Verdict on Virginia Beach…compared to my usual favorites? Let’s break it down.
(Full disclosure: I’m NOT a travel blogger, and this is kind of my first time venturing into writing extensively about vacation experiences. So bear with my grammar, spelling, and rambling thoughts!)
Over the years, I’ve fallen hard for places like Grand Cayman, Miami Beach, and Palm Beach. So when I decided to give Virginia Beach another shot (after some abysmal childhood memories), specifically the Historic Cavalier Hotel, I came in with some pretty high standards. Here’s what I found:
✅ The Boardwalk
Yes, Virginia Beach has one. And sure, it’s not 13 miles long like Miami’s, and there’s not a single mosaic dolphin in sight. It’s basically a long, sun-drenched stretch of concrete - no art or fun things to look at (other than a couple of small monuments). That said, there are more places to sit and watch the ocean roll in, which I appreciated. Just don’t expect palm trees or artistic flair. Miami still wins the creativity award, hands down. But both boardwalks are packed with runners, rollerbladers, and eye-candy fitness enthusiasts.
Miami? Still undefeated when it comes to beautiful people in motion. WOWZER. 🤣🥵🔥🥵🔥🥵
✅ The Beach Club Vibe
Spending time at the Cavalier Beach Club (the hotel’s take on a “country club meets the beach” vibe) gave me slight Breakers-in-Palm-Beach energy. Emphasis on slight. There’s one pool (not four), no adults-only section, and zero chance someone’s handing you a $35 hotdog like they do at The Breakers (which, weirdly, is a real thing).
But here’s the kicker: cocktails are $13–15 and food hovers around $20. In beachfront resort terms, that’s practically a miracle.
✅ The Hotel
Honestly? I was shocked by how nice the rooms are at The Cavalier. No, they’re not Breakers or Ritz-Cayman-level luxurious, but I’d give them a solid 7.5 or 8 out of 10. Thoughtful design, cozy beds, and they even include all the ingredients to make an Old-Fashioned in your room (complete with a whole orange 🍊 and a knife to peel it!).
It fits. Tarnished Truth Distillery is downstairs.
Did I take a tour? No.
Did I drink the bourbon? What do you think? 🥃
The historic property itself is absolutely beautiful and just as well maintained as any resort I’ve stayed at.
✅ Dining Scene
I didn’t explore the local spots much, but the Cavalier and the Marriott Beachfront both seem to offer creative cocktails and solid menus. They’re on my list for next time. That said, let’s be honest. There’s no world where Virginia Beach competes with the Michelin-starred chefs or James Beard-award kitchens in Miami, Palm Beach, or Grand Cayman.
So how does it all stack up?
🏝️ Grand Cayman still has my heart. The vibe, the people, the water, the luxury. It’s in a league of its own. (Only the Maldives come close, but that’s a whole other conversation.) And unlike the others, Cayman is a year-round destination. I can hop on a three-hour flight anytime and count on perfect weather. That’s hard to beat.
🌴 Miami Beach still wins for style, variety, and a walkable boardwalk with flair. But even Miami has its limits. I’ve been there in January and February, and it’s been too chilly to enjoy the beach. Beautiful? Yes. Pool weather? Not always.
💎 Palm Beach? Not even comparable. Palm Beach is a lifestyle. A category. A mood.
If someone told me I could only eat at the Seafood Bar at The Breakers for the rest of my life and nowhere else, I’d happily accept that fate.
But like Miami (and slightly worse, since it’s 70 miles further north), Palm Beach can be cold in January and February. It’s not a slam dunk winter destination either.
Final Take
Would I come back to The Cavalier? Absolutely. I’ve already booked six nights in September. It’s hands down the best beachfront resort within a 3 to 4 hour drive of Northern Virginia, and it’s perfect for a spontaneous escape.
But make no mistake, this is a seasonal spot. From May through September, it’s great. Outside that window, it’s either too cold to enjoy or the beach club isn’t even open. (Which is honestly one of the m
Allison Holliday
My experience at the Cavalier was top-tier. I stayed in a deluxe King room, and it was absolutely gorgeous. The staff is courteous and very helpful.
Caroline is an absolute gem! Her sincerity and hospitality is above and beyond what is expected. She went the extra mile to make sure I was taken care of during my 4 day stay.
