I love to travel, even if that travel is simply a staycation in my own town. To me, a staycation makes the things I love in Charlottesville even more special because it adds a new element. And being able to bring my puppy Ollie along? Amazing!

The Best Dog Friendly Staycation at Quirk Hotel Charlottesville

One of my favorite spots in Charlottesville is the Quirk Hotel. The second location of this boutique hotel opened up during the pandemic and quickly became the spot to grab rooftop drinks (as I mentioned here). While both locations of this boutique hotel are fantastic (and I do highly recommend checking out the Richmond spot, if only just to see their two story rooftop), I obviously hold a special spot for anything Charlottesville. As they are dog friendly, it was a no-brainer to spend my staycation here.

Best Time To Visit Charlottesville VA

As Charlottesville is my home, I always think it’s the best time to visit here. However, in terms of weather and things going on around town, I would recommend traveling here in either late spring or in the fall. With that being said, this is the home of the University of Virginia and a big wedding destination spot due to the many wineries in the area. Therefore, I would consider avoiding peak wedding season and any major University events.

Summer - Summer temperatures can be hot and muggy (it is the south, after all) but the town tends to quiet down during these months, making for easier and less expensive travel.
Fall - Fall is my favorite time in Charlottesville and is lovely because the temperatures have cooled down and the foliage is usually beautiful; however, events like homecoming at UVA can mean busy hotels and expensive rates. 
Winter - Winter can be chilly and some of the wineries operate on winter hours; rates tend to be lower this time of year. 
Spring - Spring weather is great in Charlottesville and the wineries are in full swing; however, between being a wedding destination and UVA events like graduation, it can be busy with prices at a premium. 

Things To Pack For An Overnight Stay

What are the key things to consider when packing for a staycation? I’ll be honest with you - I prefer to pack light whenever possible, especially when taking quick overnight trips. Keeping things to a single overnight bag is the ideal situation for me. As a result, I like to utilize packing cubes like this set from Target. It’s an easy way to keep things compact and organized - you can even use them to fit an extra pair of shoes!

While I pack light, that doesn’t mean I go places unprepared. I’m a big fan of having travel size versions of my face products, toothpaste, and hair products on hand, along with a first aid kit just in case. I also like throwing in a face mask or two, as hotel air can be a bit drying; plus, isn’t the point of a staycation to relax a bit? What’s more relaxing than having a spa day of sorts in your hotel room?

As for packing specifically for Charlottesville, the big thing I always encourage for this area would definitely be layers! It gets hot in the summer so I like to opt for skirts and dresses and, between the air conditioning at restaurants and the cooler night temperatures, having a jacket or cardigan of some sort is always a good idea. I also recommend flats over heels, as the streets of the downtown mall can be a challenge in stilettos. And of course - I always like to bring a water bottle wherever I go, especially if I know I’ll be imbibing a bit and want to ensure I stay hydrated. My favorite water bottle is by Nalgene and can be found at Target - it holds a ton!

I like to make sure I’m considering Ollie’s needs when packing as well. While the outfit changes for him are adorable I know they aren’t necessary; what is always necessary is making sure I have a portable water dish, plenty of treats and some of his favorite toys.

Check out the end of this post for my staycation packing list!

A Colorful and Comfortable Place to Stay

The Quirk Hotel is in the most fantastic location on West Main Street. Staying here allows you to be walking distance to some of my favorite spots, such as the Downtown Mall and The Dairy Market (albeit this walk is a little longer). This location easily allows you to curate all kinds of short trips and itineraries for your visit, from a Brew Crawl to a Spa Day. Of course, you also can have a great time even if you don’t leave the hotel.

Onsite you’ll find an art gallery & gift shop, event space and meeting rooms, and five different food and beverage outlets; Quirk Café, The Lobby Bar, The Rooftop Bar, The Pink Grouse Restaurant , and Bobboo, their signature whiskey bar. They also have a friendly and efficient front desk and their team is always willing to help point you in the right direction for whatever you are doing.

Pictured: Ollie settling into our room; Ollie in his pajamas before bed

The rooms are beautiful and bright, managing to combine minimalism with fun decor. Floor by floor, the hues of pink get darker in shade and more vibrant.

It’s hard to be in a bad mood in a spot so airy and cheerful. They also have thoughtful amenities for your stay, including dispensers in the huge modern shower for shampoo, conditioner and body wash. 

Pictured: Inside the shower at Quirk; Water in the room

An In-House Art Gallery & Gift Shop

Once we checked in, I knew we had to first visit the Quirk Art Gallery. Quirk actually got its start as an art gallery, the Quirk Gallery in Richmond, so it’s not surprising this is something they continue to showcase. By carefully curating rotating exhibitions, their art experience is intended to promote established and emerging artists. The art was a perfect complement to the overall vibe of the hotel, as it was colorful and beautiful. 

