The Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association welcomed a sold-out crowd to the industry awards celebration
RICHMOND – Virginia’s hospitality and tourism industry came together Tuesday night to celebrate the people and businesses that make the Commonwealth an extraordinary place to live, work and visit during the sold-out 2026 Ordinary Awards.
Presented by the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association (VRLTA), the annual celebration was held September 15 at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa/Short Pump, bringing together hospitality and tourism professionals from across Virginia to recognize excellence throughout the restaurant, lodging, travel and attractions sectors.
The 2026 Ordinary Awards also marked the debut of New Restaurant of the Year and New Lodging Property of the Year, two categories created to recognize hospitality businesses that began operating in 2025 or later. For the first time in the history of the Ordinary Awards, the public was invited to participate in the selection process for the new categories, giving Virginians an opportunity to help recognize some of the Commonwealth’s newest hospitality standouts. The evening also featured the return of the Stars of the Industry Reception, an exclusive pre-event celebration recognizing all 2026 Ordinary Award finalists before the main reception and awards show.
The 2026 Ordinary Award winners are:
Attraction of the Year
Winter Wander at Boar’s Head Resort
Charlottesville, VA
Bartender of the Year
Sara Albert
Ocean Eddies Seafood Restaurant
Brewery of the Year
Southern Revere Cellars
Louisa, VA
Campground of the Year
Small Country Campground
Louisa, VA
Charlie Buser Award for
Attraction Employee of the Year
Thomas Knighton
Small Country Campground
Chef of the Year
Victoria Cosner
Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards
Distillery of the Year
Belmont Farm Distillery
Culpeper, VA
Golden Pineapple Lifetime Achievement Award
Mark Yardis
Shamin Hotels
Hospitality Hero – Business
Dover Hall
Manakin-Sabot, VA
Hospitality Hero – Individual
John Zirkle Jr
Virginia Beach Hotel Association
Hotelier of the Year
Ravi Patel
SINA Hospitality
Jim Ricketts Award for
DMO/CVB Employee of the Year
Cora Gnegy
Giles County Tourism
Jim Wordsworth Award for
Restaurateur of the Year
Mark Litz
Massanutten Resort
Legislator of the Year
Senator Elizabeth Bennett-Parker
Virginia District 39
Lodging Employee of the Year
Sean Hackney
Omni Hotel Richmond
Lodging Manager of the Year
Leidy Stinson
Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa
Lodging Property of the Year
Liberty Trust Hotel
Roanoke, VA
New Lodging Property of the Year
AC Hotel Arlington National Landing
Arlington, VA
New Restaurant of the Year
Good Ship Brewery & Eatery
Hopewell, VA
President’s Award
Gary Cohen
Glory Days Grill
Restaurant Employee of the Year
Shawn Taitano
Catch 31 Fish House & Bar
Restaurant Manager of the Year
Eric Emerson
Chix on the Beach
Restaurant of the Year
Ada’s on the River
Alexandria, VA
Rising Pineapple Award for
Hospitality Student of the Year
Taylor Borden
Virginia State University
Supplier of the Year
Agriberry Farm & CSA
Hanover County, VA
Virginia ProStart Teacher of the Year
Scott Horne
Isle of Wight County Schools
Winery of the Year
Wolf Gap Vineyard
Edinburg, VA
“The Ordinary Awards are always a special opportunity to bring our industry together, but the energy surrounding this year’s celebration was truly remarkable,” says Eric Terry, President of VRLTA. “From a record number of nominations to a sold-out event, the response speaks to the incredible people and businesses that make Virginia’s hospitality and tourism industry so strong. We are proud to celebrate each of our winners and finalists and the passion, service and dedication they bring to their communities every day.”
The event was made possible thanks to sponsor support from Adesso, Boar's Head Resort, Culpeper Tourism & Economic Development, Danville Hotel Collection, Ecolab, Global Payments, Harmony Hospitality, Hopewell-Prince George Chamber and VisitHPO, Hyatt Regency Crystal City, JJ McDonnell, Keany Produce, Massanutten Resort, Monticello Wine Trail, Performance Food Group, Richmond Region Tourism, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Shamin Hotels, SMI Hotel Group, Sysco, Virginia Beer Distribution Company, Virginia Tourism Corporation, Visit Fairfax, Visit Virginia Beach, VistaMedia, Westover Taco Arlington.
For more information on the Ordinary Awards, visit www.ordinaryawards.com.
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The Virginia Restaurant Lodging and Travel Association is the unified voice of the restaurant, lodging, travel and hospitality suppliers associations. VRLTA creates value for members by promoting the legislative interests of the industry, networking, educational opportunities, and protecting free enterprise. For more information, visit www.vrlta.org or call 800-552-2225.
Why would the awards be called…Ordinary? Chinn’s Ordinary, considered “the oldest original inn in America” (Baltimore Sun), was built around 1728 in Chinn’s Crossroads, now Middleburg, Virginia. The building was uniquely situated to serve as an inn and tavern catering to travelers. Since 1937, it has operated as the Red Fox Inn & Tavern. This history of Chinn’s Ordinary speaks to all facets of VRLTA’s membership—restaurants, lodging, and travel, while the term “ordinary” is just the opposite of the hospitality and travel industry. The true goal of these awards is to honor those in an extraordinary industry, individuals and companies, that are truly Extraordinary.