The ambiance is of a different age. Think Gone with the Wind meets Dirty Dancing. When you first arrive at The Greenbrier Resort you a greeted by lush surroundings and as you drive up the hotel reveals itself amongst the foliage. It is stately, with a large circular drive that reflects back the beauty of the mountain range. One could easily be fooled into thinking you have arrived at the Whitehouse given the columns and architecture of the exterior. Once you enter, it feels as if you have entered a time portal and are no longer in 2019. The hotel is decorated as it always has been, which in a way is romantic yet ostentatious. Imagine a floral explosion inside Alice's Wonderland. That is what it feels like. You have to go down to get to the main lobby and up to get to the second floor or upper lobby. It is easy to become turned around and the signs are vague at best. The interior design is by Dorothy Draper and reflects her love of the bold, floral patterns, and busy walls. The colors are decadent, rich and your mind spirals from trying to take it all in. I walked the interior of the hotel for two days trying to see everything and still missed two entire wings. It is like walking through a history museum and an art gallery at the same time. There are large tapestries, oil paintings, statues, and carvings throughout. The artwork that hangs throughout seems to be at odds with this design. The hallways each have a theme and beyond that, each room has its own distinct theme. Most of the artwork is portraits of figures who played a significant role in the resort's history. There are also many statues of political figures and horses that are masterfully crafted. What is missing is the art from the Artist Colony on the grounds. To me, this is a missed opportunity for the resort to invest in and showcase local crafts.
Let's talk about the food. There are nineteen options to choose from. I chose to visit Prime 44 West and The Forum for dinner, The Main Dining Hall and The Greenbrier Gourmet Coffee Bar for breakfast, and Draper's for lunch. The portions are humongous. The staff are warm, welcoming, and will go out of their way to ensure that you have the best possible experience. They take great pride in their tenure, how they perform and have a deep knowledge of the Resort. They are genuinely happy, welcoming and treat you as if you are their only guest. If you want history, these are the people to talk to.
Our first dinner was at Prime 44 West. Peggy was our server, her husband Gary was the runner. It was a wondrous meal that included French onion soup, a wedge salad, Ahi Tuna encrusted in sesame seeds and plated over a bed of Peruvian potatoes with bok choy and ginger, and a fourteen-ounce prime rib, Yorkshire pudding and a side of roasted cauliflower with brown butter. We each had scotch, his Glenkinchie 12 year and mine was The Macallan 15 year. The scotch paired perfectly with the meal but, the 15 year was a bit disappointing in its profile. I would rate the Macallan 12 year a better option but, I digress. This was my first ever experience with French onion soup and it was divine! I could not get over how flavorful, full-bodied the broth was. The onions were perfect and the cheese! The cheese was balanced, just the right amount of brown and stringy. It was gooey without overpowering and just the right balance of richness to complement the broth. We enjoyed every minute of our time at Prime 44 West. I could have eaten every meal there because the staff and food were just that enjoyable.
The Forum, on the other hand, was not a good experience. Keep in mind that if you are going to the resort, ensure that you have reservations for dinner every night. Winging it here is not a viable option as I found out. Now, back to The Forum. I decided to try to get a seat at the bar. This turned out not to be an option after waiting for over twenty minutes. Many of the patrons of the resort have a very inflated sense of self and are sorely lacking in the basic manners we are taught growing up. They decided to spread out, taking up twice as much space as was allotted. The staff were wholly embarrassed and desperately tried to make up for the rudeness. In the end, I ordered shrimp alfredo to go because at this point I have been here for forty minutes without food or even a glass of water. The bartender, I believe his name was Rick was very quick to get a manager's attention and have my meal discounted along with a free glass of wine. I chose the house Chianti, not a good choice. It was watery, weak in flavor and a general sourness to it. Once I obtained my food I went to the upper lobby and found a secluded spot next to the outdoor patio to eat. The food was awful. The noodles were tough, chewy and the sauce was runny. I was disheartened and finally gave up. I went to the bar at the upper lobby, ordered a glass of water because my mouth was feeling like a desert then proceeded to sit outside by the fire. It was the perfect night for it. Thankfully this was the only bad meal I experienced.
Draper's is perfect for grabbing a healthy lunch or an ice cream sundae. Their décor is lighter and more fun. It is an old fashioned soda shop in every way, not just the décor. There is also a truffle shop a little bit further down that I would recommend if you are looking for something sweet. The main dining hall though is somewhere that I recommend visiting as they serve a breakfast buffet that guarantees you will be full for the main part of your day. The staff take great care and enjoy sharing the history of the dining hall. They still use silver serving ware and for the 100th anniversary of the main dining hall, they brought back the pink, white and floral pattern that originated with the resort. It is a beautiful pattern of pink, white, gold and floral that honors the natural heritage of the area. The owners went back to the original manufacturer, Homer Laughlin who produces the pieces there in West Virginia.
In the mornings in the upper lobby, they have coffee and tea available to guests and host afternoon tea which is not formal as we originally thought. The difference is that in the afternoons, tea service is started with an opening waltz performed by employees who sing in the evenings. The performance is a bit off-key at times as they sing a variety of music from the '50s and '60s with an occasional newer song thrown in. The performers wear black tie and fully commit to the roles.
My absolute favorite spot was Twelve Oaks Bar located in the casino. Henry was our bartender and he is a man after my own heart. He loves what he does and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to wine, spirits and bourbon, his preferred. If you don't know what you want, he knows the right questions to pull out of you that which will match what you are wanting and lift your weariness. His voice is smooth like jazz and his laughter is like sunshine bursting through the walls. My only regret is that I did not get to spend more time with him as I felt I could have gained so much. He is a joy and a light to sit and talk with. We discussed the wine list, the struggle of how to stock a place with so many bars, keeping the selections diversified enough to please all or most of the patrons and the hospitality industry as a whole. The industry is hard and can be challenging to maintain a career in; people burn out fast but, when you find that right company who takes care of its people it can make it all worthwhile.
One of my takeaways from the resort is that they take care of their staff. At no point did I encounter a single employee who was not happy. From the bellhops, the concierge desk, the waitstaff to the maid service, everyone was always happy and created this vibe of joy that seemed to hum through the hallways. It is the first time in my life that I have ever traveled somewhere and everyone was happy. They enjoyed what they did, they enjoy where they work and they love sharing the history of this place with you. I spent the vast majority of my trip walking the property, taking pictures and just talking to people.
The only thing any of them expressed displeasure in was the lack of sustainability measures such as no recycling bins, no suggestions of water preservation and no signs of sustainable practices anywhere and those damn plastic straws we all hate. All in all, it was an interesting place to visit. I feel that the resort is struggling with its own identity and that if it does not make changes to start appealing to younger generations it may well cease to exist in the next twenty years.
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