The Tides Inn facts for kids
| The Tides Inn | |
| Hotel facts and statistics | |
|---|---|
| Location | Irvington, Virginia, USA, 22480 |
| Coordinates | 37°39′51″N 76°25′57″W / 37.66417°N 76.43250°W |
| Opening date | 1947 |
| Owner | Enchantment Group |
| No. of rooms | 70 |
The Tides Inn is a lovely waterfront resort located in Irvington, Virginia, United States. It sits right by the Rappahannock River. This special place first opened its doors in 1947.
A man named E.A. Stephens started The Tides Inn. Today, a company called Enchantment Group owns and runs it. This resort on Virginia's Northern Neck is famous for its tasty local food. It also offers fun activities like golf and boating. For many years, its motto was "Quiet Quality."
Contents
The Beginning of The Tides Inn
How It All Started
The Tides Inn was built on land that used to be a farm. E.A. Stephens used wood from local trees to build the resort. He even used walnut wood from trees on the farm itself. Cypress wood from a nearby swamp was also used. Oxen helped pull the cypress wood to Irvington.
When it first opened, The Tides Inn had 47 rooms. Mr. Stephens wanted the resort to look beautiful. So, he found the best old furniture and decorations for the rooms.
Early Traditions and Food
One popular breakfast dish at the resort was called Hangtown fry. It was made with local oysters and scrambled eggs. The Tides Inn also had fun yearly events. These included a Frostbite Regatta (a boat race in cold weather). They also had big Fourth of July fireworks shows.
The restaurant by the swimming pool was known as the Bubble Club. The resort had an eagle as its symbol. An eagle was on The Tides Inn logo. Also, the resort's golf course, built in 1976, was named the Golden Eagle. Famous golf course designers George Cobb and John LaFoy created it.
The Chesapeake Club
A Special Way to Sell Drinks
In the early days, there were rules about selling alcohol in the area. Restaurants and hotels could not sell drinks to their guests. But private clubs had different rules. So, E.A. Stephens created a private club called the Chesapeake Club. This name is still used by the hotel today.
People who owned yachts and local visitors could join the club. They paid a small yearly fee. Guests staying at the hotel could also join the club for a small extra charge each day. This allowed them to enjoy drinks at the resort.
Modern Day Tides Inn
Renovations and New Features
In 2001, Enchantment Group bought The Tides Inn. They did a big renovation to make it even better. The resort reopened in 2002.
One special part of the resort's history was a boat called Miss Ann. E.A. Stephens bought and fixed up this boat in 1956. He named it after his wife. Miss Ann was a big attraction at the resort for many years. However, the boat was sold in 2008.
Today, The Tides Inn has 70 guest rooms, including suites. It also has a full-service spa where guests can relax. There is a marina with 60 slips for boats. And, of course, there is the beautiful Golden Eagle golf course. It is a par-72 championship course, which means it's a challenging and fun course for golfers.
