HOMESTEAD RESORT, VIRGINIA
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elebrating its 250th year, the Omni Homestead has seen centuries of history, eras of war and peace, and visitors of all kinds, including some of our country’s founding fathers. The luxurious resort is also a National Historic Landmark, having welcomed its first guests a full decade before the American Revolution. In 1766, the Homestead was just an 18-room lodge located on a 300-acre tract owned by Thomas Bullitt. Over the years, buildings and wings have been added and, of course, updated. Today, the resort encompasses 2,300 acres and has 483 guest rooms. The historic ambiance and cozy rooms are rivaled by the extensive list of indoor and outdoor activities available. Summertime offers sportsman fly-fishing, hiking, and archery. Winter activities include skiing, snowmobile tours, and ice skating.
LUXURY ABOUNDS AT THIS BIRTHPLACE OF SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
The resort owns 48 horses and offers horseback riding and carriage rides throughout the year. The equestrian center, situated about a quarter-mile from the front entrance, welcomes guests to meet the horses, and those with reservations can take trail rides through the clean, mountain air of the Alleghenies. The resort also offers lead-line rides for children. Situated above a natural mineral spring, the spa at the Homestead incorporates the healing benefits of hot baths into the various treatments offered in its 28 treatments rooms. The spa’s river reflexology walk, which is fed by the hot springs, boasts a naturally pressurized deluge shower. Thomas Jefferson sought relief for his rheumatism in the springs for over three weeks, taking the waters two times per day. He described the springs and resort as “of the first merit.” High PAGE 105 praise, indeed.
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