The Landing at Hampton Marina, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

Nine-story waterfront hotel in downtown Hampton, sitting directly on the Hampton Marina with views across the Hampton River toward the Chesapeake. It was one of the earliest properties approved for Hilton's Tapestry Collection and was fully reworked by a hospitality design studio, so it reads more like an independent boutique than a chain box.

The location is the main argument for staying here: the Virginia Air & Space Science Center is a three-minute walk, Hampton University about fifteen minutes on foot, and downtown's restaurants and the Mill Point Park waterfront are immediately around the hotel. On-site dining includes a main restaurant plus the seasonal dockside Oyster Alley, and there's an outdoor pool with cabanas and a 24-hour fitness center.

Practical notes

• Ask for an upper-floor water-view room; the alternative outlook is the parking deck
• Pool is seasonal — confirm if it matters for your dates
• Convenient jumping-off point for Norfolk, Virginia Beach and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel