Jefferson Hotel again earns Mobil’s five-star accolade

Two lodgings and one restaurant in Virginia have received five-star awards in the 2009 Mobil Travel Guide, including The Jefferson Hotel in downtown Richmond.

The Jefferson earned Mobil's top award for the ninth straight year.

"It is a strong endorsement from a well-respected organization within the industry," said Joseph Longo, the Jefferson's managing director.

Also in Virginia, five-star awards went to the Inn at Little Washington in Rappahannock County and its restaurant.

Mobil awarded five stars to only 44 lodgings and 20 restaurants in North America, out of more than 8,000 establishments it rated. Three lodgings in Virginia -- The Williamsburg Inn and The Ritz-Carlton hotels in McLean and Arlington -- received four stars.

Five-star hotels offer "consistently superlative service" and an "exceptionally distinctive luxury environment," according to Mobil, which sends inspectors on unannounced visits to judge establishments on 750 criteria. Those can be as detailed as how many times the phone rings before an answer when the inspector calls for a reservation, Longo said.

The Jefferson and the Inn at Little Washington also hold top-rated five-diamond awards from the motor club AAA.

Owned by Richmond's CCA Industries, The Jefferson employs about 340 people, part time and full time. It has 262 rooms and suites, 26,000 square feet of function space and is home to TJ's restaurant. Room rates range from about $225 to $450.

Contact John Reid Blackwell at (804) 775-8123 or .