The old song says, “Everything old is new again,” and that is an appropriate description of Lexington’s downtown hotel, The Georges. Named after two men named George with strong Lexington ties – George Washington and George C. Marshall, the hotel opened in the spring of 2014.
The inn occupies two of downtown Lexington’s oldest surviving structures; the Alexander-Withrow House built in 1789, and the Central Hotel, the oldest part of which dates from 1809. Both buildings have served as private homes, shops, inns and offices over their long lives. Additional suites at The Georges are located in historic Lawyer’s Row, overlooking Courthouse Square, built c. 1846. The Alexander-Withrow House is the only building still standing in town to survive the Great Fire of 1796.
The 1960s saw a swelling of interest nationally in historic preservation, and Lexington was not immune. When a local landmark home was threatened with demolition to make way for an office building, locals rallied, and a buyer was found to purchase the home and restore it. But it was apparent that other handsome 19th century structures were in jeopardy, if not only from demolition but also from neglect. The Historic Lexington Foundation was formed in 1966 to raise funds to purchase significant buildings, stabilize them structurally and resell them with protective covenants requiring that the exteriors remain essentially true to their 19th century roots.
In 1969, the foundation’s first acquisition was the Alexander-Withrow House. This project became the model for revitalizing the entire block of North Main Street between Washington and Henry Streets. When the project was complete, it was sold to a local developer, who made the upper floors into a cozy bed and breakfast, with retail space on the street level.
The Central Hotel was a more ambitious project because it was larger, and because the structure was in much worse shape. But when completed, it became an inn. Coincidentally, the buyers of the Central Hotel building also bought the Alexander-Withrow House and operated them together, just as The Georges.
The Georges offers 33 uniquely appointed rooms and suites, custom designed and furnished, with luxury amenities such as Frette bed linens & robes, and Peacock Alley blankets. The elegant bathrooms are finished with custom tile work, Gilchrist & Soames bathroom amenities, walk-in showers in each room and a luxurious free-standing soaking tub in select suites.
The newest addition is The Livery, formerly the Sheridan Livery, originally owned and operated as a livery stable and stage line in the 1800s.
The Georges was voted #2 and #4 best city hotel in the continental U.S. in 2020 + 2021 respectively, and fifty-third of the top 100 hotels in the world in 2020 according to the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards. Last year marks the 26th edition of the annual survey, in which 300,000 Travel + Leisure readers rate experiences in a variety of categories, from cities and hotels to cruise lines and airlines.
For your palate and amusement, The Georges presents Haywood’s Piano Bar & Grill featuring classic cuisine with live entertainment and TAPS, a beautiful lobby lounge and casual restaurant serving upscale pub fare, creative cocktails, and craft beer.
Haywood’s is an intimate place to enjoy a casual drink or dinner listening to live piano music in downtown Lexington. Situated on the corner of Main and Washington Streets on the ground floor of the Alexander-Withrow House, with large windows looking out on the bustle of downtown, Haywood’s has become a popular spot for locals and visitors. Haywood’s offers down-to-earth dishes featuring seasonal ingredients thoughtfully prepared. Named in memory of a man who liked to eat well, loved Dixieland, Jazz and Big Swing music, never met a stranger and never saw a piano bar he didn’t like, Haywood’s a great place to gather with family and friends. Haywood’s is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday from 5-10 pm with live music nightly. For reservations, go to http://thegeorges.com/haywoods. Located at 2 North Main Street, Lexington. (540) 463-2508.
TAPS is the Inn’s chic lobby lounge bar with casual dining featuring bar appetizers, salads, hand-helds and larger plates. Locals consider this the “living room of Lexington.” Enjoy a handcrafted cocktail by the fireplace or indulge in a delicious burger and cold craft brew out on the garden terrace. TAPS is open Monday through Saturday from 11am – 10pm for lunch and dinner service. For menus and more information, go to https://thegeorges.com/taps. Located at 11 North Main Street, Lexington.
The Livery consists of 12 newly renovated and uniquely designed guest rooms. It also provides a private event space renovated and designed to merge the old with the new. It was created to function as a space for public as well as private events.
The Patton Room was added in 2019 after a year of renovation as a versatile private event space. Ideal for both large and intimate events such as rehearsal dinners, wedding ceremonies, bridal luncheons, business meetings or pre-function cocktails, The Patton Room at The Georges was voted a Top Wedding Vendor 2022 by Virginia Living Magazine.
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