A Crystal City hotel is celebrating its completed redesign and a soon-to-come “land and sea”-themed restaurant at the property.
Local leaders and staff at the Westin Crystal City cut the ribbon on the hotel’s overhaul yesterday (Thursday) at 1800 Richmond Hwy. The project redesigned the hotel’s 223 guest rooms, refreshed common areas with new walls, floors and furnishings, and will soon introduce Stillwater & Stone, a new restaurant and bar.
“As you’re walking into the hotel, [the renovations] just open everything up. It’s so light,” General Manager Vikas Lalwani told ARLnow. “Our food and beverage concept is a very, very big deal for us, because that’s a big showcase … the openness of the guest rooms really stands out.”
Further details on Stillwater & Stone’s grand opening are still to come, Lalwani said, with updates expected soon on the new restaurant’s social media page. On Instagram, the hotel eatery, which can seat about 130 guests, has teased “land and sea” cuisine with “signature crab cakes,” “masterfully crafted martinis” and spritz cocktails.
“Enjoy a curated menu of shareable bites, along with craft beers, boutique wines, and expertly crafted cocktails, all in an atmosphere that feels both refined and effortlessly inviting,” an online description reads.
Elsewhere, the renovations added a full-service lobby cafe with Commonwealth Joe coffee and enhanced more than 15,000 square feet of event space, including an updated ballroom on the second floor.
Local economic leaders lauded the completed project as a celebration of Crystal City’s hospitality scene, including Arlington Chamber of Commerce CEO Kate Bates, who said the hotel — located just over a mile from Reagan National Airport — has “long served as an important gateway” for business and leisure travel, events and the surrounding community.
“Today’s transformation further strengthens its role as a leading destination within our region,” Bates said. “Projects like this signal confidence in Arlington as a place to do business, host meetings and events, attract visitors, and build community connections.”
National Landing BID President Tracy Sayegh Gabriel — who earlier this week announced the BID’s new rebranding — said the hotel’s transformation “reflects the energy and momentum we’re seeing throughout the area,” which receives some 6 million visitors each year.
“It’s modern, welcoming, connected, designed around people,” Gabriel said. “We’re thrilled to see future additions like the hotel’s new land and sea dining concept that will add to National Landing’s culinary scene, joining nearly 20 new brick-and-mortar businesses that opened in the past year alone.”
Rooms at the Westin Crystal City start at $161 per night for a guest room with a king-sized bed.
The Westin’s grand reopening follows a multimillion-dollar renovation project at the nearby AC Hotel Arlington National Landing. The redesign debuted last August with refreshed rooms as well as a new fitness center, restaurant and outdoor patio.