I will most definitely be visiting again soon!
brynda MARA
It took a while before getting service, but once we got it, everything was wonderful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Iyonna Newman
The bartender with the lip piercings ask another group if they would like their drinks on my husbands tab without us knowing and when we got our receipts we told her that our total amount wasn’t correct she tried to argue with the other group as to why she put them on our tab and had a very nasty attitude with us and the other group and slammed our receipt and the other group receipts on the counter but she can hand other people their receipts with no problem and we never said anything rude to her. I’m not sure what her attitude is about but she should learn to not being nasty behaviors to work.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Robert Martes
It is a luxury hotel ? good view good service good rooms
Parking: You have to pay but if they park them it is cheaper
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mona Lohr
Do NOT eat here. Wait staff is more concerned about socializing and dancing then doing their job. I have never been treated so poorly! Waiting for any kind of service, to having the check thrown at me. Completely unacceptable. I expect much more from an affiliate of the Cavalier!
Lovely hotel resort! Exceeded our expectations! From the stunning property, exceptional dinning and remarkable staff I HIGHLY recommend. Many bar and dinning options throughout, best hot-tub with strong jets, indoor pool area that I could have spent the entire day at, a beautifully decorated room with many snack and drink options, dual vanity and an incredible shower! What more could you ask for?
Dreaming of our next stay,
Hands down the best hotel in Virginia beach!
Julia A
They have Champaign nights on Thursdays! Highly recommend for girls get togethers. Beautiful place in general.
Pat Prewitt
We have enjoyed eating at the restaurant and love the view. However, service at the bar can be slow and arbitrary. We and others have waited for a while to place an order - one time we left. Possibly they need more staff or else a better system of determining who is next.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Rain Miller
Had a great time spending time with friends in this place. This is one of our favorite places to hang out in front of the beach.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ghita el kholti
This place will open on its own! You would drive for 45 minutes or wherever you are coming from to get here and find themClosed for stupid reasons! Today is the 4th time this happens! they had a “bee” problem or not enough employees or kitchen problem … or electric problem! Not reliable at ALL make sure you call before you waiste your time coming here!!!
Verdict on Virginia Beach…compared to my usual favorites? Let’s break it down. (Full disclosure: I’m NOT a travel blogger, and this is kind of my first time venturing into writing extensively about vacation experiences. So bear with my grammar, spelling, and rambling thoughts!) Over the years, I’ve fallen hard for places like Grand Cayman, Miami Beach, and Palm Beach. So when I decided to give Virginia Beach another shot (after some abysmal childhood memories), specifically the Historic Cavalier Hotel, I came in with some pretty high standards. Here’s what I found: ✅ The Boardwalk Yes, Virginia Beach has one. And sure, it’s not 13 miles long like Miami’s, and there’s not a single mosaic dolphin in sight. It’s basically a long, sun-drenched stretch of concrete - no art or fun things to look at (other than a couple of small monuments). That said, there are more places to sit and watch the ocean roll in, which I appreciated. Just don’t expect palm trees or artistic flair. Miami still wins the creativity award, hands down. But both boardwalks are packed with runners, rollerbladers, and eye-candy fitness enthusiasts. Miami? Still undefeated when it comes to beautiful people in motion. WOWZER. 🤣🥵🔥🥵🔥🥵 ✅ The Beach Club Vibe Spending time at the Cavalier Beach Club (the hotel’s take on a “country club meets the beach” vibe) gave me slight Breakers-in-Palm-Beach energy. Emphasis on slight. There’s one pool (not four), no adults-only section, and zero chance someone’s handing you a $35 hotdog like they do at The Breakers (which, weirdly, is a real thing). But here’s the kicker: cocktails are $13–15 and food hovers around $20. In beachfront resort terms, that’s practically a miracle. ✅ The Hotel Honestly? I was shocked by how nice the rooms are at The Cavalier. No, they’re not Breakers or Ritz-Cayman-level luxurious, but I’d give them a solid 7.5 or 8 out of 10. Thoughtful design, cozy beds, and they even include all the ingredients to make an Old-Fashioned in your room (complete with a whole orange 🍊 and a knife to peel it!). It fits. Tarnished Truth Distillery is downstairs. Did I take a tour? No. Did I drink the bourbon? What do you think? 🥃 The historic property itself is absolutely beautiful and just as well maintained as any resort I’ve stayed at. ✅ Dining Scene I didn’t explore the local spots much, but the Cavalier and the Marriott Beachfront both seem to offer creative cocktails and solid menus. They’re on my list for next time. That said, let’s be honest. There’s no world where Virginia Beach competes with the Michelin-starred chefs or James Beard-award kitchens in Miami, Palm Beach, or Grand Cayman. So how does it all stack up? 