Hotel Review: the Greenbrier

When B told me he was attending a conference at the historic Greenbrier Resort, I jumped at the chance to experience a stay at this American icon. Now perhaps best known for serving as the chosen relocation site for Congress in the event of a nuclear attack on Washington during the Cold War, this sprawling property is full of eclectic decorating, Southern charm & an upscale experience rarely found today.

Draper Decorating

It’s the first thing you notice when entering the Greenbrier: sensory overload. Stripes, flowers, palms, patterns & color. Everywhere. Following the hotel’s service as an Army hospital in WWII, it was in serious need of a renovation to become hospitable to guests. Enter NYC designer Dorothy Draper & her wild & crazy patterns. You either love the decorating or hate it – there’s no middle ground. So, how do you feel about floral wallpaper on the ceiling of your bathroom, giant yellow bows over your windows & mismatched patterns?

Where to Rest Your Head

Our room was a Traditional Room located at the end of a very long hallway. Overlooking the front entry area of the resort & the roof of the spa (talk about competing views!), we had hoped the end of the hallway meant peace & quiet. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case: as with so many old resorts, the rooms have absolutely zero soundproofing in-between them. In addition, room doors only closed by slamming shut – not exactly the way you want to wake up at 8am Sunday morning (*knock knock* “HOUSEKEEPING!” *knock knock* *slams door* & repeat). I’m sure there are quieter rooms in the resort & if we were to return, we’d definitely request one.

The room itself was a standard hotel room (if standard hotel rooms had wallpaper on the ceiling), with two cozy chairs & a very small desk. The bathroom definitely could have used some TLC, but the towels were fluffy & the hot water abundant.

Greenbrier Activities

Being a large resort, there are an endless number of activities to participate in. We did a blind wine tasting (learning how to identify wine by color & taste, rather than preconceived notions of whether you like a certain type of wine), the famous Bunker tour (which was pretty interesting if you’re into history) & enjoyed just strolling the grounds. If you’re a golfer, I’m told that their course is first rate & they also have a very impressive tennis center. Afternoon tea in the upper lobby, complete with tiny pastry, is definitely something not to miss (& one of the few things complimentary to guests!). In addition, there’s an on-site casino which got pretty rowdy in the evening.

Awesome Architecture

Perhaps my favorite thing about staying at the Greenbrier was the stunning architecture & design. Every public room had a different look & feel & with painstaking attention to detail.

Know if you go… 

– the Greenbrier is located about 4 hours from Washington, D.C. You can drive (it’s a beautiful drive through the mountains), take the train (the White Sulfer Springs Amtrak station is right across from the entrance to the resort), or fly into the tiny White Sulfer Springs Airport (or into the slightly larger Roanoke Airport). Self parking is complimentary, but you may need to hike a bit to your car.

– the wifi at the resort is not great. It barely worked in our room & I couldn’t get it to work for more than an hour or so from any one location. This was a complaint from all those at B’s conference as well & made working remotely really difficult.

– your food options are limited, as there’s no going into town for meals: we had a great dinner in the Main Dining Room Saturday night, which felt like a blast from the past, including a live band to dance to. Breakfast options are either the dining room (with a strict dress code) or a coffee shop (with an extremely long line). A foodie highlight? The cafe Draper’s, complete with huge ice cream sundaes.

– speaking of dress code… the Greenbrier has a very strict, enforced dress code. Jeans are basically not allowed anywhere in the resort & athletic wear & tennis shoes are only appropriate in the gym. This doesn’t seem like a big deal on the surface, but imagine having to get fully dressed into business casual just to get a cup of coffee in the morning.