ROOMS & SUITES: 721

Located in White Sulphur Springs in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia, The Greenbrier has been welcoming guests since 1778.

It encompasses 6,500 acres of undulating countryside that includes four golf courses, the Greenbrier Clinic (specializing in executive health), a 40,000-square-foot spa, a mélange of sporting activities, shops, private homes, guests-only casino and, at its heart, a vast and imposing 710-room hotel. "From afar, it looks like the White House," says Geoffrey Weill, company president, "only it's much larger and much grander."

Purchased in 2009 by West Virginia entrepreneur, James Justice III, The Greenbrier has since undergone a $250+ million restoration that has transformed a somewhat ageing grande dame into one of the world's most stylish and luxurious resorts. The public spaces and guest rooms have been re-imagined by noted designer, Carleton Varney, president of Dorothy Draper, Inc. (it was society design icon, Dorothy Draper, who was responsible for the hotel's 1940s and 1950s interiors).

The comparison of The Greenbrier's persona with that of America's history is not merely architectural. Virtually every U.S. president has stayed at The Greenbrier. Both sides occupied it during the Civil War. German and Japanese diplomats were interned at The Greenbrier during World War II. And one of the resort's most extraordinary attractions is the "bunker," an immense underground installation beyond one of the hotel's ballrooms. The 113,000-square-foot bunker, with its 25-ton steel doors and endless tunnels, was built to house the entire membership of the Congress and their families, and to be the site of the Senate and House of Representatives, in the event of nuclear war. Built secretly in the 1950s and prepared for occupancy in time for the Cuban Missile Crisis, the bunker's existence remained undisclosed until 1992, after the end of the Cold War, when it was revealed by a reporter at the Washington Post.

The Greenbrier has a staff of more than 1,700, many of whom have been with the resort for 20, 30 and 40 years. Next month, The Greenbrier will inaugurate the Greenbrier Express, a glamorously refurbished private steam train that will bring guests to and from Washington's Union Station in four hours.

AFFILIATIONS

Historic Hotels of America

ACCOLADES & ARTICLES

Read New York Times article: The Greenbrier Resort Hopes to Preserve Its Past

Read Travel World Magazine article: A Lap of Luxury Southern Style: Five Star Relaxation in America

WOW FACTORS

• Soak in the famed sulfur-rich waters that have drawn visitors here for over 230 years.
• A sense of history all around - Take a glimpse into history with a tour of Greenbrier's underground bunker.
• Enjoy old-fashioned Southern hospitality.
• The Epic Scale of the Resort: ballroom-size rooms, acres and acres of grounds.
• Perfect for family vacations with facilities galore, from championship golf courses to a spa to falconry school.

AWARDS

AAA 5 Diamond Award

INSIDER TIPS

Tom Watson, winner of 39 events on the PGA Tour and current player on the Champions Tour, holds the title of Golf Professional Emeritus at The Greenbrier.

LEISURE

Daily complimentary activities:

Billiards
Fitness center
Guided morning power walk
Hiking trails
Horseshoes
Indoor pool
Meditation trail
Outdoor pool
Playground
Presidents' Cottage Museum
Putting/practice greens
Shuffleboard
Table games

Activities at additional charge:
Adventure zone - Special programs for children
Alpine Tower climbing
Archery
Bowling
Bunker tour
Carriage rides
Croquet
Falconry
Fishing
Fitness classes
Geocaching
Golf
Golf Academy
Group Gourmet cooking classes
Horseback riding
Hunting
Kayaking
Mountain biking
Off-Road Driving School
Paintball
Pony rides
Property tours
Skeet and trap shooting
Sleigh rides
Spa
Sporting clays
Tennis
The Greenbrier Amazing Race
Video arcade
Whitewater rafting

SPA

Named one of the top spas in North America by Conde Nast Traveler, the resort's holistic treatments harness natural essences and minerals to offer a distinctive rejuvenating experience. With a focus on hydrotherapy and the use of mineral-based products indigenous to the area, The Greenbrier
Spa provides various relaxing and therapeutic treatments. With today's finest products and equipment, meticulous attention to detail, lavish decor and the hospitality and service for which the resort has always been noted, the spa focuses on revitalization and relaxation.

EXPLORE

The secret is out! The declassified Bunker at The Greenbrier is a must-see experience that takes you behind the scenes and walks you through a fascinating period in the resort's history. Carved deep into the mountainside beneath our West Virginia Wing is an emergency Cold War fallout shelter. Once a top secret U.S. government relocation facility for Congress, The Greenbrier Bunker is now open to anyone interested in reliving a legendary piece of The Greenbrier history. Bunker tours provide a unique and in-depth look behind the hidden doors and let you explore an aspect of The Greenbrier that no other resort can claim.

AIRPORT

Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB)

HIGH SEASON

May through October

GETTING THERE

Flights are available twice daily to Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB), which is just minutes from the resort, on Continental via Cleveland (CLE). Delta also offers flights to LWB via Atlanta (ATL). Transfers from LWB are $27 per person, each way, and can be arranged through the property.

Valet parking is $20 per night.

(prices subject to change without notice)

PET POLICY

Pets are not permitted.

SMOKING POLICY

Smoking is permitted in designated areas, not in rooms.