Things to do / Travel Guide
The vast southern Appalachian Mountains, contains some of the roughest, most untamed, deeply forested, and highly mountainous areas in the United States. There are several mountain ranges in this area, including the Allegheny Mountains, the Shenandoah Mountains, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the Great Smoky Mountains. The Alleghenies and the Smokies, in particular, are in the middle of nowhere, located in a total backwater. You'd therefore assume that the best you can hope for, where accommodations are concerned, is an abandoned log cabin somewhere. After all, can you really have any hope of having a nice luxurious vacation or getaway in the southern Appalachian Mountains?
Obviously there is, or we wouldn't be writing this article. In eastern West Virginia, so secluded that it served at one time as a secret hideout for the U.S. government in case of nuclear war, is the famous and venerable Greenbrier, with its mineral springs spa. In western Virginia there are several luxurious accommodations and activities located around the Shenandoah Valley. If you prefer western North Carolina, be sure to check out affluent Asheville and the astonishing Biltmore Estate, which contains the largest private residence in the U.S.
The Greenbrier in West Virginia
This gigantic resort is practically a national landmark, considering what a long and distinguished role it's played in US History. Its fantastic main building, even slightly resembles the White House. Today, it still retains its classic opulence with its state-of-the-art spa, and huge suites equipped with every conceivable amenity.
The suites are notable for being very colorful, in which respect the Greenbrier stands out among old luxury hotels. You could call the use of colors almost hippy. Views of natural beauty, such as rolling, tree-covered hills and mountains, are standard from the suites' large windows. The Carleton Varney Suite, for instance, has perhaps the most breathtaking view in the entire hotel, with its huge arched windows. The suite is positioned directly above the hotel entrance, at the peak of the fourth floor.
The award-winning Greenbrier spa is the jewel of the resort, people having come to bathe in the sulphur springs for well over 200 years. Today it's an ultramodern affair, with a wide variety of therapeutic treatments, mineral-based and otherwise. As for food, at the Greenbrier you can choose from a wide variety of eateries, from the gourmet to the international, from the sports lounge to cafés and bars. Entrées at the Main Dining Room, where formal attire is the norm, include such delicacies as sautéed duck with a caramelized orange, goat cheese, and a Sherry-truffle sauce. There are also unique vegetarian options such as, for example, their sautéed pistachio-crusted avocados with chévre cheese.
After a breakfast at the Main Dining Room of, say, pan-fried rainbow trout or peach French toast, you have numerous options for continuing your day. Aside from the spa, you can hike, hit the award-winning golf course, play tennis, or, of course, just lounge around.
The Foxfield Inn outside Charlottesville, Virginia
Western Virginia is bed and breakfast (B&B) country, and southern hospitality in this area comes with a distinctly genteel touch. The Foxfield Inn, a few minute drive from downtown Charlottesville and the Shenandoah Valley, is one of the best of the lot; it's new, spacious, and packed with modern amenities. The service is exceptional, with the managers acting as the concierge, such as you would expect in an excellent hotel. The rooms each contain a double Jacuzzi and separate shower, a remote-controlled fireplace, bay windows, and a canopy bed.
Make your way into downtown Charlottesville for upscale and antique shopping, as well as an excellent selection of dining. Try Downtown Grille, right on the Mall, for great seafood and steaks. Just outside Charlottesville is Prospect Hill Plantation Inn, fantastic in its own right, but whose restaurant is probably the best in this part of Virginia. Come early for the wine tasting and then start your meal on the roasted chestnut soup. Continue with their salad of romaine hearts, then on to medallions of grilled pork tenderloin, roasted yucca root wedges, and braised baby spinach with toasted almonds. Finish off your meal with apple walnut cake and brandied whipped cream.
The chances are high that at any of the area restaurants you'll have the opportunity to taste an excellent Virginia wine. Many of the wineries and vineyards are indeed nearby, making for excellent day trips in the area. Veramar Vineyards and Shenandoah Vineyards and Winery are particularly recommended.
Biltmore Village Inn outside Asheville, North Carolina
George Vanderbilt built his Biltmore Estate in the late 19th century. To this day, the house is the largest privately-owned home in the U.S. Its magnificence is truly awe-inspiring, and there are a number of activities available in the area: You can tour the house itself; tour the gardens, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, famous for having designed New York City's Central Park; shop at Biltmore Village for antiques and art, among other things; and, of course, stay at the nearby accommodations. You can also visit the Estate winery, which may well be the most visited in the entire U.S., as well as checking out the equestrian center.
Biltmore Village Inn stands out among all the accommodations in the area. It was built by the lawyer who sold George Vanderbilt the property that would later become Biltmore Estate. In addition to the first-class treatment, there are double whirlpool baths in the rooms, as well as working fireplaces and lovely bay windows. All the furniture are either antiques or faithful reproductions of period pieces. You can order in-room couples massages as well.
Feeling up for a round of golf? Nearby Asheville boasts the Grove Park Inn golf course; the oldest course in the state. The course is built on rolling hills, so uneven lies are common, as are narrow, sloped fairways. It's a tough course, but it can be beaten with perseverance. Play a few rounds, and then come back to the Inn for a three-round gourmet breakfast.
After all this it should be crystal clear that luxury can be found even in the heart of rusticity. Mr. Vanderbilt was so impressed with the area on his first visit down that he decided to leave his wealthy Rhode Island roots and built his home in the middle of the forest instead. Looks like he had the right idea!
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