As it prepares for a planned opening next spring, the Virginia Guesthouse Hotel & Conference Center has begun assembling its leadership team with the appointments of Gregg Hilker as general manager and Rich Keurajian as director of sales and marketing.
The new hotel—which will be located on the grounds of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville—is scheduled to debut in April of 2026. The hotel will feature 214 guestrooms, casual dining options, including Poplar and The Perch rooftop bar, and 25,000 square-feet of flexible meeting and event space.
“Gregg and Rich bring proven tracks of hospitality leadership to Virginia Guesthouse,” Russ Cronberg, director of hospitality at the University of Virginia Foundation, said in a statement. “Their collaborative approach and strong dynamic will be instrumental in guiding the hotel through its pre-opening phase and positioning it as the premier choice for alumni and travelers in the Charlottesville region. We are thrilled to welcome them both to the team.”
Hilker—a hotel operations professional with more than 30 years of experience—will oversee day-to-day operations, setting the vision, culture and operational standards. His background includes the opening of The Loutrel in Charleston, S.C., as well as the JB Duke Hotel in Durham, N.C., which earned a AAA Four Diamond Award during its first year of operation.
Keurajian, meanwhile, brings over three decades of hospitality sales and marketing experience, having driven revenue growth and strategic initiatives at hotels, resorts and conference centers nationwide. Those properties include Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va., and Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Va. At Virginia Guesthouse, he will lead sales and marketing efforts, focusing on meeting and event planner relationships, corporate partnerships and targeted marketing initiatives.