There are a number of distinguished resort hotels across
the country boasting interesting backgrounds which tour groups will enjoy,
such as the historic Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan and the
Mount Washington Hotel & Resort in New Hampshire. The famous Glen
Miller and Guy Lombardo orchestras played at The Cavalier in Virginia
Beach during the 1930s and 40s; and the Welk Resort in Branson continues
the Lawrence Welk legacy of wholesome entertainment. In Asheville, North
Carolina, visit the unique Grove Park Inn, built with granite boulders
taken from a nearby mountain, and which boasts that eight presidents have
stayed there.
Other interesting properties included in our sampler are the former hunting
retreat of the Vanderbilts and Rockefellers on Jekyll Island; and the
boutique hotel, Dauphine Orleans, situated within the infamous French
Quarter of New Orleans. For scenic beauty, consider the Park Vista Hotel
at Gatlinburg in the Smokies, or the Grand Geneva Resort in the scenic
area of Lake Geneva in Wisconsin. And for an interactive destination experience,
come to the extensive Opryland complex in Nashville, Tennessee.
Mount Washington Hotel & Resort
Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
Surrounded by 18,000 acres of White Mountain National Forest and situated
at the base of 6,288-foot Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast,
you will discover this legendary 200-room resort hotel. The hotel, built
in 1902, is considered a masterpiece of Spanish Renaissance architecture,
and immediately became the summer haunt of poets, presidents and princes.
As you enter the magnificent lobby, there is an aura of quiet splendor;
its main dining room is designed in a unique octagonal fashion, and appointed
with crystal chandeliers and Tiffany stained glass. Its lounge was once
a famed speakeasy during Prohibition, and now provides live entertainment
nightly.
This National Historic Landmark resort also offers culinary demonstrations,
wine tasting, and scenic carriage rides. www.mtwashington.com
Grand Geneva Resort & Spa
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
The resort is nestled on 1,300 secluded acres in the historic and scenic
area of Lake Geneva, just 50 minutes from Milwaukee. It features a charming
country interior design, and its 355 luxury guestrooms and suites are
designed to make you feel right at home.
Originally known as the Playboy Club Resort from 1968 to 1982, it was
then sold and operated as the Americana Lake Geneva Resort. The Marcus
Corporation purchased the property in 1993, and after a complete and extensive
renovation of all facilities, it reopened in 1994 as the Grand Geneva
Resort & Spa. Today, it is one of only three properties in Wisconsin
to receive the AAA Four-Diamond Award for hotel excellence.
Its 40,000-square-foot Spa is one of the most comprehensive health and
fitness facilities in the Midwest. There are four boutique shops and three
distinctive dining options; and Lake Geneva's downtown area offers both
shopping and sightseeing opportunities.
For the holiday season, the resort offers a "Christmas in the Country"
overnight tour package, including its musical production and other amenities
as well as a group day trip package. www.grandgeneva.com
The Cavalier
Virginia Beach, Virginia
The original historic resort was built in the grand European tradition
in 1927, while the modern Cavalier Oceanfront was added in 1973. The 18-acre
complex is the only private beach resort in Virginia Beach, and boasts
400 guestrooms and suites, five unique restaurants, a private beach and
two Olympic-sized pools.
The Historic Cavalier has a rich and colorful history dating back to
the 1930s when it gained its reputation as the "Aristocrat of the
Virginia Seashore." Its famous guests over the decades include seven
presidents of the United States, Hollywood's celebrities, and business
tycoons; and the big bands, such as Glen Miller and Guy Lombardo, played
at its private beach club during the 1930s and 40s. During World War II,
it served as a U.S. Navy training school and living quarters.
Group packages are available, with basic room rates ranging from $70
to $115 during the Spring and Fall seasons. www.cavalierhotel.com
The Grove Park Inn Resort
Asheville, North Carolina
This attractive 140-acre mountain resort complex overlooking the Asheville
skyline and the Blue Ridge Mountains, was forged from huge granite boulders
taken from nearby Sunset Mountain.
Built in 1913, the Inn offers 510 guest rooms and a full complement of
modern resort amenities. It is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places, and eight presidents and numerous celebrities, such as Edison,
Ford and F. Scott Fitzgerald, have stayed here.
On the porch at the main entrance, guests can sit quietly in a rocking
chair and enjoy the mountain view. The lobby is actually a "Great
Hall" flanked by two huge fireplaces large enough to burn 12-foot
logs; and includes tapestries on the west wall, and a collection of authentic
"Arts and Crafts" furniture and twelve massive copper chandeliers.
The long corridors are filled with a blend of rare antiques and accurate
art reproductions.
The resort has a Bed & Breakfast package in its Value Season for
$155 (Sunday-Wednesday), which includes one-night accommodations (two
adults) and breakfast for two.
Grand Hotel
Mackinac Island, Michigan
"The hotel beckons you to a bygone era of old-world hospitality and
charm"
Located high on a hill overlooking the Straits of Mackinac between Michigan's
upper and lower peninsulas is the Grand Hotel - the world's largest summer
resort (open May through October). Built in 1887, the family-owned and
operated hotel has lodged dignitaries from around the country and the
world, including five U.S. presidents.
It is situated on pristine Mackinac Island, where no motorized vehicles
are allowed, so the beauty of the Island and its historic landmarks remain
as they were 200 years ago. Your conveyance to and from the island is
by modern ferry, a scenic 15-minute passage. Upon arrival, your group
will be greeted by horse-drawn carriages for the brief ride to this National
Historic Landmark. The first breathtaking glimpse of the Grand Hotel comes
as the carriage approaches its 660-foot porch bedecked with flags and
vibrant with flowering geraniums.
