The Omni Homestead Resort- Hot Springs, VA

Aesthetically, I love the Homestead. It is a formidable building, grand in design, with broad porches and rocking chairs. The grounds are lovely, the golf courses are fantastic, and the tiny town of Hot Springs could not be cuter. That is where the love ends. As an overall experience, it was an expensive disappointment. It almost felt as if Disney had taken over a historic landmark; a reproduction of a historic resort, rather than an authentic experience.

The hotel’s history begins in 1766, when George Washington himself awarded a land grant to Captain Thomas Bullitt, who built the sites first lodge amid the areas many hot springs.  People flocked to The Homestead “to take the waters,” as they did then, including Thomas Jefferson, who spent three weeks in 1818 soaking in the mineral pools for his rheumatism. In 1832 the property was sold to Dr. Thomas Goode, who established a European Spa and added Hydrotherapy treatments. In 1901 the original resort was completely destroyed by a fire that started in the pastry kitchen, which led to the construction in 1902 of the current Georgian/Colonial Revival building, with the wings added in 1914. The crowning clock tower was added in 1929, just as the stock market crashed. Perfect timing.

The hotel’s grand indoor mineral pool was added in 1904, and is still every bit as beautiful and relaxing today as it was back then. Spring fed with naturally warm water, the pool maintains a constant temperature year round. The area’s spring waters are still very much central to the resort, and play a role in many of the spa treatments.

The reborn resort was very popular with the presidential set. In total 22 U.S. presidents have stayed at The Homestead, including Nixon, Reagan, Wilson, Eisenhower, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and most recently George W. Bush. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor stayed for 30 days, and even attempted to leave without paying their bill.

The Homestead also played a central role in the early 1900’s resort circuit of the upper class, and was frequently referenced in popular culture of the day, including F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Beautiful and the Damned. It was a classy place indeed. However, times change, and The Homestead passed through several owners. A water park was added. A very large water park, that now attracts what appears to be The Homestead’s target demographic, families with a lot of children. The result is the resort feels very crowded, and not overly relaxing. It is also very expensive, and the rooms while updated, were a bit worn, and not entirely clean. A few areas of the resort had deferred maintenance issues, which hopefully have been addressed. All offenses that could be overlooked but for the price point of the resort.

The Resort’s saving grace is the golf. There are two courses, the Old Course which is immediately adjacent to the resort grounds, and The Cascades course, which is a shuttle ride away. Both are very fun, and sticking with the resort’s theme, very expensive. While the Old Course, circa 1892, is historic and considered the oldest first tee in continuous use in the United States, the Cascades is the more impressive of the two courses. Added in 1923, the William S. Flynn design has long been considered one of the finest golf courses in Virginia. It is wonderfully scenic, very challenging, kept in immaculate condition, and is where Sam Snead launched his career. As an aside, there is also a Tavern in town named after Sam Snead which is fabulous. The decor is a bit dated, but the food was very good.

Views of the mountains, several water features, and old ruins all translate to a fabulous golf course. The club house is also very lovely, and interesting architecturally. By all means have a drink on the outdoor terrace, but under no circumstances should you eat there- everything was absolutely horrible. Aside from Snead’s Tavern, the best meal we had on this trip was at Les Conchons d’Or, which is located just steps from the resort, on the main street of Hot Springs- if you are looking for something different, this is an excellent option.

Resorts can’t be everything to everyone, and this one was a miss for me. It is definately more for families than couples. A romantic getaway it is not. That said, it is still a wonderful historic hotel, with a colorful past, great bones, and beautiful grounds.