Norfolk, Virginia
This past weekend, my boyfriend Corey and I had the opportunity to visit the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside for a much needed staycation. The property is only about 2 hours from my house so it was a nice little mini getaway. For those less familiar, Norfolk is a waterfront city in southeastern Virginia. Their biggest claim to fame is being home to a big Naval Station. To clarify, it is the world’s biggest naval base.
Now that we have the basics covered, let’s talk about the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside and what it was like staying there for a romantic weekend getaway.
The Grounds
Once we arrived, we headed to the front desk to check in. Because we were there around noon our room wasn’t quite ready yet (check in is your typical 3PM time). The front desk receptionist did take down my cell number so he could call me when our room was available. We walked around the hotel for a bit just to check out the grounds. After hearing of their $12 Million Renovation, I was curious to see what improvements had been made. The lobby was a beautiful area that had touches of gold and made me feel like royalty.
After touring the grounds, we decided to move forward with getting our car parked so we could walk around. There are two parking options:
- Self parking: $8 per night
- Valet parking: $26 per night
The valet parking is worth the peace of mind in my opinion. The staff was very friendly too. They hand you your valet ticket that you guard with your life and do not lose. Very easy!
Nearby Attractions
Within walking distance, maybe a 5-minute walk if you’re at a leisurely pace, you’ll find the Waterside District. There’s quite a few shops inside selling sweets like cake pops and cookie dough fudge. I also saw a few different ethnic restaurants in addition to the typical American fare like Guy Fieri’s burger joint. When you’re in Norfolk though, you HAVE to get seafood. You would be missing out otherwise…
Knowing that we planned to have dinner at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside’s onsite restaurant, we chose to go somewhere new for lunch. Within the Waterside District we ate at a seafood restaurant called Striper’s Bar & Grille. I ordered the lobster mac and cheese with a side of fries and Corey ordered the fish & chips. Both were a hit. While we didn’t plan to do any sightseeing as we wanted to relax at the hotel, there is an abundance of Things To Do nearby:
- Nauticus – large maritime museum
- Battleship Wisconsin – a battleship that served in the pacific during World War II and later during the Korean War
- Norfolk Botanical Garden – a 155-acre public botanical garden that features over 40 themed gardens
- Virginia Zoological Park – home to more than 500 animals from the African elephant to the tiny dart frog
- The Chrysler Museum of Art – one of the major art museums in the Southeastern United States and one of the best things to do in Norfolk
- Fort Norfolk – the last remaining of 19 harbor-front forts authorized in 1794 by President George Washington
- Elmwood Cemetery – a Victorian Garden Cemetery and the final resting place for hundreds of Civil War soldiers
- Mermaid Factory – a craft store and studio that makes clay mermaids and dolphins. Visitors can purchase mermaids that have already been hand painted or they can decorate the blank mermaids. The studio can accommodate up to 25 people
- Coastal Food Tours – choose from a variety of tours that explore the history of each area and its culinary scene
- Spirit of Norfolk Cruises – yacht that is open to the public for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch.
Accommodations
Amenities
The only workout I prefer is swimming in the pool. That’s my idea of a vacation. The pool goes up to 8 feet so even my 6 foot tall boyfriend had to hold on to the edges of the pool. There’s also a shallow end on the other side, but that was dominated by little kiddos so we remained in the deep end.
After swimming, we worked up an appetite. Conveniently, we didn’t have to leave the hotel because there’s an onsite restaurant to satisfy more of our seafood cravings.
Restaurant/Dining
Waterside Seafood Company is the onsite restaurant. It is open daily from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm. The lounge is open from 12:00 pm until 1:00 am with late night menu available until 1:00 am. Happy Hour is Monday – Friday 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm.
The mouthwatering dinner menu can be found here. I ordered the She Crab Soup with a Campfire Chocolate S’mores Cake dessert with vanilla ice cream, and Corey ordered the Broiled Seafood Medley consisting of broiled grouper filet, steamed jumbo shrimp, and seared sea scallops. The entrees come with 2 sides. Very filling! The item wrapped up into the yellow package is actually a lemon that he could squeeze onto his seafood platter. So beautifully presented.
I cannot say enough about the friendly restaurant wait staff. Our waitress for dinner must’ve checked on us about 3-4 times before we were ready to order. We really appreciate that type of attentiveness.
The next morning, we grabbed some food at the breakfast buffet. The buffet selection consisted of bacon, sausage links, scrambled eggs with salsa and cheese optional toppings, home fries, biscuits and sausage gravy, an assortment of cereals, fresh fruit, and various pastries like danishes and strudels.
Summary
Overall, this hotel was just what we needed for some relaxation. The hotel was so comfortable. Later in the evening we didn’t even go out to experience the nightlife scene that Norfolk has to offer (specifically the lively Granby Street). We just stayed in and watched Netflix movies.
One thing is for sure… we will return!
