Greenbrier advice needed
 

Will be at this resort for several days during peak "leaf looking" season in October for a business retreat. Any advice on rooms to request? The hotel, best as I can tell, is not associated with any frequent traveler program (Starwood etc.) so not counting on any sort of upgrade. I always like to have some idea of what sort of room I would like when I show up at a front desk and I don't know this property at all except that it is huge. Would prefer a convenient location, quiet, views etc. Because we will be getting a conference rate, I doubt I will have any hope of getting anything but a standard room, but with 800+ of them I imagine some are nicer than others.

Any other more general advice about the hotel or the immediate area much appreciated.

Will you be there by yourself, with spouse, family or other business associates? There are rooms in the hotel proper but there are also cottages available.

For more info on the guest houses/ cottages, goto http://www.greenbrier.com/site/leisu...ouses_1br.aspx

We've stayed at The Greenbrier about 25 times in the last 17 years (last time, earlier this summer) - however, we take our son so we stay in the Paradise Row cottages. It's been years since we stayed in the hotel so I can't recommend rooms in the hotel proper. The rooms in the hotel are not (or at least , were not) all the same. One time we stayed in one that had a "living room" area, another time our room had 1 and half bathes.

The Paradise Row cottages sit up on the hillside between the hotel and the outdoor pool. I love them. There is living room with pull-out sofa, separate huge bedroom, a kitchen area, 2 bathrooms, and a porch in front and in the back.

If you are traveling with 3 other couples, you may want to check out the South Carolina cottages or the Copeland Hill cottages. They have 4 huge bedrooms and in the middle is a huge living room and kitchen area. They are all gorgeous.

If you stay in a cottage, you can walk to the main hotel, etc or call for transportation.

Hope you have time to do some of the fun things at The Greenbrier - besides the regular things (ex golf) there are many things to do: the gourmet shop offers cooking classes (some of the classes are short ones in the shop), falconry, Land Rover driving school, bowling alley, movie theater, excellent fly fishing, skeet shooting, and much much more.

Goto http://www.greenbrier.com/site/leisu...s.aspx?navid=8 then click on one the pictures and a list of activities under that heading will come up on the right.

Like any of the cakes, cookies, etc that you have at lunch or dinner while at The Greenbrier? At the gourmet shop, you can order just about anything to take home with you, you just have to order them a day or two in advance of your departure.

Hope you love The Greenbrier as much as we do. I am excited for you - you are in for an experience unlike normal resorts.

Sorry I could not directly answer your question. Will be glad to answer any other questions.

On the down side - there is an extra charge for everything you do.

ask to check out the bomb shelter. It was built in the 50's during the cold war to house the president and D.C. VIPs in case of the big one

Thanks a lot LvSun. It will just be my husband and me and we will be there as part of a business retreat and they will be paying for our room. So we will undoubtedly be in the main building. Thanks for your advice.

Ms, Please be sure to give a trip reprot when you get back.

Just be warned ahead of time - everything costs extra and is not cheap.

Also, go past the indoor pool and bowling alley and go to the spa shops -- they always have some neat things. Since they are away from the other shops, they may get overlooked on your trip.

Right now they don't have any where good to dance. They are closing for 3-4 months in 2007 and doing $5 million in renovations. Going to have a good bar for dance.

Most of us are bummed because they are shutting down the main dining area and putting in 2 restaurants. It's just not going to seem like the Greenbrier. We always loved the open feeling of that area.

Please be sure to let us know how you liked The Greenbrier.