3 Best Hotels in Williamsburg and Hampton Roads, Virginia

This Hilton is the only four-star hotel in Virginia Beach; towering 21 stories over the oceanfront, it has shops, three restaurants, a rooftop bar, and infinity pool. The seafood restaurant, Catch 31, receives consistently good reviews, and there is great outdoor seating overlooking the boardwalk. At night the bar is a happening scene for thirtysomethings. Rooms use muted tan textiles to give the space a warm feeling. Flat-screen TVs are in both bedrooms and the bathrooms. Most rooms have balconies with panoramic views, but if yours lacks a beachfront view, you can always hang out at the rooftop pool with rails of glass looking down to the boardwalk. Recently upgraded, the three floors of the Empyrean Club level have really taken it up a notch: the bathrooms even have built-in TVs in the mirrors. Book early, as the Hilton sells out quickly, even in the off-season.

This manicured 2,900-acre resort on the James River owned by Xanterra is easily the nicest resort in Williamsburg and the largest golf resort in Virginia: it hosts the LPGA's Kingsmill Championship each May. You can play year-round on three championship courses. The guest rooms have fireplaces and Colonial-style furniture. There are three restaurants on the property: Bray Bistro, James Landing Grill, and Elements 1010. All guest rooms have been renovated, and a Lazy River pool with sandy beach is perfect for kids.

This grand hotel from 1937 is owned and operated by Colonial Williamsburg—rooms are beautifully and individually furnished with reproductions and antiques in the English Regency style, and genteel service and tradition reign. Rooms come with such perks as morning coffee and afternoon tea, a daily newspaper, turndown service, and bathrobes. The Providence Wings, adjacent to the inn, are less formal; rooms are in a contemporary style with Asian accents and overlook the tennis courts, a private pond, and a wooded area.