Do you believe in time travel? I do, in a way, especially after last weekend. 

As a Christmas gift, my husband had promised me a stay at the beautiful Historic Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach, where I would swim and write to my heart’s content and we would reconnect, momentarily freed from the stress of daily life. After check-in, I accepted my welcome glass of champagne, pushed open the paneled glass door, and stepped onto the deck overlooking the clear blue saltwater rectangle called “The Plunge.” 

At that moment, the ambient music– the Brian Ferry Orchestra’s cover of Young and Beautiful– caught my attention, yanking me four years back, to the last time I swam in that pool…

…“Line up, ladies,” my daughter’s coach–now my coach–commanded, then checked our lipstick. I donned my nose clip and adjusted my black flapper suit one last time, wondering if my sparkly Art Deco headpiece, braided bun, and finger waves would stay in place. I worried that the 47 bobby pins and four packets of Knox gelatin wouldn’t be enough. 

The hour of reckoning had arrived. We four Masters synchronized swimmers filed into order, and Coach opened the black and white striped curtain of the poolside cabana we’d used as our backstage. With hearts pounding in anticipation, we strode in-step onto the deck and assumed our starting positions, ready to perform together in my first show ever: a wedding reception at the Historic Cavalier Hotel. 

I glanced up at the balcony and immediately felt as if we’d been transported back to the grand opening of this luxury hotel in 1927. It was the ritzy-est wedding I’d ever seen, including my own. Men sported tuxedos, while fringe and feathers were the fashion of choice for the women. Across the pool, a jazz band with a singer who looked and sounded like Ella Fitzgerald wrapped up a rousing rendition of Ain’t Misbehavin’. 

In the expectant silence, I swallowed. Traitorous thoughts ran through my brain. What am I doing? I’m a distance swimmer! How did I get here?

Then I remembered my wise-beyond-her-years daughter’s advice: Don’t look at the spectators. You’re just swimming with your friends. Easy for her to say; the poor kid is nearsighted, able to see her teammates but not much farther. But I knew she was right.

I closed my eyes and drew a long, slow breath, then exhaled, envisioning our hours of practice and rehearsal the past few months. I know this routine. WE know this routine.

That same rendition of Young and Beautiful began, I inhaled, and we slipped into the effervescent saltwater, silhouettes swimming as one in the evening light. Melodious and melancholy music flowed though my awareness, captivating and energizing me as we swam. On the glass ceiling, our reflections followed us, a kaleidoscope of changing formations and moving together. 

Then it was over. A personal triumph in a very public domain. I had done what I had both eagerly anticipated and feared. We performed two routines twice that night, and my heart sang each time. The five foot depth created a challenge for synchronized swimming, where many elements require deep water, but our coach had choreographed a shallow water routine, so I only scraped the bottom once, then shook it off and got on with the show. Whew! Even better news: nobody had a wardrobe malfunction!

What a delight it had been to swim for an audience in such a grand location, but more than that, assuming my daughter’s role as a synchronized swimmer created a Freaky Friday experience for me. As proud of her as I had been, I became even more so once I saw the world through her metaphorical goggles.

That was Valentines Day 2020, right before COVID-19 closed the US, our generation’s version of the stock market crash. Like party-goers before Black Tuesday 1929, we’d been on top of the world that night.

The world of the Cavalier shines with opulence and beauty reminiscent of The Great Gatsby. Completed in 1927,  this example of neo-Jeffersonian architecture was the bee’s knees, in Roaring 20s slang. Each room had a private bath with separate saltwater spigots, the golf course was based on St. Andrews, the radio station WSEA had a broadcast center right there, and the large indoor saltwater pool offered luxury and health benefits. Then on Memorial Day weekend in 1929, the resort opened a hopping beach club down the hill on the oceanfront. Its popularity grew quickly, especially once a direct rail line, billed as The Cavalier to the Cavalier, brought seaside-seeking Chicagoans straight from the Windy City to the new resort. With the Cavalier as a lighthouse beckoning wealthy travelers from all over the US, Virginia Beach, formerly a small locally-known resort town, soared into the national spotlight. 

During the rush of those heady early years, Hollywood elite, American aristocrats, and politicians flocked to this resort to see and be seen, and to dance to live tunes from the hottest jazz bands of the day.

No wonder rumors abound that F. Scott Fitzgerald, who spent much time on the Cavalier’s pool deck, was inspired by these surroundings to write his great American novel. Nicknamed “The Plunge,” the 75 foot long, 9 foot deep saltwater pool hosted diving and swimming competitions, but more than that, it was a gathering place. Famous guests who likely swam or at least lounged in poolside luxury include Bob Hope, Judy Garland, Ginger Rogers, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, and seven Presidents (Coolidge, Hoover, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon). 

Then it was over. This treasure fell on hard times, barely avoiding the wrecking ball.

How did this happen? How did the Cavalier, the most elegant hotel in southeast Virginia, end up teetering on the brink of destruction? Who saved it and how?

