VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A Virginia Beach landmark is re-opening its doors today.
The Cavalier Hotel at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront is finally back open to the public.
"The charm is in the structure," explained Bruce Thompson, CEO of Gold Key PHR Hotels. "One of the world’s greatest architects designed it in 1927 so that charm was already there. To bring it into modern times with a sort of flare that was easy because we had a great backdrop."
Thompson purchased the hotel and surrounding property in 2013. Originally, the goal was to have the hotel up and open within two years.
"It’s almost surreal, it has been a long anticipated, "said Thompson. "We thought when we stared he project in 2013 that we would be doing this in 2015 but here we are in 2018 and we have finally arrived."
Despite opening later than originally expected and going over budget Thompson says the wait is worth it.
"It’s almost a million dollar a room investment of $85 million for 85 rooms and we have every level of a series that you could possibly imagine," said Thompson. "I think the public will find the hotel is going to exceed their expectations. The work that went into the project was extensive both from the structural stand point and from a design standpoint."
