Kimpton The Forum Charlottesville
On a brief return trip to the area, I stayed one night at Kimpton The Forum Charlottesville. On the way into town, it occurred to me that this would be my first time staying in a Kimpton property. I wasn’t too surprised, as other travel priorities have precluded a Kimpton stay. Holiday Inn Express stays have generally dominated our IHG redemptions in past years, too. But that’s been changing, and this Kimpton stay is another reason why we’ll keep looking beyond our beloved HIE. My short stay at The Forum was simply delightful for a few different reasons.
Tucked Away On Campus
Set on the other end of the UVA campus from our previous stay at The Draftsman, The Forum is sandwiched between the UVA School of Law and the Darden School of Business. The Forum’s design blends in seamlessly with the surrounding campus. After wandering around campus a bit, I enjoyed a peaceful stroll in the Arboretum & Lacross Botanical Gardens adjacent to The Forum.
Gorgeous Interior
Just opened last April, The Forum sports an airy design and modern, inviting decor. The lobby seems to go on forever, thanks to high ceilings and various nooks and crannies for guests (and clever students) to settle. Each floor has their own snack-size lobby, as well. I caught myself taking a beat at the second floor lounge area adjacent to the elevators on multiple occasions.
But let’s get to the hotel room. It offers something I wish I saw more of from rooms – multiple seating areas. The desk is replaced with a circular table and two chairs, and a separate corner offers a small, comfy chair with tray. Even better, the entire room provides excellent views of the gardens beyond the balcony. Lighting is everywhere, and – minor detail – each fixture worked. Once again, a hotel has framed the television, something I’m oddly beginning to expect of any refined property.
Amenities *
The Forum offers a serviceable fitness center with basic cardio machines and weights open 24/7 on the ground floor. The above asterisk is for something much bigger. For $10, guests can visit UVA’s North Grounds Recreation Center, a short walk from the hotel. This facility offers a large pool for lap swimming, handball/racquetball courts, and a more substantial open gym.
Dining
On either side of the lobby, The Forum offers two different restaurants with respective bars: Birch & Bloom, the hotel’s steakhouse, and The Good Sport, a pub-style establishment serving comfort fare. Birch & Bloom doubles as The Forum’s breakfast option.
After a late, hearty lunch at Torchy’s Tacos nearby, I skipped dinner, opting for Blue Mountain Brewing’s Hopwork Orange IPA at The Good Sport around twilight, instead. The happy hour crowd had just cleared out, and I settled in for a bit of basketball and gazing outside. Windows and pubs don’t always go together, but The Good Sport pulls it off nicely, along with four larger-than-necessary televisions, one an 85-incher.
In the morning, I awoke for an early breakfast at Birch & Bloom. The menu isn’t particularly exotic, focusing on a half dozen or so morning favorites. I opted for the traditional plate which came out perfectly – eggs (accurately) over medium, quality bacon, freshly-roasted potatoes, and just the right amount of toast. But perhaps my favorite part was the blood orange juice.
All This For Just….
Okay, maybe that’s a bit much, as The Forum doesn’t offer a ton, and it’s not exactly cheap. Not that I would think a Kimpton would be either of those things. Rather, it offers just enough at an acceptable price – an attractive room, relaxing common areas, a few solid amenities for a free night cert and 3k points top-off. Aside from the reward rate of 43k points, all-in cash rates were $300 on the night of my stay. Not surprisingly, visitors with flexible schedules can find cheaper rates.
Kimpton The Forum Charlottesville – Conclusion
The night of my stay, I reflected on the balcony as I enjoyed the noisy frogs in the gardens below. The family and I stayed at The Draftsman on the other side of campus over spring break, and it was just fine. But when we return to Charlottesville, I’ll confidently pick the spacious Forum over that filing cabinet. Of course, maybe I’m comparing apples to oranges here. Regardless, I want to visit The Forum again. I can’t say the same for The Draftsman.
One weakness of The Forum is the valet. That $26 daily service is the hotel’s only parking option, and one valet worker was unable to retrieve my car because he “wasn’t comfortable” driving a manual transmission. This isn’t the first time I’ve experienced this on a hotel stay. I’ll dive into this whole topic more in another article.
Meanwhile, I must admit I’m on a Kimpton high after my first stay at the brand. This visit to The Forum provided a great balance of style and utility without the stuffiness. I hope to discover that and more at other Kimptons down the road.
What are your favorite Kimpton properties and why?
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No MTM score?
Interesting to hear about the valet. Between ICE cars with manual transmissions and EVs with lots of touchscreen controls, I guess being a valet requires more experience/skills than in the past.
Quo Vadis,
This was a fairly quick stay, so no full review and score this time. But I plan to return for a longer stay and may subsequently give it the full review treatment. Thanks for reading!