Travel Guide: The Greenbrier Resort, White Sulphur Springs, WV

Today I'm recapping my weekend trip to The Greenbrier Resort. This is a photo and text heavy post, so keep scrolling! The Greenbrier holds a special place in my heart because my parents took us when we were younger- so going back this past weekend with my fiance´ was so much fun to reminisce and show him one of the most beautiful places in the country!

How To Get There

If you aren't familiar with this gorgeous resort, I'll give you the run down. It is situated on 11,000 acres in White Sulphur Springs, WV (very close to the border of Virginia). It's an easy 4-hour drive south of Pittsburgh and 4 hours southwest of Washington DC. You can also fly into Greenbrier Valley airport as well as take the Amtrak. 

The resort as it is now was opened in 1913 and 27 US Presidents have stayed there. 

A long-standing 'secret' was housed in The Greenbrier during the Cold War: An underground bunker that was used as a fall out shelter for members of Congress. The classified bunker was released to the public in 1992 and has since been open for tours! We took a tour on Friday afternoon and it was so much fun to learn of the history behind this bunker. Not to mention to hear about the construction of the bunker- the walls were 5-feet thick concrete! You aren't allowed to take photos during the tour because the bunker is now home to data storage for a bunch of fortune 500 companies so they don't want there to be a chance of data being compromised! 

Before the Greenbrier was a resort, it served as a relocation center for enemies of the State during the Second World War and then used as an Army hospital. 

The property was decorated by a famed interior designer out of New York City, Dorothy Draper (she was cousins with Eleanor Roosevelt and Sister Parish). It was then reopened as a resort in 1948. Draper's decor style is 'more is more'... it's LOUD and colorful and somehow it all comes together in an absolutely incredible, timeless way. She loved roses and the color teal which definitely stands out in the decor. The state flower of West Virginia is Rhododendron which she incorporates throughout the decor. She also loved the Hollywood Regency style which you can see throughout the hotel- bamboo style furniture, chinoiseries touches, and more are so beautiful! After Draper's passing, Carleton Varney took over as president of the company. 

You can easily spend one night or an entire month at The Greenbrier. There is so much to do and see.

Accommodations

There are 4 ways to stay at The Greenbrier. A historic home, cottages, resort rooms and The Windsor Club. There are 710 rooms!! We stayed in a signature resort room. Our room was a Draper Suite which is one big room that has a bedroom area and then a huge living area. I wanted to steal all of the furniture for my new home, haha! Plus the bed was insanely comfortable and there was ample counter space in the bathroom and also two large closets for our things!

Winter Package
The prices for The Greenbrier obviously change throughout the season so you can keep an eye out for the special offers that they have throughout the year. Right now, though, they have a wintertime package and the value is so good.  It's $699 for two nights (there is also a 3-night option) and that includes early check-in (at noon) on Friday and late check out (3pm) on Sunday. This is what we had and it was SO nice to be able to take the day off on Friday and arrive at The Greenbrier around 11:30am. We had the entire day to enjoy. Plus, the 3pm checkout on Sunday was so nice because we didn't have to pack the night before or rush to pack up in the morning! We actually spent our Sunday morning in the spa and came back afterward to pack up. So leisurely. You also get $200 resort spending credit and breakfast in the main dining room (tons of delicious food).

Things to Do

There is a lot to do and see at The Greenbrier. They have different things available for all of the seaons, too. So, although it was cold and rainy outside, we had plenty of things to keep us busy. Plus, they have activities for all ages. We saw a lot of children during the weekend so it is a really family-friendly place but was also nice and romantic for our getaway, too. 

On this trip, we did the Bunker Tour, took a horse-drawn carriage ride around the resort property, went bowling, and went to the spa! We were supposed to do Falconry lessons (so cool, right?!), but unfortunately, it was pouring rain all Saturday so we went bowling instead!

There is also a casino- only guests of the hotel are able to get in. I'm not a casino person at all. I usually find them to be tacky. However, this was the most beautiful casino ever. It blended right into the resort! I put $5 into a slot machine and that was about it! But, my fiancé was into the Fanduel section where you can place bets on sporting events. It was very well done and so beautifully set up that I did not mind lounging in one of the beautifully upholstered seats and enjoying a glass of champagne. 

They also give you a calendar in your room each night with the next day's schedule. Things like what movie is playing in the theater and more. 

Dining

There are so many different options when it comes to food at The Greenbrier. Whether you have picky children, are eating a special diet, or are a self-proclaimed foodie (like us!!) there is truly something for everyone. There are six restaurants/cafés and five bars/lounges. We ate at 3 out of the 6 restaurants.

For breakfast, we ate in the main dining room. It is so beautiful in the main dining room but it's nice in the mornings because people are a bit more casual in jeans. You can order from a menu, but I highly recommend the buffet. They have everything. My breakfast favorite is always smoked salmon bagels and there was an entire station devoted to this. This breakfast is all included in the Wintertime package I mentioned above!

For lunch, we ate at Draper's both days which is kind of like an old school soda shop. The food is so good and has everything from a cobb salad to chicken pot pie. My fiancé and I loved the peach bourbon milkshakes- SO good.

We ate at Prime 44 West for dinner on Friday. It is a gorgeous steakhouse that is NBA-themed (in the most tasteful way you can imagine). We had filet and scallops and lobster mashed potatoes- the dish that they are known for!

Then, Saturday night, we dined in the main dining room which is old school elegance at its finest. You are seated under the most beautiful crystal chandeliers, white tablecloths, monogrammed silver, a pianist playing, and the best service. This is the story I always love to tell- when we went to dinner with my parents when we were children, my dad had the waiter come out and present us each with jewelry on a silver domed platter. We were so young and naive that we thought everyone got jewelry since the restaurant was the fanciest we had ever been to, hah! It was really my dad's doing since it was their wedding anniversary and he didn't forget us! I joked to my fiancé questioning where my 'jewelry course was', ha!


Recommend?
If you are considering The Greenbrier, I would highly recommend it. The service is second to none, the atmosphere is incredible, there is so much to do, delicious food, and accommodates people of all ages!

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