At around 3:00pm an earnest gate attendee welcomed me by name, direct- ing me to my destination. I wended my rented Jeep Cherokee into 11,000 ver- dant acres of majestic West Virginian paradise in White Sulfur Springs.


I first was greeted by The Greenbrier’s spectacular white marble and concrete Georgian-style facade, with its impres- sive columns below the distinctive framed delta of its peak. I also was greeted by explosions of colorful flowers gaily splaying all around its grounds, as were rows and rows of pink petal’d cherry blossoms bursting with blooms.


Then, a clean-shaven young door atten- dant offered to park my car for me, which I politely declined as, well, it was only me with just an overnight duffle and a thin garment bag, so I pulled around back and parked the Jeepster myself (not only seeing some sights along the way; I saved myself the standard overnight parking fee).


Approaching the entrance, I was greeted amiably by Frank Mosley – the property’s official doorman. Frank has been a Greenbrier fixture since 1958. As he gently opened the door for me for his zillionth time, I marveled inwardly on Frank’s longevity and how he’s had the honor of greeting some of the world’s most influential people throughout his 59 years at the resort.


With 710 rooms, 128 guest and estate houses, 33 suites, and about 1.2 million square feet of space, there’s certainly room to have enjoyment here.


Too, the resort is playfully workable; the usable event spaces are extensive with the largest rooms being Colonial Hall - at over 6,000-square feet of space (add 6,000 more square feet when counting the Colonial Terrace just outside). The separate Exhibit Center has over 16,000-square feet, as well. All told, there are more than 72 meeting rooms of varying size at The Greenbrier.


The main building reminds me of a giant cruise ship - dry docked, of course - with its multi-leveled galleries of 37 tasteful shops.


This “ship,” however, was built more than 238 years ago!


Throughout its time, The Greenbrier has hosted U.S. presidents and dignitaries, actors and actresses, captains of industry and a Prince and Princess of Monaco. Some of the world’s top golfers have come here, too - most notably the legendary Sam Snead, who was the property’s first golf pro emeritus - along with average Janes and Joes seeking a refined respite from the world and its many worries.


The resort’s interior isn’t timeless - rather, much of it is locked within another era completely. The inspiration of famed designer and visionary, Dorothy Draper, The Greenbrier’s mid-20th cen- tury decorations absolutely dazzle. The woodenly masculine confines with its original oil paintings and portraits comingle naturally, as well as beautifully, with the noted designer’s feminine touches: red carpeted spiral staircases


cascade downward; lush floral pat- terned fabrics burst with primary col- ors; and rich brocade’d fabrics sus- pend from wide arched windows. Emerald greens, powder blues, lip- stick reds; the vividness of it all emanates from walls and carpets, jux- taposed by sweeping black-and-white checkerboard tiled floors throughout its upper lobby – “very Alice in Wonderland,” I thought to myself amid salons dripping with scores of chan- deliers and ornate antiques, and laden


with stylish furniture of Colonial, and of a mid-20th Century persuasions.


To me, this resort feels like a dignified American hotel - one part American museum of history and of design, and one part motion picture setting.


If I were a kid (and the resort does get its share of those), I’d spend a good part of my time trying to get lost amid those endless corridors.


Okay, I admit it: I did try to get lost in all of that Greenbrier. The only problem was - the more I explored, the more the place kept on going!


Numerous guests equate The Greenbrier experience to a heightened level of “Gold Service” luxury combined with an “Old South” sense of pace and gentility. Formal, yet at-ease.


For many others, the resort means golf (four challenging courses) or a day at the spa (an award-winning haven for hydrotherapy), or even the late-night fun excitement at the Casino Club (open to guests only), one of the most refined gaming experiences in the country.


The resort’s “Must-Do” list includes: “Sip a Mint Julep in the Lobby Bar and gaze up at the chandelier from Gone with the Wind; Take a horse drawn carriage ride and tour the property; Go off-road driv- ing in a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon…”


The List of Weekly events takes it from there – “Glass Blowing, culinary demon- strations, truffle-making workshops,


Mid-Atlantic EVENTS Magazine 77


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84