The Hotel Roanoke was built by the Norfolk and Western Railroad in 1882 and over the next century, despite fire and depression, it became Roanoke's social center. Sadly by the late 1980's the historic Tudor Revival building had fallen into disrepair and, with occupancy rates on the decline and facing costly renovations, the hotel closed in 1989. In hopes that the Virginia Tech Foundation would renovate the hotel and, in collaboration with the City of Roanoke, build an adjacent conference center, the Norfolk Southern Corporation (formerly Norfolk and Western Railroad) gifted the facility to the Virginia Tech Real Estate Foundation on the condition that financing for the project would be secured within four years. Otherwise the property ownership would revert back to the railroad where it would likely be demolished.

After a successful public and private fundraising campaign, the newly renovated and constructed facility opened its doors in 1995, with $100.3 million ultimately being invested in projects directly associated with and surrounding the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center project. This project included the expansion and upgrading of Wells Avenue and improvements for the adjacent Gainsboro community.

This successful collaboration with the City of Roanoke and local businesses and citizens created a modern conference facility for the university and region. Today the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center serves the university and the region as a premier site for educational, civic, and business events. The hotel also provides jobs and helps generate revenue for the City of Roanoke and in the surrounding communities by bringing visitors into the area. The success of the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center is a catalyst for growth and revitalization benefiting the university and the region.

Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, took over operations of the hotel and its corrected conference center in January 2016.

The Hotel Roanoke is a member of the prestigious Historic Hotels of America program administered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Hotel Roanoke Website>>