The iconic big red shoe welcomes you to the Craddock Terry Hotel in Lynchburg.
When I told folks who grew up in the region, I was headed to the Craddock Terry Hotel in Lynchburg, Virginia, I was inundated with fond memories of shoe shopping in their childhood. Thankfully the designers have saved the essence of the 5th largest shoe company in the world in the 1905 main building along the James River.
One enters the lobby in what was once the main sales showroom for those who flocked to purchase the high-end shoes. The display of old stock found in the attic is a testament to that heritage and if you listen closely one can almost hear the voices of women asking for sizes or comparing notes on style as they twist and turn to see ground-level mirrors of their feet in the latest choices. The Lynchburg City Museum includes this reference: “The Craddock Terry was the largest employer in the region for the first half of the twentieth century”
Tall ceilings in the original store which is now the lobby of the Craddock Terry Hotel
From combat boots to baby shoes and everything in between, the factory has been lovingly restored by descendants of the original founder with accented exterior stone walls and nine-foot windows to flood the space with light in an industrial ambiance. We adored all the little touches in homage to their past.
Shoes on display in the CT Lobby
The big red shoe can be seen perched on the side of the five-story building for some distance And, it’s carried through as their logo on everything from bicycles to the delightful chocolate stiletto holding berries in our standard king suite.
The complimentary breakfast is served in an old-fashioned shoe-shine box while room doors are adorned with colorful cutouts of everything from puppy dog slippers to fanciful boots. And throughout the hotel, displays offer a glimpse of factory life mixed with artistic, whimsical paintings of shoes. I admit to coveting at least a couple pairs of those pumps!
Breakfast is ordered in an old-fashioned shoeshine box
Decorative shoes adorn each of the 44 rooms at the Hotel
As befitting a Marriott Portfolio hotel, the accommodations in the 44 rooms are luxurious. One can sample Gilchrist & Soames Bee Kind amenities and sink into bedding that makes you want to linger longer. Authenticity to their founders is key to their comfortable elegance while the attentive staff offer a perfect retreat from exploring, shopping, or working in hilly Lynchburg.
A fine assortment of yogurt, fresh fruit, juice and a delectable muffin in the box outside the door before 7 AM
Located smack dab along the bluff overlooking the James River where John Lynch first manned a ferry crossing in 1757, the Craddock Terry capitalizes with balconies and two restaurants facing the bluff. We’ve written about the Shoemakers American Grille but also want to mention Waterstone Pizza which came highly recommended by many in the region. We’ll have to go back to experience their fine menu in the leafy courtyard beneath the hotel rooms.
I will have a little bit more about the hotel in a separate missive so stay tuned for more about the Craddock Terry Hotel and Shoemaker’s American Grille in Lynchburg, Virginia. Most definitely learn more about the hotel at https://www.craddockterryhotel.com/
