On a cold grey December day a few weeks before Christmas, I packed my car, loaded my golden retriever, Henry, and headed 3 hours north to Richmond, Virginia, to the infamous Jefferson Hotel. I had reservations for one night. Henry had never stayed in a hotel, and, honestly, I had no idea how he would behave. But I was giving it a whirl, a new adventure, to see what it was like to solo travel with a pet in the lap of luxury.
The Jefferson Hotel is easily accessible from highways 1-95 and 1-64 in downtown Richmond. The Jefferson Hotel was the vision of a man named Lewis Ginter from New York. He transplanted to the South in 1842. Having made millions in the tobacco industry, he became a respected leader and philanthropist. He spared no expense when designing the hotel. Ginter considered himself a true Jeffersonian, thus the name The Jefferson Hotel. In 1895 The first guests enjoyed the extravagantly contemporary conveniences of electric lights, elevators, and hot and cold running water in each guest room. This was unheard of! Ginter had set the precedence for the luxurious standard for the hotel.
As we pulled into the circular driveway, Henry and I were greeted by a smiling and delightful woman named Teray, who took my name and checked my registration with care. Unfortunately, due to COVID, the hotel no longer offers valet parking. Teray directed me to free self-parking, which was just across the street. I will say that having had my dog with me, coupled with the freezing temperatures and bags in hand, this was an inconvenience. Teray, however, was delightful. She held my things in the check-in area while Henry and I parked my vehicle across the way. The parking area was well lit, gated but was not operated by an attendant.
After I parked and walked back to the hotel, dog in toe, Teray arranged for someone to take my bags to the room while Henry and I went to the registration counter. The lobby was beautiful, with hundreds of red poinsettias used to be COVID compliant with a festive one-way path to the concierge and check-in desk. I was welcomed by Diariac (I think I spelled that correctly), a true Scottish gentleman. My rate of $245 was explained to me, as was the $50 upcharge for having a pet. I was handed the room key and a lovely cellophane package of doggie treats for Henry. The hours of the restaurant, tea time, and the bar offerings as well as check out the next morning were explained to me. Check-in was quick, efficient, and friendly, which I appreciated since I had an overly eager 82-pound golden retriever by my side.
Once I completed check-in, the bellman took me to my room. My suite was on the 3rd floor. A marble foyer that housed a locked and empty minibar, chandelier, and entrance leading to the bedroom greeted me as soon as I opened the door. The bedroom had two queen beds, a chaise lounge, a desk, and an armoire with a flat-screen television. There were separate dressing and changing areas that connected the bedroom with the bathroom suite. The bathroom was enormous and felt luxurious with marble floors. It had both a soaking tub and a spa shower with a rain head. I did have to call house cleaning back up to the room as the foyer had what appeared to be black coffee grounds all over the marble floors. My guest suite was clean as far as pet-friendly rooms go; however, it was not as opulent as the other suites I have stayed in when residing at the resort.
After I unpacked and Henry sniffed around and settled himself, I decided to go down to the lobby bar and order a drink. I adore people watching and just getting a feel for space by observing. Henry thought this was a splendid idea, as well. I ordered a Basil Lime Gimlet upon the recommendation of the bar menu. However, my waitress, Shawn, was out of Basil and offered to make me a Lime Gimlet. Shawn’s mixology prowess was spot on, and she was a delightful server. Henry and I sat in the “Palm Court” area of the Jefferson while enjoying the Christmas tree’s views, the comings and goings of the people, and taking in the history of the hall itself. The Jefferson’s Christmas tree and Christmas decorations rival that of the Biltmore on a smaller scale; I must say, it is absolutely lovely.
Due to COVID restrictions the hotel does not allow any outside traffic in the hotel to enjoy the amenities of the season, such as the iconic gift shop, the historic and renowned “high tea”, or viewing of the spectacular decorations. Because of this, the only patrons on site are those who are staying in the hotel. It was tranquil, almost eerily so for such a busy time of year.
My short stay was lovely. I felt safe and taken care of. Those two things are always at the top of my list when traveling alone. The Jefferson pet room does need deep cleaning; fabrics need updating; beds are scratched and need replacing. It’s just simply worn. But lovely in a shabby chic sort of way. However, you are being charged the rack rate plus an upcharge of $50 per pet. My thought was that the pet rooms, for that upcharge, would have been deep cleaned with each stay and very well taken care of. It does not appear so. I have stayed in many rooms at The Jefferson, and they are immaculate. Again, I would go back. The service was outstanding; the beds were comfortable, the bar staff superb, the restaurant good, concierge and front desk superb. The room is still, bar none, better than any pet-friendly rack hotel you would stay in on 1-95. Henry had a blast and would never have known the difference between the Holiday Inn or the Jefferson. It is the discerning pet owner travelers who know the difference.