There are 381 unique guestrooms, each tastefully decorated to have its
own special character; including five suites that were decorated with
some advice from five of this country's living former first ladies. Afternoon
tea in the Parlor is offered to guests, replete with a music recital and
fresh-baked scones. In the evening, there is a range of free, live entertainment.
A number of tour packages are offered throughout the season, including
a full breakfast and five-course dinner in its room rate. If your group
cannot find room on its tour schedule for an overnight stay, you can arrange
a visit to include a carriage tour of the island's historic sites, a luncheon
buffet at the hotel and a tour of its beautiful gardens. www.grandhotel.com
Opryland Hotel
Nashville, Tennessee
For more than 23 years, the spectacular hotel has offered groups a unique
interactive destination experience that includes the Grand Ole Opry, the
General Jackson Showboat, the Ryman Auditorium, the Wildhorse Saloon,
Opry Mills and more.
There are 2,883 guestrooms within the 9-acre complex, which includes
three massive gardens, waterfalls, shops and restaurants situated under
a sparkling glass roof. The Garden Conservatory's focus is on tropical
plants, while the emphasis at the Cascades is on three waterfalls. The
third area is "The Delta," which includes a river with passenger
boats, a 110-foot-wide waterfall and a glass-enclosed interiorscape.
Opryland is also busy with a three-year, $80 million renovation that
includes the Cascade Lobby, which now features statuesque columns and
luxurious furnishings reflecting the glamour and heritage of the South.
The centerpiece of the lobby is the Armillary, a model of the universe
as it was perceived in ancient times. Upgrades will also begin this year
on the Magnolia Lobby. www.oprylandhotels.com
Jekyll Island Club Hotel
Jekyll Island, Georgia
The Victorian hotel, which is situated just six miles off the coast of
Georgia on a beautiful barrier island of unusual natural beauty, was originally
built in 1888 as a hunting retreat for America's elite - including William
Rockefeller and the Vanderbilts. Today, it is recognized as a National
Historic Landmark, and was restored to its original elegance in 1986.
Nestled among live oaks and magnolia trees festooned with Spanish moss,
the original clubhouse features Ionic columns in the dining room, oak
wainscoting and other handsomely detailed woodwork, as well as leaded
art glass and distinctively detailed fireplaces. Victorian tea is served
each afternoon, and dinner includes live music and candlelight.
The center of a 240-acre historic village, the hotel features a distinctive
turret, bay windows and encircling verandas; and its 134 rooms and suites
are appointed with period reproductions. In March, it added 23 additional
rooms - with its renovated, early 1900s Crane and Cherokee cottages located
just a stroll away. Tours of the historic district in a horse-drawn carriage
are available on most evenings.
A Bed & Breakfast Package is offered throughout the year, available
Sunday through Thursday, at a $69.00 rate, per person/per night/double
occupancy. www.jekyllclub.com
Dauphine Orleans Hotel
New Orleans, Louisiana
The luxurious Dauphine Orleans is an ideally-located boutique hotel within
the heart of the French Quarter; and boasts a history almost as old as
the Crescent City itself.
A modest two-story, Creole-style cottage known as May Baily's Place (circa
1821) was one of the better known bordellos in the infamous red-light
area known as Storyville; it now serves as the hotel's cocktail lounge,
and features the "Bordello" suite upstairs. A structure now
known as the Audubon Cottage is where John James Audubon painted his noted
"Birds of America" portraits in 1821-22.
The property was purchased in 1966 for the purpose of building the 111-room
Dauphine Orleans which opened in 1969, featuring European amenities, tropical
courtyards, and iron balconies. It also offers an extensive complimentary
continental breakfast and afternoon tea. www.dauphineorleans.com
Welk Resort
Branson, Missouri
The beautiful four-story Welk Resort Hotel, which opened in May 1994,
is located amidst the peaceful, rolling hills and sparkling lakes of the
scenic Ozarks.
It offers 160 well-appointed guestrooms with country-style furnishings
that are designed to make you feel right at home. In addition, the complex
features the magnificent 2,300-seat Champagne Theatre that offers award-winning
entertainment, and the Stage Door Canteen Restaurant with its casual 1940s
atmosphere.
The renowned Lawrence Welk had dreamed of building a place where people
of all ages could enjoy wholesome musical fun in a natural, informal setting.
After he passed away in May 1992, long-time friends, such as John Davidson,
Andy Williams and the Osmonds beckoned his son, Larry, to the small Missouri
town of Branson where entertainment focused on traditional American music.
It resulted in the family's decision that it was simply the right thing
to do to continue his enduring legacy in his native Midwest, and specifically
in the capital of family entertainment.
In addition to the entertainment, groups can arrange for a VIP Backstage
Tour that provides an opportunity to learn about the Welk family's musical
history.
Seasonal room rates range from $50 to $75, with several attractive group
packages available as well. www.welkresortbranson.com
Park Vista Resort Hotel
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
The 312-room, luxury high-rise resort hotel is nestled in the spectacular
Great Smoky Mountains, and overlooks the charming mountain town of Gatlinburg.
Each guestroom features a private balcony offering an awesome view of
the landscape.
The hotel boasts an elegant lobby, and a spiraling 15-story atrium; and
also provides a complimentary shuttle to the downtown attractions. www.parkvista.com
