TRAVEL: Wintertime at The Greenbrier

*I was hosted at The Greenbrier in exchange for media coverage. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

As some of you remember, I got the chance to go to West Virginia for the first time and on that occasion, I got to enjoy the beautiful property of The Greenbrier. My apologies for taking this long to get the post up, but it’s definitely worth reading and checking out. Though it was a property built in the 1700s, the interiors have a very modern, yet vintage feel and it is full of colorful décor, quite the contrary compared to outdoors. Guess that’s why they always say never to judge a book by its cover. Have a look!

So you may be wondering why I’m getting this post out to you so early, with it being summer and winter being a few months away. I can say first hand that time passes by rather quickly when trying to book a trip, so the sooner I get this information to you about this beautiful resort, the better. It’ll give you something to look forward to visit in the winter, or travel to now. It’s definitely open all year long! 😄

As mentioned, The Greenbrier was built in 1778 and its luxury retreat has over 10,000 acres. Its property has 710 rooms, including 33 suites and 96 guest and estate homes. It also has more than 40 meeting rooms and a complete conference center facility. Basically, there’s something on the property for everyone, whether it’s for work or play. Another thing I loved is how it’s located in the Allegheny Mountains. It allows for such a beautiful backdrop and scenery. With all the activities there are to partake in (more on those later) and the fine dining options, The Greenbrier has it all and more!

For this press trip, my photographer Karli had the pleasure of coming with me and documenting everything. We were welcomed with the keys of quite the gorgeous 4 bedroom cottage, which is one of the South Carolina Row Legacy Cottages. These all have a living room, dining room, fireplace and porch. We stayed in South Carolina-B, which has a larger patio for larger families and entertainment (shown above)!

What I loved most about it was how different each bedroom was; no 2 rooms were the same. Each had a different color scheme, as well as furniture. This is something you’ll notice throughout the resort, as the entire property was designed by world-famous interior designer, Dorothy Draper. She was even once known as the most influential tastemaker in America! I definitely fell in love with all the details in everything at The Greenbrier and the time she took to design everything differently, while still allowing everything to flow so nicely together. That takes quite the time and talent to achieve!

BEDROOMS/BATHROOMS

Each of the rooms are pretty large, so these rooms would be perfect for couples, or events such as family get-togethers! ☺️ Also before I forget to mention, all bedrooms have their own bathrooms. No need to leave the room!

One of the rooms also has double beds, allowing for more room for extra guests!

LIVING AREA/DINING ROOM

As I mentioned, each cottage also has a dining and living area, also color coordinated differently from each of the bedrooms.

KITCHEN

ACTIVITIES

Falconry

Falconry is an activity I’ve been wanting to try for the longest and The Greenbrier just so happened to offer it as one of its activities on the property. Best of all? You don’t have to be a pro or have any experience to participate, as beginner lessons are offered. You can probably guess (judging on the next photo you’ll see) that this was my first rodeo, haha! 😆

Three options are offered at The Greenbrier for falconry: beginner lessons, intermediate lessons and private group lessons. Of course, we did the beginner lessons. I learned so much in the 90 minutes of class I took. I left feeling confident in knowing how to make a falcon land on me comfortably! 😎

Carriage Ride

One great way to experience The Greenbrier’s many acres of beauty is to partake in the Carriage Ride. This is an activity that kids can also do! Book a private carriage ride to see some of the most beautiful and historic sites in comfort and class!

Bunker Tour

The Bunker Tour was one of the things about the resort I was most excited to experience. For those that don’t know, The Bunker used to be a top secret U.S. government relocation facility for Congress, actually located under The Greenbrier. Anyone who knows me, knows I love undercover stuff like this. Even though it’s now “declassified,” all photography is off-limits (hence the postcard images featured). I really don’t want to spoil the experience, but it’s a must visit, even if you stay at The Greenbrier just for this!

Formerly classified artist’s rendering of the relationship of the underground bunker to the West Virginia Wing of The Greenbrier

25-ton blast door, which protected the west tunnel entrance of the emergency relocation facility for Congress

Mexican President Cortines, President Eisenhower and Canadian Prime Minister St. Laurent at The Greenbrier for the North American Summit Conference Meeting

Formerly classified construction photograph of the bunker (Exhibit Hall of The Greenbrier)

Original bunk beds in 1 of 28 dormitories in the former emergency relocation facility for Congress at The Greenbrier

Escape Room

During our stay, we also got to experience the Escape Room. Ironically, it’s located inside of a theatre and the theme is also based around that. Obviously no pictures were allowed in here, as it’s a game that’s not meant to be spoiled. We really enjoyed ourselves, even though we didn’t make it out in time (I usually don’t anyway, haha 😆).

SPORTING CLUB

I mentioned The Greenbrier having over 10,000 acres earlier. Well, that’s not just for the property itself; it’s also land that could be potentially owned by you to build or buy a home, also known as the Sporting Club! The beauty of doing this is that you not only get to choose from a creekside, mountain, fairway or a wooded luxury home, but you also gain access to a members-only golf course, lodges, restaurants, spa, equestrian center, hunt cabin and so much more.

All the homes we came across offered the most stunning and breathtaking views in the freshest air. It was truly amazing and we didn’t want to leave! If the concern of resort guests disturbing you in the Sporting Club community bothers you, there’s no need! Though all resort benefits are open to Sporting Club members, only Sporting Club members can access amenities in the Club. The Sporting Club itself has so much more to offer, too much that can’t be written here. Click here to read and see for yourselves! 😊

FOOD

Breakfast

At The Greenbrier, there are 3 options for breakfast: in-room dining, The Greenbrier Gourmet & Coffee Bar and the Main Dining Room. Each day during our stay, we dined in the Main Dining Room. There are a wide range of options, no matter your diet or preferences. It’s also self-serve, so you can grab whatever you’d like! ☺️

Afternoon Tea

Afternoon Tea is a tradition that has taken place at The Greenbrier since the 1930s. During this time daily, you can enjoy freshly prepared pastries, cookies and of course…tea! You will also be entertained by live piano music and dancers. 😉

Lunch

For lunch, there are 8 options of choice on the property, one of them being Draper’s, named after Dorothy Draper. They offer classic Dorothy Draper recipes in a casual dining environment, as well as Southern classic dishes. I got the delicious Fried Green Tomato Sandwich. Being from the South, fried green tomatoes are one of my favorite dishes to enjoy and this was my first time trying them on a sandwich. My mouth is still watering just thinking about it all over again. It was so good guys!

Dinner

The Main Dining Room also serves dinner, and it is one of the 8 options available on the property. The attire is pretty formal for both men and women. Only your finest should be worn. Don’t stress too much about this though. I got my dress at a steal from Amazon!

One of the other 8 options for dinner offered at The Greenbrier is Prime 44 West. This restaurant honors NBA legend and West Virginia native Jerry West, hence the name! It’s upscale and serves nothing but the finest aged beef, extraordinary local ingredients, fresh seafood and a world-class list of wines. Like many of the other dinner spots, attire is business casual. There are plenty of vegetarian options on the menu to enjoy too! 😄

Prior to this trip, I had never visited West Virginia, but I am one who wants to see as much as our country has to offer. After all, there are so many gorgeous places that always remain to be seen! The Greenbrier offers so many more activities to choose from, which you can find linked here. You’ll never die of boredom with their wide range of options, for any age or ability! I really enjoyed my stay at The Greenbrier and look forward to bringing my family back in the future. I highly recommend booking your stay there ASAP! Click here to book and find out more!

Photos: Mountain Lily Photography