Travel :: Breckenridge, CO

This past weekend we spent three days in Breckenridge, CO for the Fourth of July and my cousin's wedding...and wow, is it ever beautiful!  I don't know if I have ever breathed in air as fresh, crisp, and clean.  We stayed in a stunning cabin in the mountains and were able to get a couple of fantastic hikes in as well as spend some time exploring the adorable little town of Breckenridge.  Their Fourth of July wedding was high up the mountain at 10 Mile Station and offered phenomenal views of the surrounding Rockies.  At the end of the night as we were being shuttled back to our cabin we were able to watch the Breckenridge fireworks show {without having to deal with the usual Fourth of July crowds}.  It was a perfect getaway!

Travel :: The Greenbrier Interiors Pt. 2

As I mentioned last week, I recently visited The Greenbrier with my mom and her best friend for Mother's Day weekend.  The hotel has always had a special place in our hearts...my grandparents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary there, my mom's best friend had her honeymoon there, and my mom has celebrated birthdays and anniversaries there.  It was my second time at the hotel {we went once after my college graduation}, however my mom and her friend had both been about 5-10 times each.  

Before we went to the hotel I emailed them letting them know how excited we were about our visit and told them the reason we were going {to celebrate my mom being in remission from cancer}.  I didn't expect anything, I just really wanted to let them know how special the hotel has been for our family and to ask if there were any special events going on for Mother's Day.  I had absolutely no idea how above and beyond they would go to make our experience the best yet.

We were greeted at the hotel gate by the attendant welcoming my mom {who spent the first 20 years of her life in WV} home.  Pulling up to the hotel is an experience in itself.  It’s hard not to just stand and stare mouth agape, the hotel is just that beautiful!  We were greeted with smiles and thrilled to see Frank {who has worked at the hotel for 56 years} at the door.  I cannot stress enough how AMAZING the people that work there are.  They are kind, courteous, and professional...it's clear how much they love their jobs!

From there we walked through the beautiful lobby to the front desk.  My mom was again, welcomed home, and we were given a complimentary glass of champagne.  Along with our room key we were given a handwritten note welcoming us to the hotel. We were taken up to our room by a bellman named Maynard who must have spent 30 minutes talking with us and showing us his favorite parts of the hotel.  We were thrilled to see we had been upgraded to a beautiful corner suite and even more excited to find the most gorgeous fresh flower arrangement, another handwritten card, and a big box of the Greenbrier's Chocolate Truffles with my mom's name on them!  It was absolutely amazing.

The rest of our stay was equally magical.  We indulged in facials in the gorgeous spa {my skin has never looked better!}  We spent hours upon hours wandering the massive hotel and the sprawling grounds {more on that later}.  There are seven restaurants in the property, but my absolute favorite is the original Main Dining room, which has live entertainment nightly and fantastic dishes like Lemon Thyme Roasted Free Range Chicken Breast with Rolled Truffle Angel Hair Pasta and Jumbo Lump Crab Dressed with Citrus Crème Fraiche.  And of course if you are there you MUST order the famous Greenbrier Peaches...I got them every night!

Travel :: The Greenbrier Interiors Pt. 1

Our four days at The Greenbrier were nothing short of perfect.  It's virtually impossible for me to include everything I want into one post, so today I'll be sharing a peek into the hotel's gorgeous interiors and tell you a little about the hotel.

The Greenbrier, which was founded in 1778, is nestled in the majestic Allegheny Mountains in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.  The hotel continued to grow and develop throughout the 1800's, and by the 1920's it had established itself as a beacon for high society.  The real turning point for the hotel came when they hired famed interior designer Dorothy Draper to decorate the resort after WWII.  The multi-million dollar project was the largest of it's kind, and after being closed for two years it reopened with pomp and circumstance, welcoming regulars such as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, the Kennedy's, and Princess Grace and Prince Rainier.  Over the past century it has been visited by nearly every American President and housed the Congressional Fallout Bunker until the mid 1990's {which is now open for daily tours}.  While the world has changed many times since The Greenbrier first opened, they still offer the same old-world elegance and southern hospitality that has been drawing guests for over 200 years.

In addition to being a stunning example of Draper's "Modern Baroque" style, The Greenbrier offers a vast array of activities including three 18-hole golf courses, a five-star spa, miles and miles of hiking and walking trails, horseback riding, mountain biking, kayaking, falconry, shopping, croquet, swimming, and just about any other activity you could imagine.  It is home to seven restaurants {my favorite being the formal Main Dining Room} and offers afternoon teatime and nightly entertainment with bars, a casino, live music, and a beautiful movie theater.  Whether you're planning a family trip, romantic getaway, golf trip, or girls weekend, I couldn't recommend visiting The Greenbrier enough!  

Note: No, this post is not sponsored...I just really do love The Greenbrier :)