The View from Village Centre at Wintergreen Resort

I really hadn’t intended to write about this weekend past, but given my blog’s subtitle I felt it my responsibility to highlight another perfectly delightful 3 day stay that would fit even the tightest budget. My husband had a couple of vacation days to use this month which meant I needed to find a long weekend destination that was close by, didn’t cost a fortune (we just came back from our “real” vacation) and had the potential of fulfilling my culinary expectations. Enter Wintergreen Resort in Nellyford VA.  While advertised as a 4 seasons resort, Wintergreen’s major focus is skiing. That being said, in mid to late August things get pretty slow up on the mountain which gave us the opportunity to stay 3 nights in a one-bedroom condo at a very low nightly rate (stay 3, pay for 2, Woohoo).

My morning tea scene at Wintergreen

I’d never been to Wintergreen before, but my guess is I’ll be back again. The views were absolutely breathtaking. The landscaping and flowers were beautiful. The Pool and Spa(I loved my massage) were both excellent, not to mention quite empty.  And now for the food:

amuse–bouche of duck with hazelnuts and avocado cream in a fried wonton cup

The few negative reviews I read seemed to indicate that while the lodging may be inexpensive, the resort “gets ya” by hiking up the food prices in their restaurants. I did not find this to be the case. I thought the prices were in line with upscale dining prices in the Central PA area, no more. I  highly recommend making your lodging reservations through the resort website. That way, you can utilize a few “exclusive” amenities that are reserved for members, residents and guests. This is true for dining at Devils Knob Grille. We ate there Saturday night and found our meals so tasty that we went again on Sunday night! The outside dining is lovely and so comfortable. Service was exceptional especially from our charming server Indz and manager Kristy.

Outdoor Dining at Devil’s Knob

Sweet-Tea Brined Pork Tenderloin with Pimento Cheese Grits

Bloody Mary Crab Aspic with Sesame Flatbread and House-made Pickled vegetables

Chilled Ginger Carrot Soup with Mustard Seed Garnish

A few other notes about Wintergreen Resort: the Market carries Boarshead Meats and Cheeses which you can purchase by the pound or have sandwiches made ( get the Spicy Turkey on Rye). Starbucks Coffee is available in the General Store (along with Tazo Tea thank goodness). There’s lots of wildlife around ( saw several deer, no bears). And I probably should disclose that we had absolutely perfect weather!

I ‘d be interested in hearing others thoughts on Wintergreen. Please reply!