It’s hard to imagine that there was anything missing at Primland.
The 12,000-acre property atop Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains first found acclaim as a hunting preserve, then became a must-visit for golfers when the Donald Steel-designed Highlands Course opened to rave reviews. Golf Digest rated it the “Best New Public Course in America” ($75 and over category) in 2007.
Now visitors find a three-story lodge that features 26 elegant suites. The Lodge, which opened in September 2009, features nine different floor plans.
You might not want to leave your room with spectacular views, but the lodge also has a movie theater, meeting rooms, a ballroom, an indoor swimming pool, an exercise room, a game room, a dining room called Elements, along with the 19th Pub that overlooks the 18th green. And – you won’t find this anywhere else – there’s an observatory equipped with a powerful telescope.
There’s also plenty of space for a well-equipped golf shop with adjoining locker rooms. No need to drive from the lodge to the golf shop. It’s just a quick elevator ride away.
The list of amenities goes on and on.
But until May, the lodge didn’t have a spa, a popular feature in luxury resorts these days.
“We are delighted to announce that the Spa at Primland is open, completing a breadth of amenities that offers discerning guests a compelling reason to discover Primland,” said Brooks Bradbury, general manager of the resort’s hospitality division.
Primland’s spa is quite unique as it was inspired by American Indians after Garance Primat, one of Primland’s owners, met with native descendants and local historians. She gathered information that led her to bring authenticity to the environment she was attempting to create on land that was once home to the Cherokee and seven other tribes.
“We wanted to take the spa experience to new heights,” said Primat, “and give our guests a feeling that will linger as long their memories of this very special mountain getaway.
“To do this we have taken a European approach and blended it with the holistic remedies used by the Indians of America to be able to offer a variety of massages that will renew the body amid sounds and settings that will renew the spirit.”
The spa opened May 12, following a Native American Blessing Ceremony that included all Primland employees and representatives of the Lumbee tribe.
“Even with the opening of the Lodge last fall and the completion of our unique spa, we still have plans for Primland’s evolution in the next few years that will continue to be the catalyst for economic growth in the region,” said Primland vice president Steve Helms.
