Grand Opening

A New Era Begins With The Forum Hotel

By Tom van der Voort and Tira Hightower

When The Forum Hotel welcomed its first guests in April, it marked the conclusion of a major construction project on Darden’s Charlottesville Grounds. But The Forum is more of a beginning than an end for the School.

The purpose-built, LEED certified hotel, operated by Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, allows for a more holistic educational experience — for those traveling to Charlottesville as part of their Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA or Executive Education & Lifelong Learning programs; those visiting for business or pleasure; or those residing here full-time. Comfortable rooms, welcoming common spaces, well-appointed classrooms, two restaurants, an arboretum and several botanical gardens allow people to share, learn, collaborate and socialize in spaces that promote wellness, mental health and sustainability. Many from UVA, Charlottesville and beyond now find themselves a part of the Darden community, adding to the dynamism of the School. Excess proceeds from the hotel, which is owned by the Darden School Foundation, go to support student and faculty excellence.

We invite you to take a virtual look inside The Forum through this photo essay. More to the point, we invite you to stay with us next time you are in Charlottesville. We’d love to see you. Learn more at forumhotelcharlottesville.com.

The Forum’s grand exterior gives way to a light-filled, comfortable and welcoming lobby. Next to the lobby, the Bruner Case Study offers a relaxing space to read, work or hold intimate gatherings.

Event Spaces

The spacious Grove Ballroom and its adjacent corridor bring the natural world inside with generous windows, an event lawn and a botanically themed carpet. The cozy wine cellar, Casa '88, and the Washington Room next door can host tastings, meals and meetings. Opposite: The state-of-the-art Socrates Classroom is one of three classrooms in The Forum. Set up in tiers, the Socrates Classroom is designed to facilitate small-team collaboration. The Oak Boardroom is a learning and meeting space that feels as if it’s outside, with windows on three sides facing the adjacent gardens.

The Aspen Bar, left, is a gathering spot in the lobby for morning coffee or evening drinks. It welcomes visitors into The Forum’s signature steak house, Birch & Bloom, which features small plates, seafood and vegetarian options. Guests who dine in the adjacent L'Orangerie are surrounded by windows looking out on the gardens and can dine inside or outside on an elevated terrace.

With the feel of a neighborhood bar and UVA sports memorabilia lining the walls, The Good Sport is a great place to stop before or after the game — or to watch it on TV. The menu features a wide variety of comfort food and a rotating selection of local brews.

TERRACES & GARDENS

The outdoors are as much a part of The Forum experience as the indoors. To be completed in October, a six-acre arboretum and botanical gardens include water features, an outdoor classroom, access to the Rivanna Trail and more than 1,300 trees.

The Executive Program

Advanced Management for Top Leaders

Learn alongside Darden’s #1 ranked business faculty to gain the skills to lead ethically and with purpose, achieve peak performance, execute on a clear vision, and pursue a differentiated, agile strategy in an ever-changing global business environment.

Apply or nominate your high-potential leaders for our October 2023 program. Contact TEP Director Allison Sellman (SellmanA@darden.virginia.edu) for group enrollment options.

INSIGHTS FROM Jim Detert

WRITTEN BY Andrew Ramspacher