Let’s hop in our Deloreans like Marty McFly and Doc Brown in Back to the Future and set the date for 1942. The hotel had been a huge success, but the demands of World War II pulled it into the service of the US Navy. The new occupants used the hotel’s radio capability not to transmit popular tunes, but to detect objects. The Cavalier had become a radar training facility, an important role in the Allied war effort. The pool was drained and used as a classroom.

Like a soldier returning from war, the hotel resumed her civilian role in 1945, but at a price. Lost years meant lost business, and guests returned in fewer numbers. So the Cavalier wasn’t quite the same as it had been before the war. Although it became a private club in the next two decades, the struggles continued. In 1973, its sister hotel on the oceanfront opened, and the original 1927 Cavalier closed. It reopened in 1976 and was renovated in 2002. However, in 2012, a family feud between the owners brought about a court-ordered sale, with the winning bid coming from The Cavalier Associates, the only bidder that planned renovation rather than demolition.

FIN FACT:
Bruce Thompson, one of the leaders of The Cavalier Associates, began his career in hospitality and development as a landscaper and night watchman at the Cavalier in 1975.

Reconstruction of The Plunge pool was one of the most difficult parts of the entire project, according to lead architect Greg Rutledge. The old concrete saltwater tank unfortunately couldn’t be fixed. Huge cracks had led to the loss of so much water that the former owners filled it continuously with a garden hose. Also, the sunken ground under the pool and the thickness of the concrete made total removal too difficult. As a result, a new pool was created inside the shell of the old one, separated by a waterproof barrier, and the depth was cut from 13 feet to five feet. Although the original lion heads that sprayed saltwater didn’t survive, they were carefully recreated, and a hot tub was added! In addition, a top-notch spa now connects to the pool. Woo hoo!

After four years of extensive renovations, The Historic Cavalier Hotel reopened in 2018, meticulously restored to Jazz Age splendor and enhanced with modern conveniences and a listing on the National Register of Historic Places! 

Moreover, through the efforts of Bruce Thompson and his very successful hospitality companies (PHR and Gold Key Resorts), the Cavalier Resort now consists of not one but three luxury hotels: the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront, the Embassy Suites by Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront, and, of course, the Historic Cavalier Hotel and Beach Club.

Nearly a century after its opening, this resort once again rocks. Since reopening in 2018, the Cavalier Resort has hosted numerous stars. Pharrell stayed here for his Something in the Water festival, which brought thousands of hip hop fans to the city. Other current musical royalty guests include P. Diddy, Pusha T., Gwen Stefani, and Kanye West. But for me, a diehard Parrothead, Jimmy Buffett takes the margarita. Knowing that he relished his time here makes me so happy, and comes as no surprise. After all, the Historic Cavalier and Beach Resort is the perfect place to nibble on sponge cake and watch the sun bake all of those tourists covered with oil!

What a relief! The Cavalier Hotel has been restored and protected, and is in excellent hands. Go see for yourself! Check into a room, and check out all it has to offer. Especially that saltwater pool! 

My husband and I did exactly that for two exquisite days. Upon arrival, the attentive, helpful staff diligently fixed a reservation issue, after which we assumed lounge lizard status, just hanging out in the spectacular bar with balconies over the pool. Life goals! I swam laps both mornings, my husband worked out in the well-outfitted gym, and we ran along the boardwalk. My parents (who kept our kids for the weekend) brought them down Saturday night for a dip and dinner. And we left the next day, refreshed and ready for what life might bring, following our Plunge pool-powered getaway.

FIN FACTS:
Completed: 1927
Renovated: 2014-2018
Length: 19.54 yards
Depth: 3.5 feet to 5 feet 
Water type: Saltwater
Heated: Yes
Hot tub: Yes
Food and drink: Poolside service
Bathroom: In hotel lobby
Day pass: No. Pool access for hotel guests only.

Until next time, fins up and bubbles up to you, my swimmy friends. 

Contact:
The Historic Cavalier Hotel and Beach Resort
4200 Atlantic Ave
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
tel: 757-425-8555
https://cavalierresortvb.com/cavalier-hotel

For more Virginia Beach fun:
https://www.rent.com/blog/unique-things-to-do-in-virginia-beach/

References: 
https://www.virginia.org/blog/post/va-beach-cavalier-history
https://www.visitvirginiabeach.com/blog/post/the-cavalier-hotel-a-legend-restored
https://www.virginiabusiness.com/article/cavalier-resort-takes-shape-in-virginia-beach
https://famoushotels.org/hotels/the-cavalier
https://www.pilotonline.com/2018/01/27/reclaiming-the-cavalier-saving-the-old-leaky-pool-was-not-an-option-so-how-did-they-build-a-new-one/?clearUserState=true
https://www.vabeach.com/virginia-beach-articles/historic-cavalier-hotel-makes-a-comeback
The Virginian Pilot. The Cavalier: Reclaiming a Virginia Beach Icon. (2018, 2022).  Pediment Publishing.