Hit the links or get the star treatment in the spa at this secluded Virginia mountaintop resort. (The observatory at Primland Resort, designed to resemble a grain silo, is one of the best outside of the West.) Reference Southern Living, February, 2011

Primland Resort is one of those rare places that achieves the delicate balance between nature and luxury. That’s no small feat: Often, a mountain lodging is either isolated and musty or so new and gleaming that it could be anywhere. At this 12,000-acre property set high in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the creature comforts are matched only by a carefully retained sense of place. There’s the Donald Steel-designed, award-winning golf course; a spa that offers American Indian-inspired treatments; and one of the best observatories outside of the West. Seclusion never felt so good. Highland Golf Course It may not be golf season, but the Hghland Course, noted among the best new links in the country, is a wonderful setting for a winter stroll. With rare mountaintop fairways at 5,000 feet, it’s designed in the old-fashioned Scottish links style—wide open, no water, and more evocative of the natural landscape than a typical manicured course. The cart paths offer stunning views of the Dan River Gorge from holes #1 and #18. Spa Secrets and Treatments Blending European treatments with the holistic therapies of indigenous tribes, this destination spa derives design elements from nature—wood and stone, with turquoise accents. Its treatments, all based on American Indian rituals and ingredients, were developed in partnership with tribes who once occupied the nearby Dan River. The perfect afternoon includes a swim in the chlorine-free indoor granite pool, followed by a scrub of blue corn and honey plus a nap in the Soft Pack machine, which envelops you in a thin membrane that lets you float weightlessly in water as the treatments soak in. Primland Resort Restaurants Local, organic, and sustainable food dominates the menu at Primland’s three restaurants. At The 19th Pub, try the hearty lamb burger sourced from nearby Border Springs Farm with a goat cheese crème fraîche and roasted red peppers. Visit the Observatory The skies above this sparsely populated region are unpolluted by the bright lights of big cities, creating ideal conditions for the only observatory in the U.S. that caters to the public (instead of research). The Tour of the Universe package includes lodging, dinner, breakfast, and an observatory tour. Primland Resort Guest Rooms Hardwood floors and �ne linens blend luxury with serene mountain views in the main lodge’s 26 guest rooms. For even greater seclusion, consider the three fairway cottages and 11 mountain homes tucked into ridgelines and hillsides. Visit primland.com for package pricing. Annette Thompson|From the February 2011 Magazine Issue Add Comment |