Welcome back to another Monday night in Farmville! In this week’s blog, we are going to journey down to The Historic Weyanoke Hotel. This hotel is very historic and has lots of history involved. In this week’s blog, you will find out more about the history of The Weyanoke Hotel and many different food options it also brought along with the renovation! Let’s take a look at this video to see some of the changes.
The first time that I saw the hotel, I was a freshman that had just arrived at Longwood University. The outside of the hotel looked mostly abandon with no curb appeal. I had many friends who lived in the hotel. The hotel was used by the previous owner as student housing. The hotel consists of four floors and each floor consisted of a sorority. Five years ago, the property was bought for $950,000 and sold to two developers in Richmond. The developers, Ross Fickenscher and Garrett Shifflett, the developers couldn’t decide what they wanted to do with the property righ then, so they let the sororities continue out the housing.
During my sophomore year, the girls had to make it there last year at the hotel. The hotel began renovation as soon as graduation happened in May of 2016. The developers wanted to bring the hotel back to the original 1920’s feel with modern touches. The hotel hosted several politicians, celebrities and events, including an annual Lion Club Convention in the late 1920s that was attended by Helen Keller.
The hotel construction took 18 months and boasted 70 rooms, with 27 of those in the original hotel, and the remaining in the new wing of the hotel. The Hotel was officially opened in May of 2018 and was welcomed very warmly by the Town of Farmville. The town held a 2,500-person parade to welcome the business into the community.
*Click the photo above, with the hotel doggy Squirt, to take you to the Virginia.org website about the hotel*
Now is the time you have been waiting to get to, the details on what went on during construction of course!
The hotel has 70 rooms with four different styles. Below is a list of the four different styles. For more information on the rooms, click on the photo below of the Cumberland Wing Two Room Suite.
*Click Photo Above*
-Historic Building Guestrooms ( Located in the 1925 hisoric building, enjoy views of the Longwood University campus or the historic downtown)
-Cumberland Wing Guestrooms ( Located in the newly added building offering suites, king or double queen rooms most with balconies)
-Cumberland Wing Junior Suites (Spoil yourself in the studio suite that features one king bed, free Wi-Fi, mini-fridge, flat-screen TV, spacious bathroom and a sitting area. Some suites also offer a private balcony with sweeping city-scape views)
-Cumberland Wing Two Room Suites (Enjoy the creature comforts of a separate master bedroom offering a King size bed, a separate living room and dining area. Some suites offer a balcony for viewing the cityscapes of Farmville)
*Click the photo above to take you to The Hotel Weyanoke Facebook Page*
The hotel has two restaurants, a rooftop bar, and a coffee shop. When you get up in the morning, you can head downstairs to get a fresh cup of coffee. For lunch you can enjoy coal-fired artisan pizza at Effingham’s. For dinner, enjoy Italian and scratch-made pasta at Campagna’s. After dinner head on up to Catbird, the only rooftop bar in Farmville.
Sassafras- Wake up with a freshly-brewed cup of coffee, a latte, and pastries fresh from the oven. Enjoy a relaxing lunch in the café with hearty sandwiches, wraps and deserts. Grab a snack or a coffee drink to go from our outdoor pick-up window in downtown Farmville.
Effingham’s- Nosh on artisan grilled pizzas made in the wood-fire oven. Enjoy hearty sandwiches, fresh salads and delicious desserts in the casual vibe of our modern pizzeria and market. Our menu is created from family recipes and highlight the freshest local ingredients we can find.
Campagna- Savor Italian cuisine in a sophisticated ambiance of our modern kitchen and wine bar. Enjoy home-made pastas paired with your favorite red, white, or rose. Enjoy simple Italian cooking made with local ingredients, produce and meats at this destination restaurant in central Virginia.
The Catbird- Head up to our hip rooftop bar and lounge for panoramic views of Farmville and a cool nightlife scene. Sip hand-crafted cocktails, craft beers and wine while enjoying tapas and small plates. This is the perfect place to gather, celebrate and enjoy life above our historic town.
Click the photo below to take you to a photo album courtesy of The Weyanoke Hotel. This album has photos of the rooms, dining options, and food.
