The Greenbrier Resort Mini-Vacation

Part One

Judy and I had a few days this week at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV, a luxurious and historic resort. Residing on 6,500-acres of lush landscape in West Virginia's Allegheny Mountains, The Greenbrier has been welcoming guests since 1778. The old photo above shows the front entrance. On Sunday, our day of arrival, we were not able to see the view above because of construction of the new underground casino, additional shops, and dining areas which will encompass approximately 80,000 square feet. The front lawn, under which the casino is being built, will be restored with the flower beds as well as a reflecting pool, pedestrian walkways, benches and improved guest arrival and departure areas.

We checked in the North Entrance which you see below.






During World War II, for about a year, the Greenbrier served as an interment center for foreign diplomats and their families remaining in the US. Next it was an Army hospital. Following the war, the C & O Railroad once again took ownership of the hotel, hired the well-known designer Dorothy Draper from New York City, and gutted the hotel. Her theme was "Romance in Rhododendron," WV's state flower, which is everywhere in draperies, upholestry, carpets, and even china. Thus, the major colors of the resort are pink and green, agumented with yellow, red, blue, black, and white. Since the parlors are very large with high ceilings, fabric patterns are large and colors are bold. For instance, formal green draperies on a wall of windows were accompanied by muted pink plaid shades underneath. Who would think to use plaid in those formal areas? But Draper made it work. The reopening of the resort was said to have been America's social event of the season. Of course, drapes and upholstery are being refurbished all the time, but some of the huge rooms remain just as she designed them.

Our room, as do all areas of the resort, reflected the Draper influence. The wallpaper here is pink roses, another favorite Draper flower. Let us give you a tour. Below is our king bed, which was turned down each evening by the mysterious Greenbrier ghosts who also left chocolates on our pillows.

The work area had a writing desk. There I set up our netbook so we could keep up with news from you.

This is the vanity or primping station.

The bath was papered with rhododendron flowers even on the ceiling, which reflected in the shiny black and white tiles on the floor.

The walk-in closet was huge.

We had supper in Draper's Cafe, which is located in the Greenbrier Shops area. I had the crab cake and Judy opted for the chicken pot pie. We shared a key lime pie with fresh blackberries on top. Yummy!

On our two nights stay, following dinner, we went to the 300-seat theater where the hotel provides free movies. On Sunday evening, we saw Amelia, starring Hilary Swank and Richard Gere in Amelia Earhart's story, and on Monday evening we got many laughs from Robin Williams and John Travolta's film, Old Dogs.

You may know that in the 1992, a Washington Post reporter blew the cover on the Greenbrier Bunker, secretly built by the US government under the resort where the President and both houses of our government would have been quickly relocated in case of nuclear attack. Once the bunker was revealed, its purpose was no longer valid. Of course, world technology and national interactions are not the same as they were in the 1960's. The resort now conducts bunker tours which are very interesting as well as eerie.

The theater was designed to seat both the House and the Senate should they have reconvened to the bunker. About 20 years ago, we stayed one night at the Greenbrier and enjoyed a movie in that same theater that we sat in this week, not knowing, of course, its once more important purpose.

Tomorrow we will share our Monday adventures.