Sophisticated Historical Hotel Fresh from $21 Million Renovation

When the Stonewall Jackson Hotel underwent a $21 million renovation in 2005, the goal wasn’t to get with the times: it was to preserve the past. Inside, you’ll find chandeliers and wall sconces that look as elegant as they did when the hotel first opened nearly 90 years ago. And in the restored mezzanine there’s a working 1924 Wurlitzer organ, considered to be the only one of its kind left in the world.

Though many of the hotel’s antiques are still intact, some things have changed over the years. For one, there are now multiple onsite restaurants. Next to the Colonnade Ballroom is Sorrel's restaurant, which serves inventive Southern cuisine. The restaurant has a rotating menu that incorporates organic herbs and veggies grown in the hotel’s rooftop garden. Come morning, you can head to 24 Market Restaurant, where a weekend buffet includes omelet and waffle stations. Just around the corner from the hotel, Shenandoah Pizza makes more than 20 kinds of gourmet pizza to go along with 200 beers.

Elsewhere, the lobby now boasts a vibrant cocktail lounge, and there’s a heated indoor swimming pool, a whirlpool, and a fitness center. You'll even find a new wing of guest rooms; all of the two-queen rooms are situated here. The king rooms are located in the historic wing; they have more modest, consistent decor than the two-queen rooms.

Staunton, Virginia: Trolleys, Shakespeare, and Woodrow Wilson

Located 90 minutes from Richmond and two hours from Washington, DC, Staunton sits in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. Free trolley buses run along the town’s historic main street, just steps from the Stonewall Jackson Hotel. The American Shakespeare Center is also nearby; it puts on the bard’s popular plays throughout the year.

Staunton is the birthplace of Woodrow Wilson, America’s 28th president, and the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum displays exhibits from his life, including personal artifacts, photographs, and prank telegrams sent to foreign heads of state.

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