The Sitio Opens at Atlantic Park, Expanding Virginia Beach’s Surf-Anchored Destination

Surf-anchored destinations are transforming how developers think about real estate. One of the most recent examples is Atlantic Park in Virginia Beach, VA.

The surf park opened in August 2025, and less than two months later, guests at Surf Park Summit received a walking tour of the new project, along with neighboring developments that used the surf park as an anchor. These include restaurants, a music venue, apartments, and a boutique hotel.

That hotel, The Sitio, has now opened its doors, creating a place for surf park enthusiasts and other guests to stay just steps from the waves and the energy of Atlantic Park.

Surf Park Central spoke with Brittany Baer Albert, development and operations manager at Venture Realty Group, about The Sitio and how projects like this help create strong surf-anchored destinations that keep visitors returning to places like Atlantic Park.

Surf Park Central: Tell me about The Sitio hotel and what guests can expect.

Brittany Baer Albert: Opening March 16, The Sitio is a 20-room boutique hotel located at Atlantic Park, Virginia Beach’s newly developed retail, dining and entertainment district anchored by North America’s first Wavegarden Cove surf lagoon. The Sitio blends surf culture, minimalist design, art, music and curated year-round programming tied to Atlantic Park’s year-round calendar of events.

The hotel’s rooms are thoughtfully designed and deliberately understated, featuring elevated comfort and curated amenities that highlight surf and local culture. Seven rooms include private balconies with sweeping views of the Atlantic Park Surf lagoon. Guests also have access to a private lagoon-view infinity-edge pool and sun deck, and relaxed lounge spaces. Small in size and big on intentionality, The Sitio is also uniquely positioned to provide highly personalized touches along the guest experience, providing a bespoke coastal escape.

Surf Park Central: What are the benefits of creating a destination like this near surf-anchored real estate?

Brittany Baer Albert: With seamless access to Atlantic Park and the surf lagoon, guests of The Sitio can move effortlessly between refined comfort and energizing cultural offerings unlike anything else found in the U.S.

Ultimately, The Sitio is more than just a place to stay; it is a lifestyle destination that allows guests to immerse themselves in all that Atlantic Park and Virginia Beach have to offer. Seamless access to Atlantic Park Surf attracts both avid surfers and casual visitors, creating year-round foot traffic and a vibrant community-centric atmosphere. The hotel also places guests just steps from the Atlantic Ocean and mere footsteps from The Dome by Rutter Mills (operated by Live Nation), and Atlantic Park’s vast dining, shopping and entertainment offerings.

Surf Park Central: How is The Sitio catering to guests and others who are focused on heading to Virginia Beach for the surf lagoon?

Brittany Baer Albert: As its Spanish name suggests, The Sitio was envisioned to provide a distinct sense of place, connecting guests to Atlantic Park and the broader Virginia Beach community. With its refined approach to coastal comfort, the hotel provides guests with the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the destination.

Guests of The Sitio have access to exclusive programming tied to Atlantic Park’s year-round calendar of events. Additionally, through exclusive partnerships with local purveyors, the hotel’s concierge team can readily facilitate dining reservations or delivery orders, local tours and excursions, spa services, private events or in-room coffee delivery.

This spring, The Sitio is offering a special Surf and Stay Package for guests booking their stay during the hotel’s opening period, March 17 through April 30. The package includes: a nightly rate of $325 (taxes and fees not included), one surf session at Atlantic Park Surf and two daily Atlantic Park Surf beach passes.

Surf Park Central: Are there any challenges that come with building a hotel near a surf-anchored resort?

Brittany Baer Albert: Embedding a hotel within a first-of-its-kind development like Atlantic Park came with its own set of unique considerations, including coordinating shared infrastructure and ensuring that the hotel’s design complements–but does not compete with–the park’s surf- and entertainment-centered environment. As developers, we were committed to carefully balancing private guest experiences with Atlantic Park’s vibrant community-centered atmosphere. Ultimately, we are proud of the serene, refined and distinct boutique hotel experience we have created for The Sitio.

Surf Park Central: What aspects of hotel development become easier as part of a broader surf-anchored project?

Brittany Baer Albert: Atlantic Park’s positioning as the first-of-its-kind development in the world has helped generate strong interest in The Sitio. The hotel is distinctly positioned to provide guests with access to year-round experiences not available anywhere else.

Being part of a larger development like Atlantic Park provides opportunities to amplify aspects like marketing and communications and amenity integration. Additionally, shared infrastructure, such as parking, beach access and programming, allowed for greater efficiencies in the development process.

Surf Park Central: Is there anything else you would like to share about The Sitio or Atlantic Park overall?

Brittany Baer Albert: Atlantic Park represents a first-of-its-kind development approach. Anchored by North America’s first Wavegarden Cove surf lagoon–the first in the world to be incorporated into an urban environment and just blocks from the Atlantic Ocean–Atlantic Park is the epicenter for surfing, culture and entertainment in the U.S. The Sitio is, in many ways, the culmination of this vision, providing a boutique lodging experience deliberately embedded within this dynamic destination.