Kimpton The Forum Hotel by IHG

The front desk team made my overnight visit feel special. They were warm, knowledgeable, and easy to talk to, and they pointed me toward good places for dinner while making sure I had what I needed. My room was comfortable, clean, and nicely equipped, and the hotel itself looks great. Charlottesville was easy to explore from here. I stayed on January 7th, 2026, and would gladly come back to The Form Hotel.

While I was having surgery at UVA, I booked this for my wife. The hotel is about a mile from the hospital, and the parking staff were especially polite and great. Jaquan got us checked in quickly, remembered my name throughout our three nights, and checked in more than once to see how things were going. We also enjoyed the elegant lobby and its 5pm to 6pm happy hour. The rooms were spacious, clean, and great, and the meals from the two restaurants inside were delicious. Checking out by phone was easy.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and there were plenty of them around. I liked the beautiful, well-kept lobbies and the beer, wine, and appetizers offered in the late afternoon. My room was clean and well appointed, though the bathroom drain smelled despite no visible mold. Getting around by car was a hassle: parking requires paid valet, which makes it inconvenient to fetch things or choose where the car is parked. I was also charged $75 too much because prepaid credits were missing. When I called a few days later, they said they would honor the credit, so I still need to watch my account to see if it appears. For my own preference in Charlottesville, I like the Boar's Head Resort better: no parking fees, more accessible, a quiet location, and restaurant food I prefer, prepared just as well and of good quality.

The grounds on the UVA Law School campus were peaceful, and the hotel has a great gym, a good restaurant, and a striking lobby that was beautifully decorated for the holidays. My wife and I were there over Thanksgiving to see family. I've stayed at other Kimpton properties, but this was my first time at this one, and the room and service were disappointing for a four-star hotel. The room had weak water pressure, a very small shower, a bed and pillows I found extremely uncomfortable, and loud mechanical sounds overhead that kept us awake all night. We booked through the American Express Hotel Collection for early check-in, late checkout, a dining credit, and a possible upgrade. At the desk we were told there were no upgrades because the hotel was sold out, even though the hotel's website still showed upgraded rooms available. That felt dishonest and set a bad tone. The hotel texts guests asking them to message if they need anything. I tried several times and got no useful response or fix, so I'm not sure those messages reach anyone able to help. Valet cost $26 a day plus tip, and cars can only be requested with a text link. I never got the link, despite asking the valet and front desk more than five times. The valet staff were excellent, especially given they were working on Thanksgiving, but without the link I couldn't tip them and the process caused needless hassle. We spent our $100 dining credit on breakfast. The food was excellent, but the restaurant was clearly short staffed and the servers said so. It's not a quick breakfast, so leave enough time. This modern property needs better staff training, communication, and care for guest comfort. The advertised four-star service felt closer to three. An Amex credit made the price easier to justify, but I wouldn't return. The room upgrade issue really bothered me, and I'd choose the Omni instead.