My husband and I stayed at the Omni this past weekend (2/20) during a visit to our alma mater. We selected the hotel, frankly, because every B&B within a 45-mile radius of Charlottesville was booked. We were not expecting deluxe accommodations, so we were pleasantly surprised by the attentive, friendly service we received and the hotel's location at the far end of the downtown mall. The hotel lobby opens directly onto the mall, offering quick access to the shops, restaurants (the C&O is a must), cinemas and ice-skating rink of the trendy pedestrian center. Our spacious "deluxe" room featured enormous windows, offering views of the hotel lobby, which is open and airy and has a nice fountain. We were on the second floor, so any views of the downtown mall were obscured, but I think rooms on higher floors would offer a much clearer view. Another definite plus: the room boasted wireless Internet access and a conference-room sized table.


The cons: The hotel was dingy and dated. Mustard factored heavily in the color scheme. Our room, while enormous, had an unpleasant musty odor, perhaps because it was situated next to the hotel pool. Towels and linens were just standard, but again, we were not expecting plush digs. We also were disappointed to learn that the price of our room ($139) did not include breakfast. Because we were in a hurry and didn't have time to dine out, we ended up paying the $12/person for the hotel breakfast. I'd give the breakfast a good rating in terms of variety, as it included an omelette bar, fresh fruit, cereal, pastries, and hot items such as sausage and hash browns; however, the quality was not stellar. The food was standard, institutional food.

Overall, we were pleased with our stay, though next time, we'd much rather stay at a B&B, especially since the Omni's price is comparable once one factors in breakfast ($163, plus tax). The Omni probably is best for business travelers, and perhaps families.

If you're seeking a hotel close to the University, the English Inn (where our friends stayed) is a much better value at $80 for a small suite, including a full (i.e. not continental) breakfast, pull-out sofa, and in-room, dial-up Internet access. That hotel featured a charming lobby with wood paneling (if I'm remembering correctly) and dark carpeting with reds, greens and blues. Our friends' room was clean and above average in size.

I had a really bad first impression of this hotel because of the outdated, worn and drab decor, overlit by ugly flourescent lighting. The room was also nothing special. In the morning I used the room coffee maker and there was nothing to put in the coffee - no sugar, cream, nothing - very irritatating. The only positive was that it was so close to the mall, with good shopping, restaurants and a live outdoor concert on the weekend. We were visiting UVA and noticed some nicer motels closer to the campus, where we'll stay next time.

This Hotel is far from the 70's but rather very now. They offer FREE high speed internet and a newly remoldled restaurant. The Front Desk Staff is excellent especially Hunter. He is the new concierge and is more than willing to assist with reservations. I have stayed here numerous times and never been disappointed, never!!!!! I will be there again in December and can not wait to see what great suggestions Hunter will have for my family, thank you Hunter!!

Very Happy Customer

The hotel is ugly -- with worn decor from the early-1970's. Our room overlooked the atrium, and had no window for fresh air. In a word, it stunk -- literally and figuratively. Scratchy sheets, puny towels and a tiny bathroom capped the experience. The buffet breakfast included in our rate was poor -- runny gruel-like oatmeal typified the offerings. And, oh yes, at $179 a night, a rip off in Central Virginia. Many other nicer options nearby. Stay away. (The capper, the parking lot had misplaced and unmarked barriers to demarcate the spaces, one of which scraped my bumper.)