Taxi fare costs/availability (Richmond, Williamsburg: to rent, how much, hotels)

[deadplant]

Hi,
I am going to Richmond in a couple of months to be a bridesmaid at a wedding. Another bridesmaid and I are thinking about staying in separate hotel to save money that is 1.5 miles away from the wedding site. How much do cabs cost? How easy is it to order one? How much time do you have to give them ahead of time to show up?

[Pruzhany]

Rent a car and bring a GPS with you. Richmond and the surrounding counties are too spread out to even deal with cabs. Where is the wedding site?

[richmondpics]

Taking a cab shouldn't be a big deal. Just google taxis in Richmond... Napoleon Taxi is a big one. I would guess you would want to give at least an hour's notice.

[ronyusa]

Agree with NeilVA you are better off renting a car and a GPS so you can look around a little also.

[deadplant]

The wedding site is the Mankin Mansion. I have stayed with her and her fiance before so I have seen Richmond. Since I'm in the wedding party, my schedule is pretty packed, so it would just be the back forth from the hotel to Mansion, hotel to rehearsal dinner, etc.

[Pruzhany]

Stay at the B&B at the Mansion. The area south of 64 is not exactly the safest area. But if must then look up the Hyatt. But if you want more info on Taxis then here is a link of the ones the service the airport.

Taxis, Sedans & Public Transit - Richmond International Airport (http://flyrichmond.com/Load.php?Content=Public_Transit - broken link)

[whynot?]

Oh, dear. I was worried about this from the get-go, and wondering what others would say/suggest. If you are from a major metropolitan area, I have to say that metro Richmond's taxi service is severely lacking. The best news (for you) is that you're staying near the airport, which probably has the most consistent supply of taxis anywhere in the area.

That said, you *might* want to contact the Mankin Mansion people to see if they have (or can recommend) a car service. We have used all of the local services -- taxis, "Black Car Service," Groome Transportation, etc., to get from RIC to our house in (far away) Goochland County with varied results. If you have events that are time-sensitive and do not want to drive yourselves, you might do well to have your own on-call driver?

Just a thought.

[deadplant]

The hotels where she has room blocks are the Hilton Garden Inn and the Homewood Suites down the street. I would assume that they are safe?

[Pruzhany]

Its not exactly down the street. Its about two miles away through mainly commercial country roads(do a satellite view of the area). I'd probably do the Hilton as it sits amongst other hotels while the other does not. Without renting a car, there is no place locally to venture out too. If you were to rent a car then you'd be able to go to Williamsburg which has numerous restaurants and other things to do.

[Charlesaf3]

Mankin Mansion isn't the greatest area. That said, going from there to Williamsburg to go out, when you are 5 minutes drive from central Richmond, would be insane. Williamsburg is a perfectly nice boring suburb with a museum and a college - people from there go to Richmond for something to do, not vice versa!

I know a number of people in Williamsburg, mostly associated with the school. They go out in Richmond if they possibly can, and a surprising number live in Richmond and commute to the school. Richmond is orders of magnitude more interesting, unless you are going specifically for the museum. Or are fascinated by chain pancake houses, and motels catering to bus tours.