The South's Grand Resorts

By Vanessa Rains
December 05, 2012
Credit: Ball & Albanese
The grande dames of Southern stays, from Greenbrier to Grove Park, are once again au courant thanks to fresh, new makeovers. Here's what sets them apart and why they're worth a return trip.
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The Greenbrier Resort

Credit: Photo: Ball & Albanese

Greenbrier decorator Dorothy Draper’s signature look features extreme color (lots of red, pink, and green), overscale floral prints, and bold punches of black and white.

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The Greenbrier Resort, 1952

Credit: Photo courtesy The Greenbrier

Since it's establishment in 1778, twenty-six Presidents have visited, plus the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (for whom the new club is named) and Princess Grace of Monaco. In 2010, actress and West Virginian Jennifer Garner attended the grand opening of the Casino Club with her husband, Ben Affleck.

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The Breakers Palm Beach

Credit: Ball & Albanese

The Breakers Palm Beach offers Italian Renaissance opulence and breezy relaxation.

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The Breakers Palm Beach, 1950

Credit: Photo courtesy The Breakers

The Breakers served the American war effort in the 1940s, becoming the U.S. Army's Ream General Hospital, hosting thousands of recuperating soldiers from 1942 to 1944.

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The Grove Park Inn

Credit: Photo: Ball & Albanese

The Grove Park Inn's rustic style permeates every corner of the granite-slab resort.

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The Grove Park Inn, 1926

Credit: Photo courtesy The Grove Park Inn

Famed Arts and Crafts company Roycroft supplied most of the inn's original furnishings—including 400 oak dining chairs. The current collection of Arts and Crafts furniture and fixtures is valued at a whopping $4.5 million.

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The Homestead

Credit: Photo: Ball & Albanese

The Homestead's tranquil color palette complements its soothing waters.

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The Homestead, 1920

Credit: Photo courtesy The Homestead

The resort is nearly as famous for its tea times as for its tee times, and the former is notably more affordable than the latter—it's free! Every day at 3 p.m., guests flock to the stately Great Hall for cucumber sandwiches, live piano music, and sips of tea. (Proper pinkie position optional.)

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