2009 Williamsburg Inn - Colonial Williamsburg

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WILLIAMSBURG INN – PAGE 2 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.
WILLIAMSBURG INN – PAGE 3 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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2009 Williamsburg Inn - Colonial Williamsburg

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