It’s been a very
long time since I took a resort vacation. In fact, I don’t know if I’ve ever
really taken a resort vacation aside from Walt Disney World, where I stayed on
a hotel property the whole time, and never left a resort like I did recently at
the grandiose Homestead Resort in the beautiful Allegheny Mountains of
Virginia.
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| The captivating Homestead Resort |
Before kids,
Will and I chose to stay in hotels in cities with lots of sightseeing for
vacations, but sightseeing can be exhausting, and you return needing another
“vacation” from the vacation. As
parents, we are now learning the best way to travel with our kids because,
let’s face it, kids change the dynamics of traveling.
Our recent stay at the Homestead Resort was
the perfect place for us to get back on the saddle and experience a quality
family vacation less than five hours away from our home in Raleigh.
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| Riding Zip, the horse |
I’m a Southern
gal, and The Homestead Resort transports you to a genteel era that takes you
back to deep Southern roots. You dress for dinner, you take tea at 3 p.m. if
you wish, you dine on white tablecloths, you don’t go through the lobby without
a cover-up, and you walk the same halls presidents, royalty, and celebrities
have walked in the resort’s 200-plus-year history. It is magnificent!
Is it stuffy?
Absolutely not, and I cannot emphasize enough how at ease my very casual family
felt there.
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| The Homestead has Southern tradition and charm |
The Homestead
Resort, established in 1766, is a very child-friendly resort and offers amazing
family activities from golfing, hayrides, and hiking to horseback riding.
Seeing my son on a horse for the first time was a tear-jerking experience for
my husband and me.
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| Our trip to The Homestead was the first time my children have been this close to a horse |
This resort even
has its own movie theatre and shows movies twice a night. In the winter, the resort changes over to a
winter playground with skiing, ice skating, and an outdoor pool area that is
heated and still ready for use in the frosty air. It’s like a smorgasbord of fun where you can
do as much or as little as you like. Being bored is just not a phrase in the
vocabulary here.
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| There is never a dull moment at The Homestead |
While at the
resort, we stayed in a large junior suite, located on the west wing of the
property, featuring two double beds.
This room had its own porch. With
over 400 rooms, the Homestead is huge. We were on the same floor as the grand
lobby, shops, dining room, and the casual market, but it’s a good ten-minute
walk to these areas, as well as the new Allegheny Springs pool area. I love the décor of our room. With soothing
greens and light blues, I joked that it was the perfect décor for a Carolina
girl.
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| Our room was a Preferred Junior Suite located on the West Wing |
The Homestead is
a historic property with a fascinating past, but our room was not aging at
all. The old-timey base heating system,
window sills, and some paint chippings on the exterior porch were the only
reminders we were staying in a structure built over 100 years ago.
Our bathroom was
medium-sized and pristine clean. With a
pedestal sink, there is not a lot of counter space, but our family managed
fine. All toiletries are specially made for the Homestead and can be purchased
in the hotel’s spa and bath shop.
By staying in a
junior suite, we had a sitting area with a pullout sofa. Unfortunately, not one of our children wanted
to sleep there and instead chose us as bed partners. The living room space was great for us to
spread out a little.
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| I loved the colors of our room, and the classic furnishings |
At night, we
would gather with other guests by the fire pit and strike up
conversations. We got to know others
while staying at the resort. We would
see the same families in the restaurants, in the shops, at the resort
activities, and at the pools. Our kids
would play croquet together on the lawn. The dining staff got to know my family
as they served us in one of the resort’s five restaurants. It kind of seemed like our home away from
home in the few days that we were there, and, in essence, a luxurious summer
camp.
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| The Homestead is my idea of a luxury camp |
The Homestead operates
an outstanding Kids’ Club for children aged 3 to 12. Our son attended an afternoon
session for 4 ½ hours. During this time,
he bonded with other kids, had an archery lesson, and went on a short
hike. The kids’ club offers different
activities for every day of the week. During that special time, I went to the
spa, and Will stayed at the pools with our new “Resort Diva.”
It was relaxing
to be surrounded by the beauty of Virginia’s mountains. The wholesome family atmosphere has me
smitten with this stately resort. Like
many other families through the years, I would like to return yearly to recapture
some of the priceless family quality time we experienced.
Leigh’s Insider Tips for The Homestead
Although delicious,
food at The Homestead is expensive. The breakfast
buffet is $27 per adult. The casual
Casino Restaurant was my favorite. Sam Snead’s, the hotel’s second casual
restaurant, was overpriced, in my opinion.
Classic fish and chips may be tasty, but $29 is a lot to pay for tavern
food. The hotel offers a MAP plan, with food and tip included at a discounted
price and added to your room charge. I would strongly consider this option, or
a bed and breakfast package. The resort has exceptional fine dining restaurants on property, but we did not try those with the kids on this trip.
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| Main Street of Hot Springs, Virginia |
There are a few
places to eat in the lovely area of Bath County in addition to the resort, so
check that out as well. For lunch one
day, we went to the local Subway and had lunch al-fresco on our porch. I saw
other families eating Subway sandwiches by the fire pit for dinner. The Homestead doesn’t mind you doing this
because dining reservations are always needed at night, and if you don’t make
them in advance then this may be the only option you have that evening. Also,
Martha’s Market, located off the grand lobby in the hotel, has great quick
bites for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I loved getting a coffee and walking around the grounds. It also serves
delicious ice cream at half the cost of ice cream in the restaurants.
About two weeks
before your vacation, the Homestead will send you a virtual concierge to help
you book activities and dining reservations.
Don’t ignore it. I saw some guests who were disappointed
because activities were full or not available at the times they wanted. It's very simple to fill out your requests, and all reservations will be made for you prior to your arrival.
If a new-looking
room is important to you, ask for one. Preferred rooms on the west wing were recently renovated. With over 400 rooms in a historic property, renovations are always ongoing. Also in historic properties, it’s no secret
that some rooms can be small. The classic rooms are the smallest at the resort
at 170 to 220 square feet. Even though they
are less costly, that may be cramped for a family of four staying longer than a weekend.
Consider booking
a package with unlimited activities to save some costs. Most activities at the resort, aside from
swimming, have costs associated with them.
Also, the resort does have a 15 percent daily resort charge, in addition
to room taxes, so add that into your travel budget as well. Rates for an unlimited activities package start at $325 for a family, and it includes discounts on kids' club, the spa, as well as other activities.
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| I'll definitely be returning to The Homestead Resort |
For more on the
Homestead, including the tradition of “taking to the waters,” plus some
mouth-watering food photos, read my travel features on Skimbaco Lifestyle.
Want to Go:
The Homestead
1796 Sam Snead Highway
Hot Springs, Virginia
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Disclosure: I was a media guest of The Homestead Resort so I could
feature the resort as part of my “Pack Your Bags” segments. My family did have out-of-pocket expenses
while at the resort. As with all of my
hotel reviews, these are my honest opinions and are not influenced by the
hotel.
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