Last weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting Delta Hotel Virginia Beach Bayfront Suites by Marriott, which underwent a two-year renovation and just re-opened to the public in March. When I arrived, the parking lot was bustling with travelers and I instantly had a feeling my stay was going to be great as many others chose this hotel above all others in the area.

We checked in with a friendly concierge and he pointed us in the direction of the top floor, only accessible by one of the elevators. Opening the door to our suite, we were amazed at the size of the room. There is a living room when you first walk in, a bathroom, closet and a large bedroom with sweeping views of the Chesapeake Bay shoreline. It was beautiful. The color scheme of the room matched the colors of the water and sand outside the window. The bed was comfortable and plush — just the way I like it.

Since we arrived later than expected, we grabbed some take-out from a local Italian eatery, When In Rome, and enjoyed the first half of the California Wine Mixer wine sampling box by In Good Taste. It was the perfect end to a long day of driving. The L-shaped couch was comfortable and helped us relax before turning in for the night.

I woke up at 5:30 a.m. to catch the sunrise over the bay. The view from our room was gorgeous with sights of the sandy shore and grassy dunes. The sun peeked up from the horizon with shades of orange, hot pink and a light yellow with dashes of purple from the night sky. Watching the sunrise with a cup of coffee is a must when staying in a room on the water.

Once the sun was up, I went back inside to do some work on the large desk in the bedroom. The chair that accompanied the desk was nice and large so I could cross my legs as I typed until 10 a.m. when I met with Melodie, group sales manager, for a tour of the property. She showed me all of the conference rooms, large and small, that catered to every group size; and the warm, welcoming sitting area on the second level that had a Starbucks, beer on tap and a large fireplace for travelers meeting with friends, catching up on work or people watching. We looped around to the hotel’s restaurant, Tin Cup Kitchen + Oyster Bar, and then to the large event space perfect for a beach wedding.

We spent the remainder of the day enjoying the heated pool, drinks from the bar window and dinner at the restaurant. The Delta hotel was a serene destination that really embodies what the Chesapeake Bay has to offer.