The Greenbrier, West Virginia

We started off this summer on the beach, so it only made sense to finish the summer in the mountains.  I saw a Living Social coupon for The Greenbrier hotel in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia and decided to try it out.  Well, actually, I saw the hotel on Emily's season of the Bachelorette and wanted to check it out. 

Here are my thoughts on the trip:

• It took us about 4.5 hours to get there from DC.  We stopped once to change and feed Anna.  The drive was super easy and very beautiful.
• The deal was two weekend nights for $530 (versus the almost $1000 it would normally cost).   
• Do not count on checking in early.  We tried and tried to get a room a couple of hours early, but I think we were lucky they had a room ready by the 4pm check-in time. 
• The hotel is beautiful inside and out.  The grounds are so well kept and the area is serene.  I expected the hotel to be a bit more in the mountains, but it was not as forested as I anticipated.  The decor in the hotel is loud but fun.  I kind of wish I had the guts to replace my boring walls with some of the paint and wallpaper they use.
• The service was outstanding.  Everyone was so friendly.  The servers, groundskeepers, pool attendants...  they all said hello every time they passed you by and made you feel welcome.  It must be in the training - you must say hello to everyone.
• The food was... good.  I know a lot of the appeal of a place like The Greenbrier is to dress up for dinner and eat in the main dining room, but we were just not up for that on this trip.  In fact, I did not even bring make-up with me, let alone a dress for me and a jacket for Kyle.  We did eat in the main dining room for breakfast, and ate lunch and dinners at the more casual Drapers restaurant.  My breakfast was delicious (maple butter filled crepes with strawberries) but it was expensive.  To me, $60 for breakfast just seems like too much, especially when you do not even order any alcohol.  The rest of our meals were fine, but also expensive.   
• There is plenty to do at the hotel, but most of it costs money.  After spending quite a bit on our room and food, I did not really want to spend another $110 on a carriage ride or $80 on theater tickets.  Maybe I am just cheap?  Each morning we were given the day's schedule of events which included everything from movie times to a concert by the Princeton Glee Club and a synchronized swimming show to an aerobics class.  I imagine that people who usually frequent The Greenbrier easily fill their time with tennis lessons, a day on the golf course, or a night in the casino.  We spent our day by the pool and it was a lot of fun.  They have a kiddy pool, an outdoor pool, and a huge indoor pool.  The outdoor pool has a gorgeous view and fruity drinks are encouraged.  We also walked the two-mile path through the golf course.  We saw some beautiful homes and went past the meditation area.  I am sure the meditation area is nice and relaxing outside of mosquito season.    Our only splurge was at the spa where Kyle got a much deserved massage, which he reviewed as OK. 
• We also visited downtown White Sulphur Springs.  We noticed all the antique signs on the way in, and since we could not afford the shops in the hotel, we thought we would try out the shops downtown.  The prices were good, but there really was not anything I wanted to buy.  I am sure if you are good at DIY, it would be heaven, but I am not that good at DIY.  Also, I wore my LSU t-shirt all day (it is a Saturday in September after all) and got a lot of uncomfortable stares.  It could be because everyone else was in West Virginia gear.
• It seems like on every trip Kyle and I notice something that is unique to the area.  For example, in Barcelona everyone had a mullet and we ended up counting all of the mullets we saw throughout the trip.  In the Maui airport, we counted all of the Ed Hardy gear.  At The Greenbrier, I lost track counting the Tory Burch sandals.  Everyone had them and they are not cheap.  It must be written in the dress code and I just missed that paragraph.  The pool deck was covered in them and I considered, just for a second, finding a pair in my size to take home with me. 

I am glad that we ventured out to West Virgina and visited such a beautiful and historic hotel.  It was a bit stuffy for my taste but it was really neat to see the pictures of past presidents and celebrities that also visited the hotel.  If we were to go back, I would bring nicer clothes and leave my cheapness at home.

West Virginia on Dwellable