Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront

On the roof of the hotel is a bar that's a cartoon approximation of a cool place in Miami. Accessories include special membership cards, a beefy bouncer, a swimming pool (complete with squealing girls inevitably outfitted in pink Lycra) and those wide loungey bed things which are supposed to encourage "sexy" conversation but end up acting as large repositories for women's purses.

That said, the rooftop bar is also one of the best places to be on a beautiful summertime night in Virginia Beach. With a cold beer in hand and a gentle sea breeze, it's just like being in the middle of a good Jimmy Buffet song.

On the ground floor is the hotel's main attraction: a sprawling seafood restaurant and bar, complete with a fire pit. As far as Virginia Beach goes, it is a scene. Kind of a fun one, in fact. The food is not good, but the people watching is great: everyone from guileless tourists, to over-40 surfers and the girls who love them, to DC lawyers "in town for a conference" are bellied up to the bar.

Virginia Beach has many wonderful qualities--a beautiful, wide beach, great parks and waterways to explore, a gorgeous award-winning convention center, and of course the progeny of the town. When it comes to hotels, however, the pickins' are slim.

Your better bet is to focus on finding some good food--it can be had if you know where to look (and happily, those pesky tourists never seem to). Try tiny Gringo's for Mexican, Mizuno for truly amazing Japanese, and Terrapin for your fancy meal.

Date of stay: July 2006
Purpose of stay: Leisure (With Friends/Group)

Great room with a great bed.  High-end linens and the mattress felt brand-new.  Comfortable room with flat screen TV and immaculate bathrooms.  My room was on the 12th floor, so the view of the beach/ocean from the balcony was amazing.

The staff was very friendly and accommodating and it was a snap to find.  Parking was a little tricky as their garage was across the street, but there was valet.  Other Virginia Beach Hotels have more convenient lots.

Clean and comfortable.  I'd stay here again.

Date of stay: September 2007
Purpose of stay: Business

The location just can't be beat.  It's right on the waterfront and rooms on three sides enjoy views of the ocean.  The hotel is centrally located along the beach road and adjacent to an outdoor concert spot and statue of King Neptune.

The beach there is wonderful.  They really keep the beach pristine and clean.  It's wide with plenty of room for everyone.  The hotel rents chairs and umbrellas.

My favorite feature of the hotel is the rooftop pool.  There are actually two pools on the roof.  One is a lovely heated indoor pool with tropical plants and reclining wicker sofas.  Outside is a pool surrounded by glass so one can swim and watch the ocean at the same time.  There is a huge hot tub and bar for cocktails.

The conference facilities are very nice and this hotel boasts one of the largest ballrooms at the beach.  Plenty of meeting space.

Other features include valet parking, computer room, and exercise room.  The first floor restaurant has outdoor seating with fire pits that seems to be one of the hottest spots to be in the evenings. (no pun intended!)

A few of the other guests I heard grumbling about the volume of the concerts at night, but it didn't bother me one bit.

Date of stay: June 2007
Purpose of stay: Leisure (With Kids)