Hilton Norfolk at The Main

[skylinefan]

Video of Walkthrough of the soon to open Hilton at Main in Downtown Norfolk.  Looks nice can't wait to stay there the next time I'm home. 

http://pilotonline.com/news/government/local/after-years-of-debate-and-construction-the-main-is-weeks/article_194a9286-0710-5eeb-9ea7-973f8771ee6b.html

[urbanvb]

The weather on Sunday was great so I snapped a few photos as well. Having never seen the building, I was pleasantly surprised how large and the massive  presence of the building. Most shots have already been posted so I'm just sharing a few I took.  

 

[skylinefan]

I was down in Norfolk this weekend and took this quick snapshot of the Main yesterday morning.  Impressive building and I agree will be a game changer for Downtown.

[Urbanlooker]

An article describing The Main as a game charger for Downtown Norfolk, Norfolk as a whole, and the region. In some aspects I agree that it well attract new clientele but it will also take from existing hotels downtown. Hopefully between this, the outlets, waterside, and ADP we can attract more and more businesses both big and small with well paying jobs to the area.

http://pilotonline.com/news/local/columnist/nfk-dreams/the-main-signals-the-time-is-now-for-downtown-norfolk/article_64d573e8-3bf3-58ee-a37d-7f14110b3f5b.html

[BFG]

Honestly, outside of the Marriott, I don't see this causing too much competition with the other hotels downtown. IMO, the people staying in the Courtyard, Sheraton or anything along Military Highway weren't looking to stay in The Main to begin with. 

I do hope that the number of conventions Norfolk plans to attract bring in enough business to necessitate more hotels downtown. This and Waterside could definitely lead to the big city status we've been wanting for years. 

[brikkman]

Wish they would have kept the condo component. That truly would have made this unique to the region.

[Virginia City]

Personally I wish the Wyndham Hotel would get torn down and replaced. It looks dated.

[Helium3]

49 minutes ago, NFKjeff said:

Do you mean the Sheraton, by the Waterside District?

I think he means the Wyndham over by the Neon district. And he's right, it isn't an attractive building.

[Virginia City]

25 minutes ago, Helium3 said:

I think he means the Wyndham over by the Neon district. And he's right, it isn't an attractive building.

 

Correct, it use to be the Radisson Hotel back in the day. Such a large plot of land.

[BFG]

That hotel has had several names in the last 25 years alone. Off the top of my head, it started as the Golden Triangle, became the Holiday Inn, "Hotel Norfolk", a Clarion or Quality Inn, Radisson and now the Wyndham. Might've been something between the Radisson and Wyndham.

I agree it needs to go, along with the Greyhound station (move Greyhound operations to where the new bus terminal is), esp. as the NEON District begins to take shape. It would make for a nice high-rise hotel/condo location.

[urbanlife]

48 minutes ago, BFG said:

That hotel has had several names in the last 25 years alone. Off the top of my head, it started as the Golden Triangle, became the Holiday Inn, "Hotel Norfolk", a Clarion or Quality Inn, Radisson and now the Wyndham. Might've been something between the Radisson and Wyndham.

I agree it needs to go, along with the Greyhound station (move Greyhound operations to where the new bus terminal is), esp. as the NEON District begins to take shape. It would make for a nice high-rise hotel/condo location.

I am actually amazed both of those buildings are still there. I figured the old Clarion would have been torn down by now due to its odd location and sketchy history. Being such a large lot, along with the Greyhound station, that would make for quite an awesome amount of land for redevelopment and expansion of downtown north of Brambleton. On a side note, I remember back in the 80s, going to the Greyhound station to pick up my grandmother when she would come down from Richmond. Some of my first memories of going into "the city." Probably where my love of urban cities comes from, it was such a mystical thing to me, being a kid who grew up in the suburbs.

[BFG]

The Main opens this coming weekend. Bruce Thompson is confident this will not only be a game-changer for Norfolk, but really make the area a destination. 

http://pilotonline.com/inside-business/ibq/norfolk-s-newest-star/article_404c789e-940a-56d4-b92a-4677bee306ae.html

This is a really exciting time.

[brikkman]

So when the Westin was built in the town center, how was that billed? I would think any massive hotel being built would consider conference space right?

 

[brikkman]

Tried to get in this past weekend when I was in town, garage "FULL". I've heard nothing but great things from this project. It was jumping, even in the rain (I guess that can be expected since it is new). But everyone i know and their friends are talking about it. All reviews have been super nice.... It was raining, so i didn't go to another garage to walk over, it was really coming down. but next time, i'm going to make it work. I really wanted to go back on sunday, but i make it a point to get out of Hampton roads by 10 am before everyone wakes up, and risk getting stuck at the tunnel or Newport news, lol.

My hometown looking pretty impressive these days..

[vdogg]

This rooftop beer garden is absolutely incredible!  I also like how all the high-rises downtown are embracing alternating color rooftops. I do not feel like I'm in Norfolk sitting up here. This seems more like a place you'd find in Charlotte or Atlanta.

 

[vdogg]

They've got a great craft beer selection too, some as high as 19%. I'm not brave enough to try that one yet , but I will definitely be back. I've legit died and gone to beer snob heaven.

