The Greenbrier
 

We'll be driving North in May along the Blue Ridge Mountains. Is it worth a detour to spend a day or 2 at The Greenbrier? Any other suggestions. Planning on spending a day in Asheville & then heading North.

The Greenbriar is lovely if you like big, old, fancy hotels. It is in a beautiful setting. They recently declared bankruptcy but are still operating. I don't know what effects this will have on food and service.

We like old and charming with good food. I don't know if we'll get back that way again. I've heard so much about it over the years. I wonder if we're crazy to do this drive. We need to move a car from one place to another. It seemed like an opportunity. I just hope we're not bored to death. One person says it's spectacular through the mountains and the next says it's monotinous.

I would suggest the Hotel Strasburg, Strasburg, VA www.hotelstrasburg.com off I-81 just before I-66. Built in 1902 as a hospital, it was converted to a hotel in 1978.

Because we live near it, we have stayed there, but have eaten there many times on holidays. Their holiday buffets are delicious.
I just looked at the menu and think we will eat there Easter.

Oooops, should have read Because we live near it, we have never stayed there etc.

The Greenbrier is a beautiful old hotel in a spectacular mountain setting. There is lots to do within the resort property as well.

However, service, decor, and everything else feel very old-fashioned. Not for everyone....

Dorothy Draper was my grandmother's interior decorator for her apartment on Ave. Kleber in Paris.

When my grandmother died, we found a few rolls of the wallpaper Dorothy used for my grandmother's dining room in a closet. I took that wallpaper and used it on the walls of my own dining room.

I have always wanted to visit Greenbrier, but have never had the opportunity to do so.

Thin

There was a thread just this past week about the Greenbrier going into bankruptcy and being bought out or taken over by Marriott. I'd sure check out the current situation there before staying there.

Definitely find out about any changes due to the bankruptch/purchase by Marriot. The Greenbrier of old was a wonderful experience.

Wow! Thank you all for your input. We're still in the planning stages, but I will include all of your input in our decisions. And I'll check out the prior Greenbrier thread. Thanks again.
L

lynnesm - Depending on what route you are following you may want to take a look at the Homestead in the mountains of western Virginia. www.thehomestead.com

thin- that's a lovely story about the wallpaper.

Having stayed at both resorts, we greatly preferred the Homestead, for what that's worth.

If you have the time, make sure you tour the Biltmore. We really enjoyed it.

Biltmore also has a nice hotel . .

So, we have decided not to go to the Greenbrier this trip. So far we are stopping in Savannah the first night. Still deciding on a B&B there. Then heading over to Asheville, NC. We want to be downtown-we're still looking at options for a small Hotel or B&B. We will definitely go see The Biltmore while we're there. Then we will head North on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I want to do that slowly so we can stop at some of the Natural sights-Craggy Gardens, Linville Falls, Blowinf Rock and do a short walk or 2 and stop at the Music Center.
So I need one overnite along the Parkway route. Someone suggested Boone. Any other thoughts on that.Then I wanted a stop at the end. I'm thinking we should go see Monticello while we're so close by. Might want to have dinner at the Inn at Little Washington,. Though I think it is probably too expensive to stay. Rather spend the money on the dinner. So that will be 4 nights on the road and then head home to CT. All thoughts and comments would be appreciated.

I adore the Inn at Little Washington and definitely think you should have a meal there if you are into food at all. I feel fortunate to live only a couple of hours from there. Keswick in Charlottesville and well as Barboursville Winery are some places to consider also.

A dinner at the Inn at Little Washington is an event. There are B&B's in the area that you could stay at.

Very close to Monticello are a couple of my favorite places to stay -- Clifton Inn, and Keswick Hall. I like both better than the Greenbrier.

The best meal of my life was at Clifton, though that was probably 10 years ago.

Definitely dinner at Inn at Little Washington~~I'd pick your night now (maybe a weekday?) and book it! I would say: staying overnight there is indeed a marvel - it starts with the loveliest tea at about 4pm, they then recommend dining at about 8 or 8:30 (it's been two years since we've done this) - they definitely recognize you as guests during dinner; then they give you a little woven box to keep with a fake scrimshaw of their logo, filled with tiny cookies, dried fruits, for the late night hour when the wonderful meal has almost worn off! and then: breakfast! the lobster omelet?? omg.....and their mixed fruit salad with breakfast is simply amazing - the quality of the pineapple in it or something really sets it apart...and that's what helps run up the cost of the rooms.
okay, that does it - I need to fit this in my budget and get back there!! and midweek is so much cheaper than weekends....guess I know now what the anniversary celebration will be!
Your trip will be wonderful! Enjoy!
wow. logging into fodors may have just cost me money!

