The concierge 9
A brief history
the manager «Justin Mogavero, a graduate of Johnson & Wales, has been in the hospitality industry for 18 years and has worked with Cape Resorts Group for five years. “We have fascinating guests, and it’s been a pleasure getting to know them.” Justin’s perfect day begins with a jog along with his two Dobermans, Sophie and Lex. (They’re puppies, but they don’t look it… they’re each about 80 pounds.) Then it’s off to the Lobster House Coffee Shop for a light breakfast before hitting the beach all day. Or at least until 4pm, when his hankering for a Rusty Nail Ale kicks in. Later, after a nap and some freshening up, Justin enjoys The Ebbitt Room for dinner, drinks and the company of his beautiful fiancé, Katlyn. To round out the night, the couple will head to Congress Hall for a glass of wine on the Adirondack chairs of Congress Hall. In the off-season, Justin travels to comparable hotels and acts as a “mystery shopper,” using his visits to improve the guest experience at the Virginia. “Doing this is rewarding,” he says, “because it’s all about making people happy.”
«Like many Cape May hotels, the Virginia was built following the catastrophic fire of 1878. «It was originally called the Ebbitt House, a name chosen by its first managers, Alfred and Ellen Ebbitt. «The hotel’s heyday came in the early 1890s, when it was regularly mentioned in the society section of the Philadelphia Inquirer. «When Cape May slumped, the Virginia went from a highclass hotel to a rooming house. It was condemned in the 1980s and then bought in 1986 by Curtis Bashaw and his family. It was renovated and reopened in 1989.