Quirk Hotel Richmond

"The Quirk offers two options for drinkers: the pink-decked lobby bar for less cooperative weather, and its rooftop oasis, the Q. Both close by 10 p.m. on weekends." - Missy Frederick

"In Richmond's Hippest New Hotel, a Vintage Vibe There is something truly distinctive yet quirky about staying in a former fine department store. Situated in a plum spot on West Broad Street, a convenient 30-minute ride from the Richmond airport, is the Quirk hotel, which is part of the Destinations Hotel Group. This is the labor of love of owners Katie and Ted Ukrop, who spent more than 10 years transforming a 100-year-old department store into a 75-room hotel with a rip-roaring rooftop bar scene, arguably the finest in the city. You’ll sleep on cushy beds made with joists salvaged from the former store, and bathe in the Barbie-like aura of the “love and happiness” rooms (incidentally, Sherwin Williams has a paint swatch by that same name). Rooms have lovely details like scallop-patterned nightstands, Tivoli radios, generously sized bay windows, and well-worn floors that look vintage. You can slake your caffeine addiction at the chic coffee bar in the lobby, or do a bit of retail therapy in the “Gallery” boutique off the lobby. It sells branded pink-and-white plaid pajamas and items like custom Na Nin hand-poured double-wick candles, crafted by Richmond resident Kate Jennings. The coffee for sale comes in brightly patterned signature rose tins that won a packaging award. “There’s no decade or theme to this gallery,” one employee assured me, but the vibe is decidedly mod-chic and whimsical, befitting the hotel's name. The communal-style restaurant, Maple & Pine, is situated right in the middle of the lobby and is truly convivial. The culinary program is headed by chef David Dunlap, who was formerly with the Ashby Inn. Room rates from $225. By Charu Suri"

"Opened to coincide with the 2015 UCI Road World Championships, the famous international cycling race, the Quirk Hotel is the city’s first design-driven boutique hotel. It serves as the anchor for the burgeoning arts district on Broad Street. Ted and Katie Ukrop—of the family behind the Ukrop’s supermarket chain—have preserved an important piece of Richmond heritage: the historic department store, J.B. Mosby & Co, which dates from 1916. A painstaking, no-holds-barred restoration has created a hotel that’s as much a magnet for locals as it is for visitors. Even the old pine floors (removed for earthquake retrofitting) were recycled into custom-designed furniture. There’s a rooftop terrace, a coffee bar showcasing locally roasted beans, and a restaurant, Maple & Pine, helmed by Chef David Dunlap, who has an impressive resume with stints at Alain Ducasse’s Adour, The Jefferson Hotel in D.C., and The Inn at Little Washington. Editor's Pick: Hot List 2016"