Sorry top hear you are not going to The Greenbier but don't blame you. Not sure what the situation is now with what they are going through. Have stayed there about 20 times over the last 17 years. The Greenbrier has a wonderful Old South feel, wonderful food, charming, and there is plenty to do. If you can't find something unique and interesting to do at the Greenbrier then you aren't looking very hard. Not sure if things will remain the same since after the Marriott takes over. Will be staying there this summer and will give a report.

OK After much help from people here DH and I have made our plans. FL to Savannah staying at the 1895 Inn in the Historic District and probably having dinner at Elizabeth on 37th, but that is still open. Then on to Asheville NC staying at the 1900 Inn on Montford and eating at Tupelo Honey or Fig, Market Place, Limones or Zamara. We will tour the Biltmore Estate. Then the next morning onto the Blue Ridge Parkway making stops along the way at the Natural Wonders, a little hiking and a stop at the Blue Ridge Music Center. An overnite stay in Charlottesville VA at the Clifton Inn-thank you sg92 and dinner there also.
The next morning we will tour Monticello and go over and check out the University of VA and take a short ride to Washington VA with a stay at Gay Street Inn and dinner reservations at the Inn at Little Washington-thanks to encouragement from jo ann. I think it will be an interesting road trip with great culinary experiences. We will try to find down & dirty local places for lunch along the way when we need to get off of the road. And I will try and remember to write a travel report upon out return in the middle of May. Thanks to all.
Lynne

I'm looking forward to your report about the Gay Street Inn and your dinner at the Inn at Little Washington. We are going to the Inn for dinner in 2010 to celebrate our 50th. We were talking about coming home after dinner, it's only an hour away, but I'd rather not have to drive over the two mountains after a full meal. Enjoy your stay in Virginia.

I took my wife to the Inn at Little Washington for her birthday weekend a few years ago. All of our meals were superb and the service was top notch.

What a great itinerary! I'm thrilled you'll stay over at Clifton, and hope it's as good as I remember it. We stayed in the Garden Suite, which was tiny (and the cheapest room on the property) but absolutely charming.

The first time I ate there, they seated us in the wine cellar. (It was a real surprise, as the hostess walked us through the dining room, out the back door of the inn, and down some steps....into a really charming wood panelled cellar with 4 tables for 2.) Apparently, they only use it for overflow (probably because it's challenging for the servers), but the ambience was great!

Re: Greenbrier
Those interested in the current situation may be interested in this article:
http://www.bizjournals.com/washingto...4/daily84.html
Apparently the proposed deal with Marriott has been scuttled.

One of the best meals I've ever had was at the Inn at Little Washington, the food/services, etc. it amazing.

We stayed at a B&B there too (couldn't justify the $$$$ for a room there), when you come down for breakfast the next AM, you'll find many guests who also had dinner the night before at the Inn, so it's fun to compare notes. We were very pleased w/the B&B and the host also cooked up a wonderful breakfast.

Sounds like a great trip, enjoy.

AIG used to have an annual event at Greenbrier for its brokers. That was when it was making money.

Profitability does not seem to be a prime consideraton for AIGdecisions!!

There were many years when the company netted between $8-12 billion.

We are all waiting to see what evolves with The Greenbrier. A wealthy local just bought it but the Marriot says he did not - that they have a contract. Personally, I hope the Marriott gets it - they have lots of success in the industry.

The new owner has announced that a cassino will be added to the hotel.

If so, that's a smart move.

Yuck...I'll bet a lot of people are rolling over in their graves!

Possibly but, the people of Greenbrier County voted to allow a casino in the county (at the Greenbrier). Supposed to be restrictions such as you have to stay at The Greenbrier to play at the casino. Plans/talk of a casino have been in the works for a good while.

Thin, if you had stayed at the Greenbrier in the '70s it would have been all that you would have expected it to be.

thereyet

lynnesm,

Did you ever get to stay at the Gay St Inn? If so, which room did you have. I've narrowed my choice down to one of the two upstairs but can't decide which looks nicer..