Richmond's grand 1895 hotel is one of the finest examples of Gilded Age architecture in Virginia and worth a visit even if you are not staying. The lobby — the former Palm Court — is a high-domed Beaux-Arts space with marble columns, a painted ceiling, and the famous grand staircase where the statue of Thomas Jefferson presides over arrivals and departures. The hotel is said to have inspired the staircase scene in Gone with the Wind; whether true or not, the claim fits the building perfectly.
Afternoon tea is served in the lobby on weekends, and the bar has some of the best cocktails in Richmond. The hotel is on Franklin Street a few blocks from Capitol Square.