Hermitage Hotel
Nashville, Tennessee
The Hermitage Hotel is the epitome of elegance in Music City. Not to be confused with Andrew Jackson’s nearby home called the Hermitage, this hotel was opened in 1905 and boasts more than a century of entertaining Nashville VIPs, including a wide range of country music stars and Tennessee political leaders.
Signature Features: The Hermitage Hotel is the only property in the state to have received AAA’s prestigious Five Diamond award. This means that every aspect of the property, from its furnishings and decor to its dining and customer service, are at the highest level in the industry.
Dining: The Capitol Grille is the signature restaurant at the Hermitage Hotel and it features high-end creative interpretations of Southern classics. The hotel sources much of its food from its own Double H Farms nearby.
Other tennessee Favorites: Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort (Pigeon Forge), The Read House (Chattanooga), Big Cypress Lodge at the Pyramid (Memphis)
Salamander Resort and Spa
Middleburg, Virginia
Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains about 35 miles outside of Washington, D.C., the Salamander Resort and Spa has long been a favorite getaway for the power players of the nation’s capital. The resort sits on 340 acres and has 168 guest rooms. The exteriors and public spaces are all reminiscent of an elegant yet comfortable Southern home.
Signature Features: Salamander Resort offers a wide range of visitor activities, including an equestrian center, a cooking studio, multiple golf courses, sports courts, an on-site garden and miles of walking trails, in addition to its spa.
Dining: Harriman’s Virginia Piedmont Grill is the premier restaurant at the resort; it serves food inspired by the region and sourced from local farms and gardens. The Gold Cup Wine Bar features more than 60 Virginia wines.
www.salamanderresort.com
Other virginia Favorites: Hotel at Little Washington (Washington), Hotel Monaco (Alexandria), Inn at Willow Grove (Orange)
Greenbrier
White Sulphur Springs,West Virginia
Billing itself as “America’s Resort,” the Greenbrier is perhaps the most famous property of its kind in the American South. First opened in 1778, the 10,000-acre luxury retreat has served 26 presidents and a host of other dignitaries. The property includes 710 guest rooms, 10 lobbies and more than 40 meeting rooms.
Signature Features: The Greenbrier boasts more than 55 activities, many outdoors in the mountains of West Virginia. Guests can also tour an underground bunker on the site that was built to house senior government officials in the event of a nuclear attack, or they can play in the on-site casino.
Dining: There are eight restaurants at the Greenbrier, among them the Main Dining Room, which enforces a formal dress code for dinner; there are also a number of more casual options. The resort also has eight bars and lounges.
Other WEST virginia Favorites: Oglebay Resort (Wheeling), Capon Springs and Farms (Capon Springs), Guest House Inn on Courthouse Square (Hinton)
