I’d always heard of the pampered Laurel Highlands paradise located an hour-and-a-half south of Pittsburgh, so I was thrilled to steer my car toward Nemacolin last January when the opportunity arose. My rescue husky seemed happy about our overnight getaway too, as I checked her into her luxury digs as Nemacolin Wooflands, located just outside the venue’s main gate.
Twenty-Four Blissful Hours at Nemacolin
As luck would have it, light flurries began to dust the ground upon arrival, making the grand 2,200-plus-acre property nestled in the Allegheny Mountains even more inviting. As my personal butler whisked me up to my spacious, artful quarters within The Grand Lodge — with cozy, roaring fireplace and welcome snacks at the ready — I secretly hoped I’d get snowed in and have to stay here forever.
An Itinerary with Something for Everyone
A site-wide tour quickly proved there’s no chance of boredom here, thanks to activities designed for every age, every season, every whimsy. I learned that the property dates back to 1949 when Pittsburgh industrialist Willard F. Rockwell purchased the initial 60 acres of what is now Nemacolin.
Today the expanded site is home to 18-plus eating establishments and five distinct hotels, offering luxe accommodations that range from a romantic room for two to an expansive estate for 22. Last May brought the anticipated reopening of The Chateau, a striking site inspired by the famed Ritz Paris and consisting of 124 spacious rooms and suites. Think first-class, white-glove service, plus guestrooms with vaulted ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and marble bathrooms featuring large soaking tubs.
On-site itinerary options seem endless. There are two pools, two 18-hole golf courses, and family-friendly thrills from cosmic bowling and axe throwing to jeep off-roading, paintballing, and monkeying around on a high ropes challenge course. More than 1,000 pieces of outdoor art dot the property, and you can view bits of Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia out the windows of Reflections contemporary art gallery, one of the highest points of the resort.
Beekeeping, Pasta Making, and More
Curious folks can learn about beekeeping and pasta making and whiskey- sipping, and the Wildlife Adventures animal park offers educational tours and dog sledding adventures in the winter months. The unique site is home to Iranian sheep, Arctic wolves, bobcats, black bear, and white buffalos, who have particular significance for the Indigenous people of this region.
My 24-hour stay was packed with delights that insisted I slow down and simply breathe, like a salt-water floating tank session in the Holistic Healing Center and a Five-Pointed Star Massage at Woodlands Spa and Salon where a quartz gem dangled above my body during the mesmerizing, 50-minute service. Afterward I soaked in the whirlpool, then enjoyed a light lunch and warming drinks snuggled up next to the lounge’s central fireplace.
An Unforgettable Meal
A pre-dinner cocktail at the Circle Bar brought theatrical flair to my smoking Old Fashioned cocktail, and a leisurely dinner at Fawn & Fable featured fresh seafood, seasonal veggies, and outstanding meat selections I’d rarely have the audacity to order. Highlights included “everything rolls” with honey butter, oyster and chilled shrimp cocktail starters, and a decadent steak that had spent 40 days among the Himalayan salt blocks of the restaurant’s dry-aging room.
During the meal I learned about Nemacolin’s recent sustainability efforts, from 308 photovoltaic solar panels installed on the roof of The Chateau to a partnership with Copia that’s led to 32,060 pounds of unused food donated to the community. I also discovered perks that make each season here special, like wintertime draws of 25 acres of downhill skiing and snowboarding on six slopes.
The holidays prove an especially enchanted time to visit. “Light Up Nemacolin” kicks off the season Friday, November 29, and Hardy’s Holiday Village — described as “an over-the-top spectacle where the magic of the holiday season meets the magic of Nemacolin” is open daily from November 30 through December 23.
Before departure, I enjoyed the utter bliss of a room service breakfast and bottomless coffee pot slowly savored by the warmth of the hearth. As snowflakes accumulated on the ground beneath my haven, I took note of how much lighter I felt than upon check-in — and how necessary it feels to make space for these brief getaways, no matter the distance from home.
Story by Corinne Whiting
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