🏝️ Grand Cayman still has my heart. The vibe, the people, the water, the luxury. It’s in a league of its own. (Only the Maldives come close, but that’s a whole other conversation.) And unlike the others, Cayman is a year-round destination. I can hop on a three-hour flight anytime and count on perfect weather. That’s hard to beat. 🌴 Miami Beach still wins for style, variety, and a walkable boardwalk with flair. But even Miami has its limits. I’ve been there in January and February, and it’s been too chilly to enjoy the beach. Beautiful? Yes. Pool weather? Not always. 💎 Palm Beach? Not even comparable. Palm Beach is a lifestyle. A category. A mood. If someone told me I could only eat at the Seafood Bar at The Breakers for the rest of my life and nowhere else, I’d happily accept that fate. But like Miami (and slightly worse, since it’s 70 miles further north), Palm Beach can be cold in January and February. It’s not a slam dunk winter destination either. Final Take Would I come back to The Cavalier? Absolutely. I’ve already booked six nights in September. It’s hands down the best beachfront resort within a 3 to 4 hour drive of Northern Virginia, and it’s perfect for a spontaneous escape. But make no mistake, this is a seasonal spot. From May through September, it’s great. Outside that window, it’s either too cold to enjoy or the beach club isn’t even open. (Which is honestly one of the m
My experience at the Cavalier was top-tier. I stayed in a deluxe King room, and it was absolutely gorgeous. The staff is courteous and very helpful. Caroline is an absolute gem! Her sincerity and hospitality is above and beyond what is expected. She went the extra mile to make sure I was taken care of during my 4 day stay. I will most definitely be visiting again soon!
It took a while before getting service, but once we got it, everything was wonderful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
The bartender with the lip piercings ask another group if they would like their drinks on my husbands tab without us knowing and when we got our receipts we told her that our total amount wasn’t correct she tried to argue with the other group as to why she put them on our tab and had a very nasty attitude with us and the other group and slammed our receipt and the other group receipts on the counter but she can hand other people their receipts with no problem and we never said anything rude to her. I’m not sure what her attitude is about but she should learn to not being nasty behaviors to work.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
It is a luxury hotel ? good view good service good rooms
Parking: You have to pay but if they park them it is cheaper
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Do NOT eat here. Wait staff is more concerned about socializing and dancing then doing their job. I have never been treated so poorly! Waiting for any kind of service, to having the check thrown at me. Completely unacceptable. I expect much more from an affiliate of the Cavalier!
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Nice place to relax good atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Great place to enjoy a work day!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Peach Crème Brûlée, Raspberry Cheesecake with Lemon Ice Cream
Enjoyed celebrating my birthday at the Cavalier!
Amazing experience! Great food, incredible service and friendly staff all in a historic setting…what more could you ask for?
Restaurantji Recommends
Lovely hotel resort! Exceeded our expectations! From the stunning property, exceptional dinning and remarkable staff I HIGHLY recommend. Many bar and dinning options throughout, best hot-tub with strong jets, indoor pool area that I could have spent the entire day at, a beautifully decorated room with many snack and drink options, dual vanity and an incredible shower! What more could you ask for? Dreaming of our next stay, Hands down the best hotel in Virginia beach!
They have Champaign nights on Thursdays! Highly recommend for girls get togethers. Beautiful place in general.
We have enjoyed eating at the restaurant and love the view. However, service at the bar can be slow and arbitrary. We and others have waited for a while to place an order - one time we left. Possibly they need more staff or else a better system of determining who is next.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Had a great time spending time with friends in this place. This is one of our favorite places to hang out in front of the beach.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place will open on its own! You would drive for 45 minutes or wherever you are coming from to get here and find themClosed for stupid reasons! Today is the 4th time this happens! they had a “bee” problem or not enough employees or kitchen problem … or electric problem! Not reliable at ALL make sure you call before you waiste your time coming here!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 1
Loading...