Pros

  • Spacious suites include kitchens, washer/dryers, and DVD players
  • Select suites feature whirlpool tubs, private balconies, and fireplaces
  • Stately grounds with historic buildings and gardens
  • Indoor and outdoor swimming pools
  • Bar and restaurant serving above-average American comfort food
  • General store with gifts and groceries
  • Hiking and biking trails
  • Fitness center and racquetball court
  • Kid-friendly activities (miniature golf, playground, kiddy pool)
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Cons

  • Five miles from Colonial Williamsburg
  • Salespeople push specials and time-shares (no tour required)
  • Mandatory fee for Wi-Fi
  • Dimly lit grounds can be difficult to navigate at night
  • Housekeeping provided only after an eight-night stay
  • No room service
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Bottom Line

The Historic Powhatan is a sprawling resort on 256 acres, located five miles from Colonial Williamsburg. This gated community is a maze of two-story apartment buildings, with 444 spacious time-share suites and a host of resort-style amenities. Highlights include a restored manor house built in 1735, an impressive outdoor pool with bar service, and lovely landscaped grounds.  Assertive salespeople pushing specials and time-shares are a distinct possibility.  Visitors seeking a more upscale experience should consider the Kingsmill Resort, eight miles away.

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Amenities

  • Cribs
  • Fitness Center
  • Internet
  • Jacuzzi
  • Pool

Oyster Hotel Review

The Historic Powhatan Resort

Scene

Colonial charm with a time-share resort vibe   

The Historic Powhatan Resort mixes colonial elegance with a time-share resort vibe. The sweeping manicured grounds are dotted with colonial-style buildings, ponds, gardens, and walkways that meander around weeping willow and magnolia trees. The most picturesque spot on the property is a restored Manor House built in 1735, which hosts seasonal ghost tours.

Upon arrival guests must pass through a security gate and make their way to a central lobby building. Upon check-in, we were ushered to a concierge desk to receive a “welcome packet,” which was followed by an aggressive sales pitch asking us to pay for a discounted stay, then and there, at a sister property.

The apartment-style suites are spacious and have functional, if unimaginative, furniture, and private balconies or decks. (Checkout is an early 10:00 a.m., and during our stay a staff member rang the doorbell before 9:00 a.m. to ask if we were leaving.) A central building houses an indoor pool, racquetball court, and the resort’s only restaurant, Bar & Grille -- a casual venue that serves above average American comfort food.  Other highlights include a business center, spacious outdoor pool with bar service and swim lanes, fitness center, mini-golf course, tennis courts, and picnic areas with barbecue grills.  

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Location

Located on 256 acres, a 12-minute drive from Colonial Williamsburg

About seven miles off Interstate-64, the Historic Powhatan Resort is located a 12-minute drive from Colonial Williamsburg, one of the earliest settlements in America. The immediate area is mostly residential, and a variety of dining options and shops (mostly chains) are within a five-minute drive. The colonial district, five miles away, offers a unique selection of shops, pubs, and eateries.

See More Location

Rooms

Spacious apartment-style suites and condos

Apartment-like suites and condos are available with one or two bedrooms. They average 900 square feet with a four-person maximum occupancy. Rooms are either on the ground floor or second floor, and all units come with modern kitchens (full or kitchenettes). All suites have Wi-Fi (for a mandatory surcharge) and DVD players.  Select rooms have electric fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and private decks or balconies. Tranquil artwork of still-life paintings and pastoral scenes hang on the walls, and the furniture is somewhat corporate and unimaginative, but beds are comfy and suites are clean.

See More Rooms

Features

Indoor and outdoor pool, weekly activities, and plentiful amenities

The Historic Powhatan has plenty of family-friendly amenities. Highlights include an indoor pool and hot tub, a spacious outdoor pool with bar service, and a restored Manor House that offers in-season ghost tours. The resort also has a fitness center, tennis and racquetball courts, a business center, playground, casual restaurant, and miniature golf.  A weekly activities calendar offers everything from water aerobics to wine glass painting in an Activities Room. The resort has gated security, acres of walking and hiking trails, and a General Store that sells gifts and groceries.

See More Features

Oyster Hotel Review

The Historic Powhatan Resort

Scene

Colonial charm with a time-share resort vibe   

The Historic Powhatan Resort mixes colonial elegance with a time-share resort vibe. The sweeping manicured grounds are dotted with colonial-style buildings, ponds, gardens, and walkways that meander around weeping willow and magnolia trees. The most picturesque spot on the property is a restored Manor House built in 1735, which hosts seasonal ghost tours.

Upon arrival guests must pass through a security gate and make their way to a central lobby building. Upon check-in, we were ushered to a concierge desk to receive a “welcome packet,” which was followed by an aggressive sales pitch asking us to pay for a discounted stay, then and there, at a sister property.

The apartment-style suites are spacious and have functional, if unimaginative, furniture, and private balconies or decks. (Checkout is an early 10:00 a.m., and during our stay a staff member rang the doorbell before 9:00 a.m. to ask if we were leaving.) A central building houses an indoor pool, racquetball court, and the resort’s only restaurant, Bar & Grille -- a casual venue that serves above average American comfort food.  Other highlights include a business center, spacious outdoor pool with bar service and swim lanes, fitness center, mini-golf course, tennis courts, and picnic areas with barbecue grills.  

See More Scene

Location

Located on 256 acres, a 12-minute drive from Colonial Williamsburg

About seven miles off Interstate-64, the Historic Powhatan Resort is located a 12-minute drive from Colonial Williamsburg, one of the earliest settlements in America. The immediate area is mostly residential, and a variety of dining options and shops (mostly chains) are within a five-minute drive. The colonial district, five miles away, offers a unique selection of shops, pubs, and eateries.

See More Location

Rooms

Spacious apartment-style suites and condos

Apartment-like suites and condos are available with one or two bedrooms. They average 900 square feet with a four-person maximum occupancy. Rooms are either on the ground floor or second floor, and all units come with modern kitchens (full or kitchenettes). All suites have Wi-Fi (for a mandatory surcharge) and DVD players.  Select rooms have electric fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and private decks or balconies. Tranquil artwork of still-life paintings and pastoral scenes hang on the walls, and the furniture is somewhat corporate and unimaginative, but beds are comfy and suites are clean.

See More Rooms

Features

Indoor and outdoor pool, weekly activities, and plentiful amenities

The Historic Powhatan has plenty of family-friendly amenities. Highlights include an indoor pool and hot tub, a spacious outdoor pool with bar service, and a restored Manor House that offers in-season ghost tours. The resort also has a fitness center, tennis and racquetball courts, a business center, playground, casual restaurant, and miniature golf.  A weekly activities calendar offers everything from water aerobics to wine glass painting in an Activities Room. The resort has gated security, acres of walking and hiking trails, and a General Store that sells gifts and groceries.

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Basic Television

  • Business Center

  • Cable

  • Children's Pool

  • Concierge

  • Cribs

  • Fitness Center

  • Full Kitchen

  • Internet

  • Jacuzzi

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Pool

  • Poolside Drink Service

  • Rental Car Service Desk Onsite

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Supervised Kids Activities

  • Swim-Up Bar

  • Tennis Court

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.