The Virginia Guesthouse opened April 6 as the University’s newest hotel and conference center located in the Emmet Ivy Corridor. The Guesthouse has 214 rooms, and it is the second completed project in the Corridor, following the completion of the School of Data Science in 2024.
The multi-floor hotel has rooms starting at under $200 per night, a rate which varies seasonally. The Guesthouse has over 25,000 square feet of meeting space, which includes a large ballroom. Rich Keurajian, director of sales and marketing of the Virginia Guesthouse, said the meeting space can be used for University members to come together and share knowledge across disciplines.
The Guesthouse serves a direct purpose for the University — it is the new home of the U.Va. Welcome Center. The Welcome Center, now located in the “Living Room” of the Guesthouse, offers maps, University programming information and local dining, lodging and shopping details to help visitors navigate the University, according to University Spokesperson Bethanie Glover. The Welcome Center was previously located at the U.Va. Police Division station on Ivy Road.
The Guesthouse also boasts three dining options — The Counter Café, Poplar and The Perch. The dining options will appeal to all guests and visitors, according to Gregg Hilker, general manager of the Virginia Guesthouse. The Counter Café is a cafe with grab-and-go options, Poplar is the Guesthouse’s full-time restaurant and The Perch is the Guesthouse’s bar, located on the top floor.
Regarding payment at these locations, Hilker said he is working with the University to allow students to use payment options linked to a student’s University account.
According to Keurajian, the Guesthouse incorporates parts of the University into its atmosphere. The name of the restaurant, Poplar, is a reference to a tree that was planted in Jefferson’s Monticello. Hilker added that many of the art fixtures allude to parts of the University. Additionally, several of the pictures in the Guesthouse were taken on Grounds and a central chandelier was inspired by the most famous tree on Grounds, the Pratt Ginkgo tree.
“We didn't want to be in your face, but [we have] little nods to [U.Va. through] color schemes [and] the artwork,” Hilker said. “Our local artists took a lot of photos that are specific to Grounds ... [and] our chandelier’s inspiration was [the ginkgo tree] during the fall.”
Keurajian said that one of the main goals of the Guesthouse is to feel like a home to guests and visitors. To achieve the welcoming atmosphere, Hilker said they designed the common space “Living Room” to feel “residential.”
“We want people to feel as though [they are] at home. It's called the Virginia Guesthouse. It's not called the Virginia Hotel,” Keurajian said.
Russ Cronberg, director of hospitality of the U.Va. Foundation, said that the University and U.Va. Foundation — the group that provides real estate and financial services for the University — selected the Emmet Ivy Corridor as the site of the hotel under former University President Jim Ryan’s tenure. Cronberg said that the Foundation studied the feasibility of the Guesthouse and worked with the University to launch it and used its past experience in hospitality management to help in the development of the Guesthouse.
Cronberg echoed sentiments of Keurajian and Hilker, noting that the opening of the Guesthouse is more symbolic than just “adding a hotel.”
“[The Guesthouse] becomes an extension of the University’s mission, which is … [to be] a place where people come together, to learn, to collaborate, celebrate and truly experience all that U.Va. brings to its students and the community,” Cronberg said. “For U.Va., it strengthens the visitor experience and gives the University a world class space to welcome guests from around the country and beyond.”
First-year College student Grace Hughes visited the Guesthouse and said the design of the space and furniture helped create a cozy environment. She added that she could see herself returning to study or socialize.
“When I first arrived [to the Guesthouse], it was a big open space with towering windows, which was very inviting and just like a good atmosphere to work in,” Hughes said.
The Guesthouse is part of a larger development happening at the intersection of Ivy Road and Emmet Street known as the Emmet Ivy Corridor. In 2024, the School of Data Science opened in the Corridor, and there are plans to build out student housing, the Karsh Institute of Democracy, Center for the Performing Arts and the Data Science Entrepreneurship Building in the Corridor.
Hilker said that with the current and future development in the Corridor, the Guesthouse can serve as a “nucleus” of the Corridor. Keurajian pointed to the founding of America on democratic ideals, which he said is represented by the Karsh Institute of Democracy in the Corridor. He said the School of Data Science represents the future of where society is headed, and those buildings — with diverse focuses — are tied together by the Guesthouse.
“[The Guesthouse is] the hospitality side that's connecting democracy and the future in data sciences,” Keurajian said. “[The Emmet Ivy] Corridor has … how we [were] founded and where we're going in the future, and we'll connect the two [with the Guesthouse].”
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