Virginia Beach is changing. Not at all once but in the gradual, rhythmic way the shoreline reshapes itself after every tide. A wave crashes, recedes, and leaves behind something subtly altered: a new curve in the sand, a different shell uncovered, a landscape familiar yet undeniably different.
After all, a city shaped by the ocean was never meant to stand still.
That evolution is especially visible at Atlantic Park, an ambitious new development redefining the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Last year, the project debuted its centerpiece: the Wavegarden Cove Surf Lagoon, the first of its kind in North America, capable of generating up to 1,000 waves an hour for everyone from first-time surfers to seasoned pros.
Now, Atlantic Park enters its next chapter with the opening of The Sitio. Tucked within the development like a pearl waiting to be discovered, the 20-room boutique hotel offers a more intimate counterpoint to the corridor of high-rise hotels surrounding it — quieter, more personal, and thoughtfully curated in both design and experience.
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Its small footprint was never viewed as a limitation but as an opportunity. “There’s nothing else offered like this down here,” says Brittany Albert, development and operations manager for Venture Realty Group, who headed the management and construction of the Atlantic Park project. “We thought that was a really unique opportunity to offer a small, intimate, boutique-type hotel.”
The Sitio (pronounced see-tee-oh) roughly translates from Spanish as “the place.” It was envisioned not just as somewhere to stay but a location where people gather, a place that’s special to the community and brings together experiences that don’t traditionally coexist in the same space.
The details throughout the hotel reinforce a deep sense of place. Upon entering the hotel, guests approach a beautiful wooden front desk made from a natural wood tree trunk that was salvaged during Atlantic Park’s construction. Other trees removed during construction were reimagined into furnishings by Virginia artisans including Benevolent Design Co., Goold Furniture & Design Co., Wooden Object Studios, and North End Bag Co., whose bespoke leather key fobs and coasters add subtle touches of craftsmanship throughout the rooms.
Rooms feel light and airy, appointed with natural materials, custom surf racks, and hand-selected works of art inspired by music and surf culture. Coastal abstract works by Virginia Beach-born artist Schuyler Beecroft are juxtaposed with pieces by world-renowned French photographer and street artist JR, a frequent collaborator and friend of Pharrell Williams, Virginia Beach native, global superstar, and partner in the Atlantic Park project. None of the artworks displayed here have ever been exhibited collectively anywhere else in the world.
It’s not just the space that feels special. It’s the little touchpoints featured throughout a stay: personalized welcome notes, morning coffee delivery, surfboards brought directly to rooms, wellness-minded snacks, and playlists curated in collaboration with Pharrell’s team, allowing guests to discover new artists each time they visit.
The surf influence here is undeniable but never forced. Although Virginia Beach is the birthplace of East Coast surfing, Atlantic Park avoids leaning into cliches. You won’t find any palm trees or gimmicky “Hang Ten” aesthetics. Native landscaping grounds the property in Coastal Virginia, while the culture itself emerges more organically through the people behind the project, many of whom are surfers, surf photographers, and longtime members of the local community. “We didn’t try to make it anything it’s not,” Albert says. “It’s that culture just naturally seeping in.”
Still, Atlantic Park was never intended solely for surfers. The project was designed as a year-round destination for the Virginia Beach community itself. Positioned between the Oceanfront and the ViBe Creative District, Atlantic Park embraces the arts-focused identity already established rather than attempting to replace it. ViBe District Executive Director Kate Pittman helped secure murals for the project, and Atlantic Park has participated in the district’s Mural Festival and arts programming.
The businesses selected for the surrounding 10-acre development further reinforce that vision. Tenants were carefully selected around themes of wellness, creativity, entertainment, and community, with many brands entering the Virginia Beach market for the first time. Among them are surf-inspired sustainable clothing brand Faherty, casual temaki bar Nami Nori, and Only at Renee’s, known for its made-to-order Filipino cuisine.
Of course, many guests prefer to dine in The Sunroom, an intimate bar and lounge within The Sitio that overlooks the Surf Lagoon. “Much like The Sitio itself, The Sunroom is small in size and big on intention,” says General Manager Lacy Peterson. A chef-led menu is inspired by the surf and the seasons with fresh and light offerings to fuel a day well spent. Guests may start their day with something savory like the Beach House Lox: cilantro-cured, cold-smoked salmon, whipped cream cheese, chives, and caper berries on a toasted everything bagel.
Or they may opt for a lighter option such as Island Time, a parfait created with the most ethereal organic vanilla yogurt you’ll ever taste (trust us on this one), fresh fruit, toasted granola, and local honey, nestled beautifully inside a fresh papaya.
For lunch, a popular option is the Shrimp Blanco Flatbread featuring wild North Carolina shrimp, blanco sauce, heirloom cherry tomatoes, and shaved manchego.
“This menu captures some of Virginia Beach’s best seasonal ingredients, pairs them with flavors from other beloved surf destinations around the world, and serves them with the best view in town,” says Chef Jesse Wykle, who leads The Sunroom’s culinary offerings and also operates Aloha Snacks, the food truck currently serving the Atlantic Park Surf “beach” environment.
Together, The Sitio and Atlantic Park represent more than a new hotel or entertainment district. They embody a city leaning into its own identity to evolve into something more distinctly its own. “We wanted this to be a catalyst,” Albert says. “In that spirit of Pharrell loving Virginia Beach and talking about the potential this place has, this is the start of that.”
