Inspired Destinations: The Greenbrier

Steve Woodward in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

The Greenbrier resort in the West Virginia mountains has been around for nearly a century, attracting famous figures and non-celebrities alike since 1910. At one time, the horses (left) and carriages might have been the best way to make the short trip from the White Sulphur Springs train station. Today, carriage rides are just one of the activities to be found within the sprawling, 6,500-acre resort.

There is a certain sleepiness about The Greenbrier. It is locked in time. And that’s one of its main attributes. Service still matters here, making up for annoyances such as clattering air conditioning units in the guest rooms.

The spa is major league. Every variety of facial, massage and mud bath is on the menu. It is a golfer’s paradise, too. Two 18-hole courses, including ‘The Greenbrier’ course opened in 1924 and re-designed by Jack Nicklaus 53 years later, are the centerpieces. There also is a 9-hole course and an 18-hole private course for homeowners within the Greenbrier’s Sporting Club, a luxury residential club. The Greenbrier course hosted Ryder Cup matches in 1979. And, this is where the legendary Sam Snead, a decades-long Greenbrier ambassador, became the first professional golfer to turn in a scorecard for a round of 59. Appropriately, Snead did it in 1959. The putter he used to sink the deciding putt remains on display in the men’s locker room.

(I was thrilled to have my bag carried by Guy Byer, a 71-year-old caddy who had traversed the same ground we walked with Snead, Gary Player, Lee Trevino and many other golfers far superior to me. Guy made his first money reading putts and carrying clubs at The Greenbrier in 1947, at age 10). 

I was pleasantly surprised by the caliber of dining and wine lists at The Greenbrier resort. The 16-ounce, bone-in New York Strip ($45) at Sam Snead’s inside the golf clubhouse — a “smart casual” environment — was as good as it gets. A request for medium rare arrived … medium rare, juicy and flavorful. In the formal dining room the next night, the highlight was a potato-encrusted Snapper ($35) served with lightly creamed spinach and tender white asparagus. Ahead of the entree, I loved the romaine “spears” with marinated artichoke.

The dining room in the center of the resort’s main hotel, a 721-guest room castle, is a five-star experience. (There also are 96 guest and estate houses sprinkled across the surrounding grounds). The staff reports for duty in black tie. Live piano accompanies every course. Service is meticulous. The wine list is substantial, ranging from an $872 bottle of 1982 Chateau Haut-Brion, an iconic Bordeaux, to a 2002 Caymus Special Selection magnum ($493). My table enjoyed a nicely evolved Pinot Noir from (Sean) Capiaux Cellars, the 2004 Widdoes Vineyard Russian River Valley ($75).

If you find yourself at The Greenbrier on a rainy day, elect the 90-minute guided tour of the resort’s formerly “secret bomb shelter” ($30/person). Built in the midst of the Cold War between 1958-61, the Greenbrier’s bunker, 112,000+ square feet, was assembled while a new wing of the resort was being constructed. No one knew it existed until 1992, when an investigative reporter revealed the incredible truth. For 30 years, it was maintained around the clock to harbor members of the U.S. House and Senate, and their staff, in the event of a nuclear attack on American soil.

Ironically, today the area around the resort is being populated by not-so-secret multimillion-dollar luxury homes, as discerning customers are attracted to the natural beauty and perceived security of the Allegheny Mountains. In this generation, the “bunkers” are being built above-ground with pools, tennis courts and putting greens.