As a Richmond native, I have stayed in The Jefferson Hotel many times for special occasions, including my wedding night. I agree with other reviewers that as the hotel ages, some of the details in the guest rooms appear to be overlooked. There are scuff marks on the walls and some carpets have stains. However, the architecture and ambience of the expansive lobby and common areas of this hotel continue to amaze me. This is truly a Grand Hotel. It is said that the staircase which leads from the lower level to the main lobby was designed to look like the famous staircase from "Gone With The Wind". Many a bride has had her picture taken here. The best time to come to The Jefferson is at Christmas time when the hotel puts a giant tree in the center of the lobby, and various local performing arts groups sing and entertain the guests. Overall, the elegance of this hotel rivels any I have ever seen. The Jefferson Hotel is, and hopefully will always be, a Richmond tradition.

I stayed here with my two teenage boys while we were in town for a lacrosse tournament. We booked a deluxe double. It was a fairly nice size room with a sectioned off changing area. The bathroom was just okay but nothing to write home about.

There were many good things about the hotel but there were also some bad issues.

The good:

The hotel is beautiful. When you walk in and look up at the ceiling, your breath will be taken away. The architecture in the lobby and restaurants is absolutely amazing!!

The service is impeccable from the front desk staff to the concierge and housekeeping. We visited the pool and there were no towels. I picked up the house phone and had towels in 3 minutes flat.

They offer a car/van service and will take you anywhere downtown for free (well...you still tip). It was nice not having to get the car out to go to dinner down the road.

The pool was wonderful and for an indoor pool, there was no strong chlorine aroma and the water was not too hot.

The not so great.....

The beds in our room were not very comfortable. They were VERY soft and much too mushy. I awoke with a back ache both days.

On our 2nd night, the a/c broke. It was already midnight when we realized that the room was too hot and not cooling so we decided not to switch rooms. Big mistake. By 3 am, we were baking. I mentioned the problem at check out and they took $75 off my bill. I felt like I should have been comped that night since we were miserable and hot and sweaty all night. At a rate of $225, I should have had more than $75 taken off.

The regular Sunday morning buffet (not the big brunch buffet) was not very good. I think that they put all there effort into the big brunch and not so much into the regular buffet for paying hotel guests who want a quick breakfast. At 18.95 a piece, I was very disappointed.


Even considering this, I would stay at the Jefferson again. The service and beauty of the hotel are first rate.

Stayed in the hotel for business for 2 nights mid-may. I was impressed with the old time charm of the hotel and the exquisite details that made all the difference. The hotel is old, for sure, but it is extremely well maintained and has charm that you rarely find in hotels these days. The staff is friendly and accomodating (I had to change my room and they took care of everything for me) and the check-in/check-out process is easy and efficient. The rooms are elgantly appointed and immaculate. We got a great rate through our travel department but even if we hadn't, it would have been well worth the price of admission to stay in this beautiful hotel. A++ to the Jefferson Hotel!

A stay at the Jefferson Hotel is a special treat. The lobby with its stained glass skylight over the statue of Jefferson is a great welcome. Our deluxe room had a roomy sitting area. Food is wonderful; we didn't eat at Lemaire this time, but TJs is quite good and the Sunday champagne brunch is mind-bogglingly excellent. Concierge can not only recommend restuarants, but the hotel can chauffeur you to downtown eating locations. (This time we ate at Bookbinder's and Pomegranate--recommended.)Fitness center takes up two full rooms and has up-to-date equipment. All of the staff is pleasant and helpful, and they often call you by name. Our only complaints this time were slow maid service and inept maintenance for our running toilet--five service calls did not solve the whooshing noises. Rates are high, though some packages are available. Go there if you can. There's lots to do in Richmond, especially if you like American history.