Iconic 1927 Virginia hotel to reopen with 6,200sq ft spa
– Suzanne Garcia
Historic American hotel The Cavalier will reopen in early 2018 after a US$75m (€63m, £56m) restoration.
Built in 1927 and overlooking the Atlantic on one of the highest hills in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the hotel was inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate.
The property is being redeveloped by Gold Key PHR and will become the latest venue in Marriott’s Autograph Collection.
Part of the redevelopment will include a 6,200sq ft (575sq m) spa with nine treatment rooms.
The SeaHill Spa will feature a hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room, Himalayan salt room and a Serenity Lounge.
A signature hydrotherapy room includes a Spa Capsule with heat, steam, light and aromatherapy, while another room includes a Gharieni MLX Quartz treatment table. There are also two couple's suites, including one with a soaking tub, a full-service salon and a spa retail boutique.
“I’m excited to bring this level of guest service, the newest technology and spa luxury to our market here in Virginia Beach,” said Suzanne Garcia, president and CEO of SeaHill Spa at The Cavalier.
The spa will use a neutral, warm-toned and satin-finished wood in its architectural detailing, which is designed to create a natural balance to the clear finish of milk-glass tile, limestone, historic ceramics and blackened iron of the historic pool railings. Curved lines are used to evoke a sense of relaxation.
The Cavalier’s restoration began in 2014 and has been overseen by Norfolk, Virginia-based architecture firm Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas.
The remodelling brings to life many of the original Neo-Classical features, including exterior pedestals and finials and a portico with classical columns. The original windows were hand-salvaged and, inside, the original plaster ornamentation, terrazzo flooring and painted ceilings were reconditioned to historical accuracy.
“The word ‘cavalier’ can refer to someone elegant and gentlemanly, or it can be used to describe a relaxed, carefree attitude,” said lead architect Greg Rutledge.
“As we started working on our plans for the hotel, we thought it would be exciting to play off both meanings. All of the careful restoration work we are doing will certainly bring back the property to its original charm and stateliness, but we’ve thrown in some modern twists into the design as well that we feel will make The Cavalier a sought-out, modern vacation destination once again.”
The original hotel design had 195 bedrooms, which have been reconfigured to create 85 more spacious rooms and suites, each of which has been individually designed with historically precise materials to reflect a famous guest or notable event from the hotel’s past.
The new distillery will include a tasting room, tours, and an opportunity for guests to create and distil their own barrels, as well as to purchase The Cavalier’s signature bourbon, gin and vodka made on site.
Seahill Spa Cavalier Hotel Virginia Beach Monticello Suzanne Garcia Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas Greg RutledgeEurope's premier Evian Spa unveiled at Hôtel Royal in France
Clinique La Prairie unveils health resort in China after two-year project
GoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
Four Seasons announces luxury wellness resort and residences at Amaala
Aman sister brand Janu debuts in Tokyo with four-floor urban wellness retreat
€38m geothermal spa and leisure centre to revitalise Croatian city of Bjelovar
Two Santani eco-friendly wellness resorts coming to Oman, partnered with Omran Group
Kerzner shows confidence in its Siro wellness hotel concept, revealing plans to open 100
Ritz-Carlton, Portland unveils skyline spa inspired by unfolding petals of a rose
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners are just one of the names behind The Emory hotel London and Surrenne private members club
Peninsula Hot Springs unveils AUS$11.7m sister site in Australian outback
IWBI creates WELL for residential programme to inspire healthy living environments
Conrad Orlando unveils water-inspired spa oasis amid billion-dollar Evermore Resort complex
Studio A+ realises striking urban hot springs retreat in China's Shanxi Province
Populous reveals plans for major e-sports arena in Saudi Arabia
Wake The Tiger launches new 1,000sq m expansion
Othership CEO envisions its urban bathhouses in every city in North America
Merlin teams up with Hasbro and Lego to create Peppa Pig experiences
SHA Wellness unveils highly-anticipated Mexico outpost
One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
'World's largest' indoor ski centre by 10 Design slated to open in 2025
Murrayshall Country Estate awarded planning permission for multi-million-pound spa and leisure centre
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
King of Bhutan unveils masterplan for Mindfulness City, designed by BIG, Arup and Cistri
Rural locations are the next frontier for expansion for the health club sector
Tonik Associates designs new suburban model for high-end Third Space health and wellness club
Aman sister brand Janu launching in Tokyo in 2024 with design by Denniston's Jean-Michel Gathy
Bionic leaves, breathable metals and selfgrowing bricks... Biomimicry in architecture has come a long way. Christopher DeWolf takes a look at the latest advances