The clacking of hooves along red-bricked pathways and the gentle rustle from the freshly fallen leaves are merely the preludes to the soundtrack that serenades guests through an average day in Colonial Williamsburg. Once the Colonial capital of Virginia from 1699 until 1780, this historic destination has been carefully restored to its pre-American Revolution glory and stands today as the largest living-history site in the world.
The city of Williamsburg sat virtually abandoned following the state capital’s move to Richmond, and it wasn’t until the 1920s that local reverend W.A.R. Goodwin, rector of the city’s Bruton Parish Church, brought up the idea of restoring the city back to its 18th-century glory. His dream was made possible through generous support from John D. Rockefeller Jr., who helped bring the rector’s vision to life.
When this historic destination opened to the public in 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt was preparing to take his seat in the Oval Office, and Amelia Earhart had just taken off from Newfoundland on her solo journey over the Atlantic. Colonial Williamsburg has always played a vital role in the nation’s history, but once it opened in 1932, it began to play a role in the country’s future by educating future generations and shining a light on the nation’s past.
Colonial Williamsburg is much more than a museum, as it takes visitors back to an era when butter was churned by hand and politics were discussed over pints at Wetherburn’s Tavern. The 300-acre area offers a firsthand look at what life was like in 18th-century America. The community includes two art museums, the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club and the Spa of Colonial Williamsburg. Accommodations are available at a variety of properties operated by the Colonial Williamsburg Hotel Group, as well as Colonial Houses Historic Lodging, where guests can stay the night in the historic area to be fully immersed in Colonial life.
The area has a long history of important meetings and celebrations taking place on its historic soil, and it continues that legacy with its more than 67,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. Colonial Williamsburg’s 48 meeting rooms, four outdoor venues and 1,000 hotel rooms make it an easy vote for where to hold your next meeting or event.
Meeting Space
All of the meeting spaces at Colonial Williamsburg are run by the world-class Colonial Williamsburg Hotel Group, which offers a variety of venue options for meetings and events. The Williamsburg Inn features four event spaces: the East Lounge, for up to 170 guests; the Perry Shaw Hepburn Room, for up to 15 guests; the Rockefeller Room, for up to 135 guests; and the Regency Room, for up to 130 guests. The Williamsburg Woodlands Hotel offers 10 flexible venues among its 12,812 square feet of meeting space, ranging from intimate boardrooms for 15 guests to grand terraces for 495 guests. The Providence Hall, for intimate meetings and receptions, features eight options for meeting; some rooms are sized for five meetings guests and others for up to 145 reception guests.
Williamsburg Lodge
In 2017, the Williamsburg Lodge and Conference Center will join the Marriott Autograph Collection of hotels. It remains the busiest meeting destination at Colonial Williamsburg with 13 divisible meeting spaces, including a dedicated conference center with space to accommodate up to 1,300 guests. The venues at this grand lodge with the maximum number of guests they hold are as follows: the Colony Room, 810; the Patriot Room, 65; the Heritage Room, 36; the Constitution Room, 40; the Liberty Room, 64; the Jefferson Boardroom,18; the Tidewater Room, 427; the Allegheny Room, 277; the Conference Arrival Hall, 280; the Conference Center Lobby, 315; the Piedmont Room, 320; the Virginia Room, 1,468; and the Virginia Lawn, 1,335.
