The Omni Homestead Resort

My husband and I spent two days at the Homestead, primarily as a golf trip. The golf was GREAT! Both courses were challenging but fun, and in great condition. The golf staff at both Cascades and The Old Course were helpful and accommodating to our needs, and went out of their way to make our rounds (4 in total) enjoyable. They also coordinated moving our bags from one site to the other and then back to the hotel for check out, so we never had to bother with storing them in the car or room. The hotel itself is spectacular, and our room, a Premier King Resort View w/open balcony was GREAT. The room was much more spacious than the description on line. The extra expense was worth it. The dining options were GOOD... not everything was open due to the time of year, so we mainly used the Jefferson Tap Room for dinner. Service was spotty, but options generally good. The front desk was NOT SO GOOD. Despite booking the Homestead Signature Golf package that provided unlimited golf on both courses for each day of our stay, my invoice included just about $1,000 in green fees. The young man at the front desk attempted to explain that the charges were 'above the allowance' in the package that only provided one round of golf. The manager then advised there were no 'unlimited' golf packages. After showing her the description of the package from the Omni Homestead website, the confirming email of my reservation identifying that same package, and the phone calls I had made to confirm the package and tee times with the golf staff ahead of our trip, she agreed to adjust my account and remove the greens fees. She advised, however, that she would be checking with the golf department to confirm what I was telling her. Out of an abundance of caution, and since we had developed a friendly relationship with the golf staff, I went to the Old Course pro shop and explained what had occurred, and that there might be an inquiry so I wanted them to hear about the billing issue. The staff agreed the Signature Golf Package is a 'real thing' and that there should not be any golf charges on my account, any charges should have been automatically removed by the 'night audit'. They took copies of the invoice showing the charges and were going to follow up with the accounting department. Unfortunately, this experience has made me skeptical about booking at any other Omni golf resorts.

You have to valet park. Unfortunately, the the Valet Team and Front Desk coordination to get your vehicle brought to the lobby is TRULY AWFUL and unfortunately leaves a final BAD TASTE and MEMORY in your mind! There is no direct phone access to the Valet Team from your room phone, so you have to call the front Front Desk. From experience, we found that the Front Desk does NOT pass on your request to the valet team and then denies that you called them. This happened on two separate occasions. The front desk said quote, "they will do their best but they get busy"! The Valet Manager, who is NOT a pleasant person, arrogantly said to my wife, "that we should walk down from our room and talk to them directly when we want our vehicle available at the lobby". This is obviously hard to do when you are showering and getting ready for your departure, considering this is a very large property, and the walk is time consuming. We were part of a larger group attending an event at the hotel and some of our group waited for over an hour to get their vehicle. In addition, on the day of our departure, the Valet Team "misplaced our vehicle" even though it was a black Chevrolet Suburban and took them over 30 minutes to figure out where they parked it, causing us to be very tight for our plane flight home. We have a HANDICAP PARKING PERMIT and the hotel does NOT have HANDICAP PARKING, so you are forced to use their valet service. There are some close parking spots but the Valet Manager, said those are reserved for non-hotel customers that are dining at the hotel restaurants, which we know is untrue because there are cars parked there 24 hours a day, so NOT sure whose cars they really are.......who knows? Not sure if we would return to this hotel?

If you play golf and want a spa experience this is for you. The staff are very polite and helpful, as should be expected at a resort. But, if you're just looking for an overnight or place to chill without paying extra for everything while wandering a massive and "renovated" but dated facility, it's not for you. Expect a day to cost in excess of $500 and likely more, the hotel alone after fees and taxes is over $400. Beds were comfortable but the pillows tend to have your head sink into them and fold up around your head. Doors don't seal well, admitting light and sound into your room. Floors under the newer carpet sag and bend under your feet as you walk. Steep ramps exist between floors and some elevators barely fit 2 people. Not recommended in my view for handicapped individuals. The Warm Springs Pool was relaxing but appears to have flaking paint (possibly lead based given the age) and mold. Drive a car that handles well when coming, the roads are a fun windy run. I probably enjoyed that both coming and going more than anything other than the Warm Springs Pool. PS, their website is frustratingly uninformative, and their call center appears to be offshore. Your credit card will be hit multiple times with different charges, despite a single statement. Check the statement and charges closely.

Our trip to the Omni Homestead was absolutely beautiful and truly unforgettable. It was our first time visiting Virginia, and from the moment we arrived, the Homestead staff made us feel so welcomed and cared for. Their warmth and hospitality made our first Virginia experience even more special. A special thank you to Anthony, who gave us an outstanding history tour and brought the incredible history of the Homestead to life. Brian was an amazing hiking guide and made our time on the trails so enjoyable. Hayden was a fantastic trapper guide and made the Shooting club experience so much fun! We also have to give a huge shout-out to Sean and Stanley, who were excellent bartenders at the President’s Lounge. They were both so friendly, attentive, and made our evenings even more enjoyable. The beautiful property, the incredible experiences, and—most importantly—the wonderful people made our stay truly special. We left with such wonderful memories and are already looking forward to coming back. Thank you to the entire Omni Homestead team for making our trip so memorable!

Exceptional service, amazing resort, delicious food, attention to details, room was superior and spa was excellent. Enjoyed the beauty of the grounds. All employees went above and beyond in providing customer service and went the extra mile to make sure our stay was all we expected and more. Highly recommend this historic resort. Another great Omni property.