Sunday, July 2, 2023

Front Royal, Virginia: DoubleTree by Hilton Blue Ridge Shadows

June 2023, weekend-weekday, 2 nights, king suite 303

Views from both windows in bedroom of king suite 303 in DoubleTree Front Royal, Virginia

Diamond perks and arrival

I reserved a basic room, and received an upgrade to a king suite before I checked in on the app. We received two bottles of water when we stopped at the front desk for a spare key after we arrived. I also received a $30 daily credit for food and beverages. This could be used during any meal time in the hotel restaurant or bar; Houlihan's. Breakfast the last morning only totaled $28, so we received a $28 credit for that day.

Guestroom diagram in DoubleTree in Front Royal--Blue Ridge Shadows, Virginia

King suite 303

This hotel has 5 floors, and our suite was on floor 3. I did not ask for a higher floor at check-in; however, staff checked a bit later, because the living room TV in our room did not initially work. A staff member came up to look at it, and could not figure out the problem. She offered us another suite on a lower floor, and then put in a call for repair first thing the next morning, as it was Sunday, after we decided not to change rooms. A few hours later, my husband was able to get the TV to turn on, and then it worked the rest of our stay.

Living room in king suite 303 in DoubleTree Front Royal, Virginia

This suite was nicely laid out. The living room by the entrance contained a sofa, soft chair, coffee table, end table and lamp, and work desk and chair under the large flatscreen TV. One large window in the room faced south. There were two thermostat controls; one in the living room, and one in the bedroom. Unfortunately, the furniture in the living room was dated, and not very comfortable.

Bedroom in king suite 303 DoubleTree Front Royal--Blue Ridge Shadows, Virginia

The bedroom was located down a short hall, and it had a door that closed. There were two large windows in the bedroom; one facing south, and the other facing west (additional partial photos at the top of this post). The bed, linens, and pillows were all good quality and comfortable. There was a second TV in the bedroom.

Bathroom in king suite 303 in DoubleTree Front Royal, Virginia

There was a large safe in the hall closet. The bathroom and beverage center were located along this hall, between the bedroom and living room. The bathroom contained a tub/shower combination, and basic vanity with sink. Getting to the toilet was a bit odd, as it was located behind the door after it was opened. You need to shut the door after entering the bathroom to step behind it to get to the toilet. A sliding pocket door in the bathroom would make more sense.

Beverage center in king suite 303 in DoubleTree Front Royal, Virginia

The beverage area in the hall contained a microwave, small fridge, sink, coffeemaker with supplies, and a steel ice bucket. Glass glasses were provided, although the coffee cups were disposable. We requested housekeeping during stayover, and our glass glasses were not replaced. The used cups we had left in the sink were still in the sink when we returned that day.


The wifi worked well, and we did not have any issues with noise outside the room, even though this hotel was quite full both nights of our stay.


Area outside pool in DoubleTree in Front Royal, Virginia


Pool & recreation

This hotel has an inside pool and whirlpool tub. The first evening, the pool was quite busy with families. We did not see any kids when we visited the second evening, although it was still busy with several other couples in the pool area. There is a nice outside sitting area accessible from the pool with loungers, picnic tables, and grills. This overlooks Blue Ridge Shadows Golf Course. The fitness center is located on the same level as the pool.


Nachos in Houlihan's inside DoubleTree hotel in Front Royal, Virginia

Food & Beverages

We received DoubleTree cookies when we checked into the hotel, and we dined at the hotel restaurant, Houlihan's, one evening, and one morning. It was margarita Monday in the lounge on Monday, so we had nachos and margaritas. Both were very good, and the price was excellent.

Breakfast wrap in Houlihan's inside DoubleTree hotel in Front Royal, Virginia

For breakfast I had a spinach egg wrap with grits, and my husband had a sandwich with hash browns. Other than a bit too much oil on my plate under the warp, everything was delicious! I saved half my wrap and ate it later. It was actually a bit tastier the next day, as much of the oil had soaked away from the wrap and into the container.


Misc. and overall

Other than the old furnishings in this hotel, this stay was satisfactory. The hotel appeared clean, although the room refresh we had during stay over was dismal. We visited Shenandoah National Park during our stay, and I will share info from that visit in my next post.


Let me know if you have any questions!



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