The Greenbrier

The Greenbrier is a decaying monument to "old money" that has clearly run out; it is a dilapidated relic where the exorbitant price tag feels like a personal insult. The "historic" charm is a thin veil for literal decrepitude, featuring garish decor, musty rooms that haven't seen a deep clean in decades, and plumbing that sounds like a structural cry for help. Paying premium luxury rates to stay in a property like this is a scam, not a vacation.

My family and I went to the Greenbrier to celebrate January Birthdays and on January 24th the 6 adults ate at the In-Fusion Restaurant in the casino. The service was not very good as they delivered the appetizers to the wrong people who ate most of the dish because never having been in the restaurant we didn't know what he dishes were supposed to look like. I asked if they could simply bring replacements so the correct people could taste what they ordered. The restaurant management refused and was quite rude saying well you ate them. He then let us know he would make the decision on how to rectify their mistake. He did finally remove one of the appetizers from our bill. The bigger problem started to occur later that night when two of the ladies got quite ill with food poisoning (Indigestion. burping, vomiting, diarrhea.) The next morning another member our party and I got Ill. The only common denomInator was the Tempura the two ladies ordered and the other gentlemen and I sampled. The other two members of our party didn't have any issues because they din't taste it. I went the concierge and asked if I could speak with someone and was told they' have Food Service Manager call me. No call! The next day as we were checking out I told the desk about the problem and asked them to have someone call me. No call! The next day I tried again to contact someone and left a message for the hotel manager to call me. No call and I waited until Wednesday. By then I was angry so I left a message late Wednesday threatening to go to the Board of Health. Thursday I finally got call from an employee who told me she would have the Food Service Manager call me. Friday morning nearly week afte the event I got a call from him. He wasn't very apologetic and let me know the restaurant was clean having recently passed a health inspection. He attributed the illness to a bug going around. I told him the probability of only 4 people out of 10 getting sick from exposure to a common virus as opposed to the common food they ate was astronomical especially since two people sharing the same table that didn't eat the dish didn't get sick. His only feedback was that he was sure it wasn't the restaurants fault and that he would check out my other complaints. One final issue that I must include is that on Sunday one of the ladies who'd been sick all day asked her husband to call room service to see if they might bring up some toast. They refused as it wasn't on the menu even though a club sandwich (HENCE TOAST) was. I and members of my family have been to the Greenbrier before and always had a wonderful experience, so that's why this experience was quite shocking. If an upscale hotel that supposedly prides itself on old southern hospitality is starting to treat it's guests this way then i can only assume it's in decline and you may want to think about it before you stay there.

We enjoyed a long weekend in the snow with our dogs. Hotel was well equipped for the winter weather. A snowy weekend with great food and plenty of activities provided by hotel.

Our family of 4 adults and 3 young adults stayed at the Colonnade House on a Sunday through Thursday in winter. Overall experience: fantastic, memorable, unique. I planned much of the trip off reviews, and want to give future guests a few tips: Planning: I booked dinner and activity reservations 3 months in advance. Tip: book outdoor events early in your stay so you can push later if poor weather. On your first call to the concierge, just ask what are all the available times for each activity that interests you. Meals: We chose a house so that we could be together in the evenings (puzzles and games!) but also so we could bring our own breakfast and lunch. Well worth it. We also ate one night at Gustard's in White Sulphur Spring which was excellent. Wine corkage at restaurants not allowed. Of the Main Dining Room, Prime 44 and the Forum, Prime 44 was everyone’s favorite. Tipping: Always review receipt and ask if gratuity was added. Dress codes are enforced! Getting around: Colonnade House was walkable everywhere, but we did use the shuttle some. There were areas around the campus with first come parking spaces, but it was off season. EV charger is Blink and requires a common adaptor for the Tesla. Valet parking and charging available. Shopping: There are shops on the lower level AND the casino level. Don’t miss Artist’s row, past the church and up the hill. Lewisburg is a 15-minute drive for more affordable shopping and antique stores. Tours: Indoor history tour was great and not a lot of walking. Bunker tour of course is a must. President’s museum and exterior tours are self-guided. Casino: we aren’t big gamblers, but it was fun to watch and play a few games of blackjack. Must be 21. Escape Room: the young adults enjoyed this more than the older ones. The game master, Caden, did a great job making it a fun, not frustrating, experience. Fairy Gnome Garden: Rebecca books separate from the hotel. The garden is a great keepsake. Lots of choices – live or fake plants, size, layout, and little creatures. Swimming, sauna: locker rooms are well stocked (except hair dryer). Pool kept 82-84 degrees. Air temp 75 degrees. Lifeguard on duty limits hours. Sauna was great. Ice skating: skates were adequate, kid-walkers provided. The rink is a good size and was very smooth. Beside the rink, there are benches with gas firepits for watchers. Bowling: first come first serve. If you are a professional bowler, you will dislike the age of the wooden lanes, but for amateurs, it is intimate and nostalgic. Arcade: located in the bowling area. Dozens of games for all ages. Falconry: mostly outdoors and includes a walk in the woods. Dress for the weather. Trap and Skeet shooting well set up. Rangemaster flexed instruction to novice shooters. Glass blowing: the artist schedule did not match the Greenbrier website or flyer. Ask the concierge to transfer to the studio and ask when the artist will be blowing glass during your stay. (for a fee you can make your own piece). Free things to do: Interior walking tour, president’s museum, morning coffee, tea and sweets at 4:15 pm, Cabaret 5 and 9 pm, Movies at 7 and 9 pm, Waltz and Champagne 10 pm, playground, church, glass-blowing, hiking trails. Colonnade house: kitchen had microwave, oven, stove, coffee maker, minimum but adequate pots and dishes. No kitchen stock (like salt and pepper, oil). No clothes washer. Parking spots right behind the house. Three bedrooms all have a private bath with jacuzzi tub. Working wood fireplace. Cost: yes, pricey, but cheaper than Disney or a cruise. Feedback to Greenbrier: invest in a phone app. Booking rooms, activities, dinners, shuttles, special events would save a lot of frustration and maximize your tour counts. An app could also help with parking, menus, and shop times. Using QR codes for check-in and payment could reduce fraud.

Very disappointing stay at the Greenbrier, very beautiful for Christmas but standing ankle deep in water while taking a shower and the sink filling halfway up while brushing your teeth and shaving rely disappointed. Plumbers were at our room 2 days in a row with the same issue. The last night they offered us another room but we did not want to pack up and move when we would have to repack in the morning and this was 30 minutes before our dinner reservation. Not a 5 Star stay!