The Tides Inn
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Tides Inn is a marine resort just off the Rappahannock River in Irvington, Virginia. It was opened in 1947 by entrepreneur E.A. Stephens, and is now owned by Sedona Resort Management. It became a leading East Coast resort on Virginia's Northern Neck, known for its regional cooking and unique attractions like the Miss Ann, a historic cruise yacht operated by the resort. For a time, it had a salt water pool, and a sister resort across Carter's Creek, The Tides Lodge. The resort operated a ferry between the two. For years, the Tides Inn slogan "Quiet Quality" appeared in advertisements in The New Yorker.
Andrew Hepburn, in his 1965 book Great Resorts of North America, says that the resort was built on a site called the old Ashburn Farm. Stephens used local timber, including walnut paneling from trees on the farm and cypress paneling from a nearby swamp, hauled to Irvington by oxcart. In the beginning, there were only 47 rooms. From the start, Stephens sought the best antiques for furnishing. Hepburn writes that one of the best early recipes at the resort was the breakfast dish Hangtown fry, made of local oysters and scrambled eggs. The resort had a number of yearly traditions including a Frostbite Regatta and Fourth of July fireworks. The poolside restaurant was known as the Bubble Club. The resort had an eagle theme; not only was an eagle on the Tides Inn logo but the hotel's 1976 golf course, designed by George Cobb and John Lafoy, was named the Golden Eagle.
In the early days, the resort operated as a club. Called the Chesapeake Club, only members were allowed to stay. Today, the resort preserves that tradition as the signature restaurant for the resort is the Chesapeake Club.
Today, the resort is affiliated with The Leading Hotels of the World.
