Weekend Retreats

Unexpected luxuries

Venture outside Atlanta’s limits for a weekend retreat that will make any city-dweller swoon unexpected luxuries

BY BRET LOVE

It’s not hard to find four-star hotels in a major metropolis. It’s when you venture outside to the surrounding suburbs that upscale accommodations can become as rare as an oasis in the heart of a desert. But as Atlanta continues to expand, city-dwellers in search of a weekend escape find impressive levels of luxury in locations far removed from the downtown hustle and bustle.

barnsley gardens resort

LOCATED ON FORMER CHEROKEE land in Bartow County in the foothills of Blue Ridge Mountains, about 70 minutes north of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Barnsley Gardens transports guests back in time by recreating an authentic 19th-century pedestrian village. The property was originally the estate of cotton baron Godfrey Barnsley, who built an Italianate villa and English formal gardens for his beloved wife, Julia, the daughter of a shipping magnate from Savannah.

A year after she passed away, legend has it that Julia’s ghost appeared to him in the gardens and begged him to finish their dream home.

With her spirit as his guide, he finished the estate that would eventually be known as Woodlands. However, the Civil War destroyed Godfrey’s fortune as soldiers from both sides looted the estate for more than $150,000 worth of irreplaceable valuables. His daughter, also named Julia, struggled to rebuild the property and is said by some to have been the inspiration for Margaret Mitchell’s Scarlett O’Hara. In 1942, the estate was sold at an auction and soon fell into ruin due to owner neglect.

Eventually restored when Prince Hubertus Fugger of Bavaria purchased the 1,300 acres of land on which it resides, the ruins of the Barnsley estate now serve as the centerpiece to a world-class resort that has earned accolades such as Travel + Leisure’s “500 World’s Best Hotels,” Condé Nast Traveler’s “Top 75 North American Resorts” and Zagat Survey’s “Top 50 Small Hotels in the US.” All 45 buildings on the estate were based on the design principles of Andrew Jackson Downing, the mastermind behind the White House grounds and the Washington Mall, who believed that manmade elements should fit naturally into their surroundings. Though built in the late 1990s, the guest cottages are remarkably authentic, from barn-wood doors and rustic rocking chairs on the homey front porches to period antiques and claw-footed bathtubs.

While the setting may be historic, the amenities are decidedly 21st century. Restaurants on the property include a lodge-like steakhouse, The Woodlands Grill; The Rice House, which offers an epicurean spin on classic Southern cuisine; and a German-style beer garden featuring light snacks, beer and wine in an outdoor setting centered around a roaring open-pit fire. The European-style spa features facial, body and massage treatments; a steam room, sauna and whirlpool; plus a variety of customizable packages providing hours of pampering. For outdoorsmen, Barnsley Gardens features activities such as cycling, hiking, fishing and canoeing, as well as one of the state’s top-ranked championship golf courses, a Jim Fazio-designed, par-72 layout known as The General. www.barnsleyresort.com

emerald pointe resort & conference center

LOCATED 45 MINUTES NORTHEAST of Atlanta on the shores of Lake Sidney Lanier, Emerald Pointe is the gem of Lake Lanier Islands’ 1,100-acre crown. Though situated mere miles from a major interstate on Georgia’s most popular lake, the resort retains a remarkably remote feeling The 520 miles of forested shoreline is populated by wild white-tailed deer which can frequently be seen grazing quietly on the hotel grounds.

Originally known as the Hilton at Lake Lanier Islands, the 214-room resort received a new name and major renovations in 2001 when the KSL Recreation Corporation took over dayto-day operations. Improvements include a new entrance, refinements to the guestrooms and suites, a new lobby, and a massive expansion of meeting space to a total of 21,000 square feet. The resort also received an overhaul of its two restaurants, the casual Bull Frog’s Bar & Grille and the more elegant Windows Restaurant, which offers upscale lakeside dining.

The resort’s amenities are vast and varied, catering to the business conference crowd and vacationing families in equal measure. For exercise enthusiasts, there’s a private fitness center, saunas, outdoor heated swimming pool and whirlpool, as well as a wooded nature trail, playground and tennis courts. There are two award-winning golf courses (Emerald Pointe and PineIsle) featuring a total of 21 waterfront holes, as well as an equestrian center offering a variety of lessons and trail rides. For those eager to explore the lake’s 38,000 acres of water, the marina at Harbor Landing has a broad variety of pontoon boats, ski boats and houseboats available for rental, as well as two massive excursion yachts for those with deep pockets and lots of friends.

One of the resort’s most popular features is its beach and water park, which is one of Georgia’s hottest summer attractions. From the Kiddie Lagoon and numerous waterslides to the state’s largest wave pool and a three-story interactive attraction known as the FunDunker, the water park has something for every member of the family, as well as a half-mile-long white sand beach for those who just want to relax and catch a few rays. www.lakelanierislands.com

henderson village resort

LOCATED IN THE SMALL TOWN OF PERRY, Henderson Village is the only AAA Four Diamond resort-style bed and breakfast in Middle Georgia.

It was opened in 1998 by developer Bernhard Schneider, who envisioned a unique country resort whose soul and spirit would recall a bygone era in Southern history.

American soldiers spent Sunday afternoons in Schneider’s aunt’s hotel in Germany. At nine years old, he was impacted by a love story set in the South, where big white houses with columns and verandas always seemed to be populated with friendly people. It was Schneider’s dream to one day own his own Southern estate, and Henderson Village—a recipient of the Condé Nast Johansens Award for Excellence— is the realization of that dream.

Situated on 18 acres, the resort features a collection of wonderfully preserved 19th-century homes and cottages that recall the bucolic beauty of the Old South. The Wynne, Hodge and Holland houses were all built between 1880 and 1915, while the Tenant Cottages all date back to the 1800s, with four original to Henderson Village and the rest relocated from nearby locations. The 19 guest rooms and five suites all include genuine antique furnishings, claw-footed or jetted bathtubs, and fireplaces, while many also offer private porches with rustic rocking chairs and swings.

In the garden, a 12-foot fountain is surrounded by a variety of roses and a pool garden featuring a swimming pool shaded by palm trees, with teakwood cabanas. Outdoor activities also include five-stand sporting clays, pond fishing, horseback riding and mule-driven wagon rides. There’s also a 3,400-acre preserve known as The Gamelands, where hunters can scour the timber, pasture and croplands in search of a variety of wild prey.

Adventurous outdoor types can have a meal prepared from their game right on the premises, but most guests will prefer to stick to the regular menu at the Langston House, the resort’s gourmet restaurant. Built in 1838, the impressive building houses three separate dining rooms as well as a glassed-in veranda overlooking the gardens. With an upscale Southern menu and mood-setting candlelight, it is perfect for a special celebration, or just a romantic dinner to wind down your stay. www.hendersonvillage.com