bill Cosby, Tom
Selleck, Jane Pauley and Garry Trudeau, Lady Margaret Thatcher, Al Roker, Willard Scott and
Matt Lauer to name a few. In 1983, the Inn was the site of the historic International Summit
of Industrialized Nations. Hosted by President Ronald Reagan, the summit brought together
eight world leaders: Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau of Canada; Chancellor Helmut Kohl of
Germany; President Francois Mitterrand of France; Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone of
Japan; Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of Great Britain; Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani of
Italy; and President Gaston Thorn of the European Community.
Culinary Excellence Second to None
The Williamsburg Inn’s culinary team serves the elegant Regency Room, as well as
the Restoration Bar and Terrace Room, catering and room service. The Inn’s history reveals
a prominent succession of masterful chefs that has delighted heads of state, celebrities and
VIP guests.
One of the Inn’s most serene spaces, the Regency Room incorporates period design
elements from the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, England. Located in the Inn’s West Wing, the
Regency Room’s design details include palm-leafed columns, crystal chandeliers, rich silk
draperies and leather-upholstered furniture. Reminiscent of the rooms in the Brighton
Pavilion, the walls feature hand-painted oriental panels with a tree of life design of peonies
and birds. Appropriately, the room’s striking garden and lawn views are evocative of the
English countryside. The dinnerware includes Bernardaud china and hand-stitched Garnier
Thiebaut table linens.

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The food is as impressive as the décor. The Regency Room celebrates classic
American cuisine with traditional European roots. Although the menu changes seasonally,
some house specialties are Chateaubriand, crabmeat Randolph, queen’s scallops, grilled gulf
shrimp, a nightly seafood selection using the Virginia bounty, and the all-time dessert
favorite Williamsburg Inn hazelnut ice cream cake with marinated strawberries and Kahlua
fudge sauce. Perhaps there is no better way to start the day than with a Williamsburg Inn
breakfast such as a Regency omelet or cinnamon crusted French toast.
The Terrace Room, a warm setting with large windows that view the Inn terrace,
plays host to afternoon tea served seasonally. Custom blends of tea made exclusively for the
Williamsburg Inn accompany an assortment of freshly baked scones, finger sandwiches and
pastries, as well as champagne, sparkling cider or port, and the soothing strings of a harp.
The intimate Restoration Bar is a handsome, clubby gathering spot for cocktails and
conversation. Its walls are trimmed with hand-tooled gilded leather from the Governor’s
Palace and display architectural renderings of the Historic Area restoration. The adjacent
Terrace Room also is an evening retreat for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and light fare.
The West Wing’s Rockefeller Room and Goodwin Room are offered for private functions,
including weddings. In the East Wing, the elegant East Lounge, site of the historic 1983
International Summit of Industrialized Nations, is a refined space for hotel guests to enjoy.
One of the most striking features within the Inn’s East Wing is the sweeping Queen’s
Staircase, which has been a focal point for generations of visitors. The spiral staircase is so
named because Queen Elizabeth II was photographed while descending it on her way to
dinner during her visit in 1957, in honor of the 350th anniversary of the settlement of
Jamestown.
Award-Winning Golf and Recreation
Rockefeller showed considerable foresight when choosing a location for the
Williamsburg Inn, selecting a site on the south side of Francis Street, just beyond the
boundary of the Historic Area, which would ensure sufficient space for the Inn to become a
complete, self-contained resort destination. He saw to it that one of the Inn’s first
recreational amenities was a nine-hole, 2,755-yard golf course designed by Scotsman Fred
Findlay and opened in 1947. Colonial Williamsburg added a second course in 1963 that
spreads over 125 acres of rolling hills. Today a favorite destination for golfers, the Inn claims
the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club with two 18-hole championship courses and a nine-hole
executive course. The signature Golden Horseshoe Gold Course was designed by master golf
course architect Robert Trent Jones Sr., who has called the 18-hole layout his finest design.
He also reconfigured Findlay’s original course to create the nine-hole Golden Horseshoe

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Spotswood Course. In 1991, Colonial Williamsburg opened its second championship course,
the Golden Horseshoe Green Course, an 18-hole links-style course reminiscent of the courses
of Scotland and designed by Jones Sr.’s son, Rees Jones.
In addition to golf, the Williamsburg Inn offers guests a variety of recreational offerings,
including tennis on eight courts, lawn bowling, biking, croquet, swimming pools and The Spa of
Colonial Williamsburg, a full-service spa with 12 treatment rooms, men’s and women’s locker
rooms, private lounges, a conservatory salon, indoor pool, steam room, sauna, lap pool and
fitness center.
The Williamsburg Inn is a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
Historic Hotels of America and Leading Small Hotels of the World. The Inn is operated by the
Foundation’s subsidiary, the Colonial Williamsburg Company. All revenues support the
Foundation’s preservation, research and educational programs.
— CWF —
Media Contact:
Barbara Brown
(757) 220-7280
www.colonialwilliamsburgresort.com
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