Richmond
Virginia


The Experience

The Jefferson is that rare historic hotel with a strong pedigree that's also surprisingly stylish. It's been around since 1895, created by the same architectural team that did Manhattan's New York Public Library. And like the library, this magnificent structure in the heart of downtown has weathered well. It's unmistakably formal, with antique furnishings, rich tapestries and faux-marble columns that grace the luminous public areas, with the lobby crowned by a Tiffany stained-glass ceiling and a marble staircase said to be the inspiration for the one in Gone with the Wind. But there's no stuffiness here: Seeing to that is the marble statue of Thomas Jefferson himself.

The Rooms

One assumes that when Elvis, Sinatra and F. Scott Fitzgerald stayed here they lodged in suites, but the ordinary guest rooms aren't bad, either. This being a highly individual and somewhat eccentric hotel, they come in 57 different varieties, all of them flush with high ceilings, tall windows and heavy wooden furnishings. Yet they've been kept fresh and even come outfitted with Wi-Fi and modern bathrooms. Having hosted 11 U.S. heads of state, the Presidential Suite is truly presidential -- 1,800 square feet of living space filled by original antiques, a baby grand piano, three fireplaces, full kitchen, wet bar and a marble balcony from which it's not hard to imagine giving a presidential address to an enthusiastic throng on Franklin Street.

The Service

You expect great service in a hotel of this standard. But the Jefferson goes that extra mile with things like free town-car service within a three-mile radius of the hotel, staff members who endeavor to learn your name and a concierge who really does seem to know the city.

The Highlights

While laps in the skylight-filled indoor pool area are a treat, the real star here is the food. Lemaire Restaurant -- named after Thomas Jefferson's longtime maître d' and the person who introduced the art of cooking with wine to North American gastronomes -- consistently presents the finest dining in the Virginia capital. The forte is Southern cooking with classic European and contemporary American overtones -- matched with complementary wines. You'll find combinations like butter-poached gulf shrimp with a Loire Valley muscadet or herb-crusted veal paillard with a good Morgan syrah.

-- Joe Yogerst

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