You can also check out their gallery gift shop, which is full of so many cool and unique items to get as gifts for others (or yourself) as a souvenir to remind you of your stay. Ollie immediately loved the dog toys and I was eyeing the beautiful jewelry.

A Quick Stop at the Dairy Market

One of my favorite spots in Charlottesville is the Dairy Market, which is conveniently close to Quirk. As we were doing our staycation on National Dog Day, I knew I wanted to head on over to their patio for a pup cup for Ollie and a pint for myself while we enjoyed the lovely weather. You can learn more about the Dairy Market in my earlier post here.

Pictured: Ollie enjoying his first ever pup cup at Moo Thru; Having a pint at Starr Hill with Ollie on the dog friendly Dairy Market patio

Rainy Views At The Quirk Rooftop Bar

After spending some time at Dairy Market, we headed back to our room to freshen up before rooftop cocktails and dinner. One of the coolest things about Quirk is their rooftop bar, which allows for some of the best views of Charlottesville. I’ve talked about this gem of a spot before and I always look forward to having drinks there.

Sadly it was raining on this particular Friday, but we still decided to take advantage of the amazing views. If you opt to eat here, they have some great light and refreshing bites full of flavor like my personal favorites, the Shishito Peppers and the Roasted Broccoli. For cocktails you can’t go wrong with a Pink Breeze made using Cirrus Vodka (hailing from Richmond, VA!) or a Coconut Mojito. 

Of course, Ollie made friends during our trip to the Rooftop Bar. 

Dinner at The Pink Grouse

After enjoying the views, we headed on down to the The Pink Grouse for dinner. Luckily it had stopped raining at this point, so we were able to enjoy our dinner with Ollie outside. However, had it been raining we would have had the option to order food at the Lobby Bar with him.

The courtyard setting of The Pink Grouse is lovely with the string lights surrounding the tables and the sounds of Charlottesville just beyond the walls. We ordered the Tomato Salad and the Mussels; the broth for the mussels was amazing - just the right amount of spice with grilled bread for dipping! We liked it so much we asked for extra bread. For dinner we opted for the Duck Bolognese and the Pork cheeks and both were delicious. We left the meal stuffed and happy and Ollie was content, since they brought out a cute water bowl and gave him lots of attention. 

This spot also does a Sunday Brunch, which I’ll be very excited to try soon. After all, who doesn’t love starting their day with a Mimosa?

Drinks at the Quirk Lobby Bar

After dinner we decided on a quick nightcap at the hotel’s Lobby Bar, which shares the same menu as the Pink Grouse and is also a cool spot to sit and chat for a bit. Ollie was perfectly happy to sit and watch the world go by as the crowd for the rooftop filtered in and out. All in all, it was a perfect way to end our lovely day. 

Breakfast at Quirk Café

After a restful night, it was time for us to get ready for our final stop of our staycation, breakfast at Quirk Café. Located in a converted house right off of the main hotel building, Quirk Café has indoor and outdoor seating and a lovely menu of coffees and breakfast/lunch items. Honestly, this is my favorite place in Charlottesville to have a Smoked Salmon Bagel (so good!) but their Brulee Oatmeal sounds amazing as well. My husband really enjoyed his Bobboo Burrito and the Iced Chai I ordered was the perfect morning treat to get my day started. 

Pictured: Waiting for Breakfast at Quirk Café; The Smoked Salmon Bagel

Don’t Forget the Hidden Whiskey Bar

While we didn’t make it here during our stay, I also want to note Quirk has an intimate whiskey bar called Bobboo located upstairs from the Quirk Café. Open Thursday - Saturday evenings, this spot offers up a curated list of whiskeys from Virginia, as well as around the world. The setting gives off a speakeasy vibe and there is also an outside area.

I imagine this place would be especially lovely during the winter months - nothing beats whiskey in front of a fireplace when it’s cold outside. It would also be ideal for a stop for a Bachelor party whiskey tasting. I recommend making a stop!

How to Book Your Stay/Staycation

If you’re planning a trip (or a staycation) to Charlottesville, I highly recommend Quirk Hotel. Booking on their website is easy and you can select from several room types ranging from Standard King and Deluxe Double Queen to the Quirk Suite. Some of the rooms come with balconies and they also have ADA compliant options.

For those who like to plan ahead, Quirk Hotel even offers an Advance Purchase Deal where, if you book at least 21 days ahead of time and pay in advance, you’ll receive 20% off. It's a great deal to stay at a fantastic spot in a perfect location in downtown Charlottesville. Plus, the fact they are dog friendly is a huge benefit!

Staycation Packing List

As promised, please see below for my staycation packing list:

We couldn’t have asked for a better staycation here in Charlottesville and I can’t wait to come back and spend more time at Quirk.

Until next time, cheers and happy eating!