The Regency Room is 75 years old next year, and the Hotel Roanoke is marking the anniversary with major renovations. The room will get new drapes, upholstery and carpeting when construction begins on Wednesday, January 2nd.
The biggest change is a wall of opaque french doors that will create a private dining area called the Regency Overlook.
Outdoor dining is also part of the plan with a new awning and other improvements on the veranda.
Gary Walton is the General Manager of the Hotel Roanoke. "The ambience is not going to change at all," Walton said in an interview. "We’re going to keep the historical flavor of the room and the rich appointments that are here," he said. "Everything that we’re doing now is going to look like it was always here."
Dining operations will be relocated to the Shenandoah Ballroom and the Pine Room pub during construction. The work is scheduled to be completed by mid-February.
The Hotel Roanoke will soon introduce a new chef, and the New Year will also bring updates to the menu, but Walton says the Regency Room’s signature dishes, including peanut soup and spoon bread, aren’t going anywhere.
