Hotel Review: Primland

This summer has been a bit of a stressful one for us: B switched jobs in early July &, since the middle of May, our house has been undergoing a major (basically gutted) renovation. So when the team at Primland invited us down for a weekend of adventure & relaxation, I couldn’t pack our bags quickly enough.

The land in Southwest Virginia where this 12,000 acre luxury resort sits was first purchased in the late 1970s by Didier Primat for timber. He later realized its potential as a hunting destination & opened the first shooting reserve in the ’90s. Cottages followed, along with the gorgeous, luxurious lodge in 2009 (along with the mountain top golf course in 2006). Sadly Didier didn’t live long enough to see the lodge completed. His children – eight of them, all hailing from France – now own luxury hospitality properties around the world, including their newest: a renovated chateau in France that I’m dying to visit.

Accommodations

Guests have a variety of choices in accommodations at Primland: 26 rooms in the main lodge,  a number of cottages on property (including some brand new this year) or one of their famous tree houses (must return so we can stay in one!). Our room, a Blue Ridge Suite, was calming & comfortable. Warm planks of local timber covered the walls. The ample seating area was a great place to relax in the afternoon, while gazing out the floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors past the golf course to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Best of all, our suite had a small balcony, perfect for relaxing in the cool mountain air.

The bedroom featured two queen beds (there are also Blue Ridge Suites with king beds), which were like sinking into a cloud, the sheets were so soft. The bathroom featured a large walk-in shower with Bulgari toiletries (my absolute favorite) & a deep soaking tub. There was also a small half-bath in the room, which is always nice when you have two people.

Dining

You will not go hungry at Primland. It’s literally impossible.

Breakfast is bountiful & served at their fine dining restaurant – you can’t go wrong with the eggs benedict with cured-on-site Virginia ham. Make sure & save room for their homemade pastries – the croissants were a bit dense for my preference, but the biscuits were darn near perfection.

In the evening, complimentary wine & snacks are served in the main lobby. It was a great way to unwind & the perfect way to admire the view from their wrap around porch.

Our first night there, we enjoyed a casual al fresco meal at 19th Hole, the on-site pub. The black bean burger was totally unique (the patty comes breaded & pan fried) & B’s roasted chicken was falling off the bone goodness. A highlight of our meal was the local cheese & charcuterie board & the absolutely mammoth-sized peanut butter pie.

Saturday night we went all in on the Elements tasting menu. It was a wide variety of tastes, many farm-to-table. The water buffalo came from a nearby water buffalo farm (who knew there was such a thing?), the vegetables from their on-site garden. I think my favorite dish was the simplest: the heirloom tomato salad. Nothing says summer more to me than a fresh tomato salad. And, of course, dessert was divine, as were all the desserts they threw at us throughout the weekend (giant cookies at turndown, brownies at lunch, macaroons to take back to our room after dinner). Our server, Stenson, a local with a knack for hospitality, was excellent.

For more casual eats, we had a very simple, but tasty, lunch at Woodland Cafe, a small restaurant in the activities center serving some mean southern BBQ (although the ambiance could use a bit of a refresh). There’s also a casual family-size buffet called Stables Saloon – they have live bluegrass music on Friday & Saturday nights.

My only compliant about the food & beverage service? It was darn near impossible to get a good cup of coffee! The drip coffee served in the restaurants was weak at best & the two cappuchinos I ordered were not something to be proud of: one came out cold, the second was a sorry excuse for a capuchin – more like a shot of espresso with milk added to it (no foam to be seen). The staff could clearly benefit from a little lesson on making espresso beverages, or at least a quality Nespresso machine. The best coffee I had the whole visit? From the Keurig in our room; I was glad to see them buck the trend of many hotels who are removing their in-room coffee makers.

Spa

After a busy morning of activities, which I’ll write about in another post, I was excited to try out their critically-acclaimed spa. The space was small (especially the locker room), but very thoughtfully laid out. The locker room had one of my new favorite spa features ever: a large infinity hot tub, with water cascading over the sides. The relaxation room was one of the most tranquil I’ve ever been in. Overlooking the butterfly garden, I could have laid on one of their overstuffed lounge chairs for hours. My massage was one of the best I’ve ever had – be sure & ask for Heather! It was in their Unity Room, a huge couples massage room with a jacuzzi tub for two & a shower inside. It would be great to return with B for a little pampering!

Many of their spa treatments are centered around Native American healing rituals (they work with a  local tribe to ensure authenticity & respect). At the beginning of my treatment, I choose a spirit animal card out of a deck & afterwards enjoyed reading what my turtle card meant about me. Apparently the turtle will help me overcome some of my “space cadet” tendencies :)

Primland was a relaxing weekend getaway – an escape from the craziness of daily life & a chance to reconnect with B & Mother Nature. Located within a 10 hour drive of half the U.S. population, the resort is easily accessible to most of the east coast, especially the Carolinas (their highest percentage of guests). What truly made Primland special, though, was the staff. I loved talking with them & learning their stories: they’re almost all local, with a passion for true southern hospitality.

Know if you go… 

– Primland is located in the southwest corner of Virginia, roughly between Blacksburg & Martinsville. It took us about six hours to drive straight highways from Washington, D.C., but it’s a very accessible one hour drive from Winston-Salem (you can actually see the city skyline from the mountaintop), two hours from Charlotte & three hours from Raleigh. The last 30 minutes of the drive take about an hour – it’s a winding, hilly, back country road. Even when you hit the Primland guardhouse on your drive it, it’s still another six miles to the lodge. But it’s worth it!

– the property was booked full when we were there, but it never felt crowded. Many of their guests come for corporate retreats, corporate entertainment, anniversary weekends & birthday celebrations.

– we saw a few families with children, but I wouldn’t qualify it was family friendly. The property is really meant for calm, quiet & relaxation.

– make sure you book your activities & spa treatments in advance, especially if you’re visiting during busy season.