August 29th marks the long-awaited opening of the Salamander Resort and Spa in Middleburg, Virginia, the brainchild of co-founder of Black Entertainment Television, Sheila Johnson. Locals were surprised when the village of Middleburg agreed to rezoning of the former Pamela Harriman farm (she was the Ambassador to France) but the end result looks nothing less than spectacular. Ms. Johnson is a force and she has outdone herself. She also owns or co-owns several professional sports teams and a few companies...
The $100 million plus resort will have 168 rooms and a world class spa set on some of the most beautiful land anywhere, 340 acres to be exact. Did I mention it will also have stables? You can bring your own horse or ride one of theirs! The resort will employ 300 full-time and part-time workers. The Resort was named by Forbes as one of the Top 20 Most Anticipated Hotel Openings in the world in 2013.
The 260,000 square foot property includes a library, billiards room, wine bar, small retail shop, a grand ballroom, conference rooms, a signature dining room with a 42-foot peaked roof that will offer views of the horse arena outside. This sounds wonderful!
I picked this up from the Spa's web page:
Welcome Back,
A decade ago, I stepped onto 340 beautiful acres in the historic village of Middleburg, VA, and promptly fell in love. And, when Salamander Resort & Spa opens in August, I believe you will, too. Combining the authenticity of Virginia’s equestrian and wine country with luxurious accommodations and exceptional levels of anticipatory service, we pledge to deliver one of the world’s finest resort experiences.I look forward to your visit.
Sheila C. Johnson
Founder & CEO, Salamander Hotels & Resorts
We should all book a visit!
Set on 340 acres in the picturesque countryside of Virginia’s Loudoun County (just an hour from Washington, D.C.), the Salamander Resort & Spa is slated to open in August 2013. The sprawling resort will include an equestrian center and 22-stall stable (for those who want to bring along their horses), a 23,000-square-foot spa with “treehouse” treatment rooms overlooking the woods and nearby stream, and indoor and outdoor event spaces, including a 100-year-old restored barn. An equestrian-themed restaurant with wine bar and terrace boasting views of Virginia’s wine country will serve Virginia Piedmont-influenced cuisine.
I keep checking it out everytime I go to Middleburg and am anxiously awaiting the completion! It is spectacular from what Ive seen. The grounds are over the top gorgeous. Hope I get to stay there sometime! Something to add to my bucket list!
ReplyDeletexo Nancy
Hoo, boy. This looks INCREDIBLE! I got something via email from one of my horse organizations regarding this place the other day, but didn't quite know what it was - NOW I get it. And I'd really, really like to go...
ReplyDeleteI am obviously in the minority, but I am not terribly impressed with Salamander--I checked it out last week and it was a much better farm than it is a resort. The Middleburg paper noted that Middleburg "is now irrevocably changed" and that is an accurate statement. The town is already hiring more police, there is genuine concern about the town's utilities/sewer/water table, and you can expect more development.
ReplyDeleteMs. Johnson came to Middleburg, "Immediately fell in love", and immediately set about to change it. I live just up the road, and have watched the steady erosion of hunt country with resorts and development. We are losing our beloved hunt country for the sake of another luxury spa.
I can see your point but someone would have bought that land and developed it so I personally would rather see a high end spa than a housing development with ugly McMansions. Middleburg is too close to Washington. The development, traffic, congestion had to come eventually. I lived in Middleburg in the 90's and it certainly is not the quaint little village it once was.
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