[vdogg]

Decided to try out Saltine for a meal. Way too packed, couldn't even get to the bar to get a beer. You can tell there was definitely some pent up demand for a venue like this, but I'm looking forward to the day that the novelty wears off so I can actually get in these places, lol. The food looks fantastic, too bad I can't sit somewhere to eat it...

[carolinaboy]

Went and toured the Hotel today. It's beautiful. Great addition to DT Norfolk.

Wanted to try Saltine.......Not open.

Went to try Grain instead. The AC was not working so we decided to go outside. Waited 10 minutes and no one ever came to our table. Their menu was very small. We left.

I'll go back in a few weeks and hopefully the links will be worked out.

[baobabs727]

Ate lunch at Varia today with some folks for the third time. Food has been very good to excellent each time, but service has been spotty. Waiting a long time for drink refills, for bartending service, bread etc. Very few servers, and it appears as if some of them have never served before.  Last week, one young lady confided in me that she had been working double shifts, seven days a week for a few weeks because they needed her that badly. 

Also, since the second time we ate there for lunch, we've been relegated to sitting out in the Fox lounge.  There is no longer any service in the main dining room at Varia for breakfast or lunch.  Unfortunately, some of the Fox lounge seating is very uncomfortable for dining purposes. The table that is at your chin, the low-backed couch or the coffee table that is below your knees, etc. It's very a strange set-up but entirely related to the lack of staffing. 

I was told that Grain has a long line each night, and if you happen to need to leave for a sec., you will forfeit your table/place and will have to get back in the line to re-enter.

Saltine does not officially open until the first week of May. Only the bar is open now--limited menu. 

Finally, one of the managers told us that one of the reasons for the severe staffing shortage is that the region's servers and bartenders are waiting to see if the place succeeds before they commit to jumping ship. After all, they work on tips, and if there are no patrons, they don't make any money. Also, of course, we have all the hiring going on at the Waterside District and now at the Sheraton. 

"Growing pains!"

[vdogg]

I think a mini bar at one or both of the outdoor sections of Grain would do wonders for improving flow. Limited selection but enough to get to get the job done and keep people from crowding the bar. Also, they need to double the wait staff, at least on the weekends. 

[carolinaboy]

15 hours ago, baobabs727 said:

Ate lunch at Varia today with some folks for the third time. Food has been very good to excellent each time, but service has been spotty. Waiting a long time for drink refills, for bartending service, bread etc. Very few servers, and it appears as if some of them have never served before.  Last week, one young lady confided in me that she had been working double shifts, seven days a week for a few weeks because they needed her that badly. 

Also, since the second time we ate there for lunch, we've been relegated to sitting out in the Fox lounge.  There is no longer any service in the main dining room at Varia for breakfast or lunch.  Unfortunately, some of the Fox lounge seating is very uncomfortable for dining purposes. The table that is at your chin, the low-backed couch or the coffee table that is below your knees, etc. It's very a strange set-up but entirely related to the lack of staffing. 

I was told that Grain has a long line each night, and if you happen to need to leave for a sec., you will forfeit your table/place and will have to get back in the line to re-enter.

Saltine does not officially open until the first week of May. Only the bar is open now--limited menu. 

Finally, one of the managers told us that one of the reasons for the severe staffing shortage is that the region's servers and bartenders are waiting to see if the place succeeds before they commit to jumping ship. After all, they work on tips, and if there are no patrons, they don't make any money. Also, of course, we have all the hiring going on at the Waterside District and now at the Sheraton. 

"Growing pains!"

Yeah, but should a Hilton have this kind of issue in a metro of almost 2 million people? I was there this weekend and was disappointed, but am chalking it up to growing pains as well. But, if they can't provide basic services, they are not going to succeed.

[vdogg]

I think they were not expecting anywhere close to the demand that they have right now. Perhaps they should have, considering there is pent-up demand for a venue like this in the area, but I think that is the case. They'll get it figured out. I'm willing to give new places quite a bit of time to establish themselves.

[BFG]

Me and some friends planned to go to Grain last night. However, one of my friends called and was told they were closing at 8pm (we planned to go around 6:30).

Maybe there was a private event last night, but I found it odd that they closed so early without offering an explanation. Hopefully it was just a one-time thing. 

[vdogg]

They've had a couple of private events like that, which kind of sucks. I imagine that they are pulling in a ton of money from these private events in order to justify closing the bar on a Saturday night. I think they need to come up with a different plan though and probably keep the private events closer towards the week.

33 minutes ago, BFG said:

Me and some friends planned to go to Grain last night. However, one of my friends called and was told they were closing at 8pm (we planned to go around 6:30).

Maybe there was a private event last night, but I found it odd that they closed so early without offering an explanation. Hopefully it was just a one-time thing. 

Actually, there may be different hours on Sunday. I misread your post and thought you tried to go Saturday.

 

[brikkman]

ok, i'm completely confused. When I was in town last weekend, people said they couldn't get into this thing it was so packed. Seeing as though it was the first or second weekend, I expected that. But from what i'm reading, it seems as though the entire thing wasn't open, only some restaurants?

Please excuse my confusion..