| |
 |
|
Greenbrier Resort Independent Review
Resort reviews by Donald K. Burleson
August 2010
|
This NEWSWEEK article titled "The
Last Resort", prompted us to try the Greenbrier Resort in West
Virginia.
Greenbrier is a monster resort, with 700 rooms with 6,500-acre
of grounds that includes every activity imaginable.
The main
entrance to the Greenbrier is truly awesome, so large that
pictures cannot do it justice.
It can been seen
from outer space.
|
 |
The older "North" entrance
is also amazing.
The Greenbrier
started in the late 1700’s and has been in continuous operations for
over 200 years (even in the Civil War, where it served as a hospital)
and its guests include Andrew Jackson, Davy Crockett, Dolly Madison,
JFK, Ike and robber barons like the Rockefellers. |
 |
|
The Greenbrier will remind you of the great aging resorts
like the Arizona Biltmore and the Florida Breakers, but it has
the mountain resort feel of the Broadmoor and Banff Springs
resorts in the high Rockies.
Local West Virginian Jim
Justice paid only $20 million for the 186,000 square foot
monster mansion, but he also inherited almost a quarter-billion
dollars in debt.
|
 |
Here is a good view of the "
Haint Blue" color for ceiling of the entrance, important for
keeping ghosts away.
|
 |
| The north entrance and all
passageways are painted in Haint blue, to prevent Haintings. |
 |
| They have putting and
croquet areas behind the main building, and they even laid-out a
small par-2 putting course. |
 |
| This is the original hot
spring from 1798. The water is now piped into the main
resort pools from this location. |
 |
| The Greenbrier has a large
outdoor pool with a nice vanishing edge. |
 |
Greenbrier Interior
This oil painting of George
Washington adorns the North wall of one of the main rooms.
The message "Beware of Foreign Influence", is just as true
today as it was 200 years ago.
|
 |
| Antique lovers will enjoy
the main halls of the Greenbrier, lots of old clocks, painting
and statues adorn the main areas. |
 |
| The dining area remains
Victorian, with gaudy colors and the acoustics are such that you
can hear somebody chewing from 20 paces. |
 |
| They have an indoor pool,
fed by the local hot springs. |
 |
| They are proud of the
draperies, and they are indeed quite colorful. |
 |
Greenbrier food
The room service sucks and
the main dining room is way overpriced.
Drapers is very
gaudy, and we almost did not eat there, but the food is quite
good.
Homemade pickles and fresh sandwiches are the
specialty. |
 |
Falconry Program at the Greebrier
The Falconry program at the
Greenbrier was exciting, but it did not deliver.
At $198
for a session, expected the dedicated attention of a falconer,
and we were surprised to be placed into a group with toddlers
and screaming kids!
They made over $700 per hour during
the session we attended, just another of the over-priced
activities at the Greebirier. |
 |
| The trained birds are very
gentle when their eyes are covered. |
 |
| This eagle is in training
for the falconry program. |
 |
Greenbrier Golf Review
Golf at the Greenbrier is
average at best, with green free approximately double of those
comparable courses in the country.
When we went it was
super-crowded, back-to-back play, over 4 hours to complete 9
holes.
We were also surprised when the twosome behind us
nearly beaned Janet! They had a caddy, but he never yelled
"Fore" or apologized.
If you play the Greenbrier, make
sure to wear protective headgear.
|
 |
If you want to play
reasonable golf at the Greenbrier, I highly recommend
Oakhurst Links in West Virginia.
It's right up the road from
the Greenbrier, and it claims to be America's oldest golf course.
The fun is there are sheep sharing the fairways, and you are required to use hickory clubs, gutta percha balls and sand tees. |
 |
Greenbrier Gun Club
The Greenbrier gun club as a
highlight of our trip, professional and a good value.
They offer a wide range of shotguns, from 12 gauge to 20 gauge
and professional, individualized instruction.
|
 |
Other Activities
| The Greenbrier has bowling
lanes at only $10 per game. |
 |
Kudzu City
| Noel likes to drive. |
 |
|
