I enjoyed visiting the Omni Homestead a few months ago. This luxury resort is located in Hot Springs, VA, amidst the Allegheny Mountains. The town gets its name from the famous hot springs close by, which for a time the hot springs were thought to have healing powers and were utilized by many wealthy individuals.
The history of the hotel is an interesting one. In the late 18th Century Thomas Bullitt built a lodge, which is when The Homestead was founded. In the mid 1800’s Dr. Thomas Goode bought the lodge and expanded it to include medical practices and therapies, including European spa treatments and hydrotherapy. In the late 19th Century a group of investors, lead by J.P. Morgan bought the lodge and started rebuilding it after a bakery fire destroyed all the original hotel buildings.
Over the years the hotel has hosted 23 U.S. presidents, including Presidents William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt. In 1991 the hotel was designated as a National Historic Landmark, and the associated Homestead Dairy Barns are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Homestead has changed hands a few times since 1993, with the most recent change being when Omni Hotels bought it in 2013 and renamed it The Omni Homestead Resort (or Omni Homestead for short).
Today the hotel hosts championship golf tournaments on their courses, includes an alpine ski resort, hosts seasonal activities, has fine dining options, and features a luxury spa. The spa features European-inspired decor in its Aqua Thermal suite and includes spa cabins; includes family spa services with activities for guests aged 5-13 and different activities for guests aged 14-17; the spa hosts 28 treatment rooms, including the Spa Ritual Suite which has a pipeless couple’s tub; an expansive fitness club, complete with yoga and cycling classes; and an adults-only Serenity Garden with hot springs, pressurized geothermal deluge shower, and private poolside cabanas.
Dining options at Omni Homestead include: the formal Dining Room, known for traditional dinner, evening dancing, and its impressive breakfast buffet; Jefferson’s Restaurant & Bar that serves regional farm to plate meals; the Lobby Bar; and seasonal dining choices that include Rubino’s at the Cascades, Allegheny Springs Grill, Casino Restaurant, and Mountain Lodge. Recreationally, the hotel boasts DownTime, a family game area with bowling and arcade games; two championship golf courses; Allegheny Springs water park, complete with slides and a lazy river; zip lines—Ridge Runner and Red Tail Racer; skeet and clay shooting; and horseback riding. Guests can also enjoy archery, skiing and snowboarding (instruction available), snow tubing, ice-skating on an Olympic sized skating rink, tennis, fly-fishing, Segway tours, mountain biking, hiking, history tours, paintball fights, carriage rides, nightly movies in the historic theater, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, hayrides, and lawn games such as croquet or volleyball.
I highly recommend checking out Omni Homestead!
Leave a Reply