Boston Herald
June 2, 2002
Hiding Out at the Homestead

Hugh grabbed the high-powered water hose and pointed it at the visitor
telling him in a sweet southern drawl to cover his privates. Buck-naked
and up against a concrete wall, fleeing wasn't an option. As nightmarish
as it may seem, the hosing down was actually just part of The Cure,
a relaxing spa treatment that starts with a 104-degree mineral bath
followed by a full-body salt scrub. When it was over, the visitor
left refreshed. Hugh prepared the room for the next lucky victim.

Hidden in the folds of western Virginia's Allegheny Mountains in
the middle of glorious nowhere, the 15,000-acre Homestead resort
is located in a region of natural hot mineral springs that have
attracted people for ages. Thomas Jefferson is among those who have
appreciated their therapeutic effects. He took to the waters, as
it was called, at the 240-year-old white clapboard bathhouse that's
still in use and a part of The Homestead.

Tracing its origins to a rustic inn built in 1766 and then two subsequent
hotels built in the 1800s---one backed by financier J.P. Morgan--the
grand redbrick Homestead of today came up in 1902. Luxuries like
electricity, steam heat, individual bathrooms, and wall-mounted
crank telephones attracted the rich and famous, from Henry Ford
to Thomas Edison, and John D. Rockefeller. Today, the clientele
isn't much more diverse.

Proud white Doric pillars frame the sweeping porch lined with rocking
chairs. A great green lawn rolls across the grounds. Gardens bloom
in spring, and trees turn brilliant orange and gold come fall. Attentive
staff---and lots of them---greet guests with the polite, yet familiar
"yes suh's," ata girl's," and "mam's" of Southern-speak. The high-ceilinged
traditional interior has floral wingback chairs, fireplaces, chandeliers,
columns and pilasters, and ornate moldings. Prints and old photographs
of famous visitors and the hotel through the years line the walls.

While its history lends character, many just come for the spa. One
of the oldest parts of the resort, today it's an impressive complex
of 32 treatment rooms. While you can get the typical massages and
facials, the memorable ones incorporate the area's natural mineral
waters, and like The Cure ($75), many are done exactly as they were
in the 1800s. Among the most popular is the Allegheny Raspberry
Relaxer ($85), a raspberry exfoliating scrub followed by a raspberry-oil
wrap. Men like the Sportsmen Soak ($48), an exfoliation of the back
and feet while soaking in a mineral bath spiked with Dead Sea salts.
Many of the Homestead's fragrant lotions and oils are made from
local honeysuckle, mountain laurel, Virginia orchard, and mineral
water.

The spa complex includes a gym, steam rooms, saunas and a nostalgic
indoor pool with a gorgeous vaulted ceiling lined with bare light
bulbs and floret moldings.

Though an expansion is planned, to avoid being shut out it's absolutely
necessary to pre-book treatments when making your reservation.

While the spa is enough of a reason to visit, the golf isn't so
bad either. Of Homestead's three scenic courses, Cascades has been
rated by Golf magazine as one of the top five resort courses in
the U.S. The Old Course, which dates back to 1892, is the home to
the Golf Advantage School. Private and group lessons with video
analysis are offered.

Though the spa and golf facilities are among its best assets, The
Homestead defies a narrow label. At the scenic hilltop shooting
range, guests can sample the addictive art of blasting bright orange
clay shells into smithereens ($60 for 50 targets). Skeet, trap,
5-stand, and .22-caliber rifle shooting are also offered.

There are six tennis courts ($22 to $32 an hour), fly-fishing in
a nearby trout stream ($40 and up), bicycle rentals ($25 for half
day), and a stable of more than 50 horses for riding ($75 to $85
an hour) and carriage rides ($105 to $170 for up to 5 people). Winters,
nine downhill skiing and snowboarding slopes are open, along with
an outdoor skating rink. There's a new outdoor pool and more than
100 miles of scenic wooded trails wind through the property. The
range of activities is impressive, though trying them all is a costly
endeavor.

When it comes to dining, the most impressive of the resort's four
restaurants is the intimate and formal 1766 Grille. Delicious French
and American dishes include stir fry jumbo shrimp with mango, pineapple
and saffron basmati rice or a Chateaubriand for two (a thick cut
of beef served with BČarnaise sauce). Salads and other select dishes
are prepared tableside and extra touches like finger bowls are all
apart of the fine service. Request one of the candlelit tables along
the wall of windows that face the lawn. The ballroom-sized Homestead
Dining Room offers a more traditional ambience, with huge breakfast
buffet spreads and social-able dinners with dancing and music. The
chunky crab cake sandwiches are delicious in the Casino Club, while
the food and service in casual Sam Snead's Tavern are nothing to
write home about.

Evenings are low-key. Piano music, dancing and cocktails are as
lively as it gets. It's not such a bad idea to retire early to your
attractive room and catch a movie. The 506 rooms, including one-
and two-bedroom suites, are done in an English-country Laura Ashley
style with dark wood furniture, sweeping floral valences, and striped
pastel wallpaper. All rooms feature stocked mini-bars, televisions,
bathrobes, ironing board and iron, and a supply of Homestead's wonderful
lotions, soaps and shampoo. The handful of rooms with sitting areas,
walk-in closets and porches facing the lawn are among the best.


Homestead caters to both leisure guests and corporate groups. Supervised
kids activities for ages 3 to 12 are offered year-round, and include
nature walks and arts and crafts.

Rates start at $192 per person per night for weekday, and $229 for
weekend, stays between April 26 and November 2 (rates are lower
in winter), and include breakfast and dinner ($20 extra to dine
in 1766 Grille). Spa, golf, and skiing packages are offered.

The Homestead is about a 12-hour drive from Boston. An Amtrak station
is 25 miles away and pick-ups can be arranged. For more information,
call 800-838-1766 or click www.thehomestead.com.