Originally appeared in Chesterfield Living Magazine

By Steve Cook
As the hot, steamy, dog days of summer begin to take their toll, a refreshing weekend getaway becomes more and more enticing. While the beach may be the destination of choice for many, here’s another suggestion, one that may be even more refreshing, and which will definitely be more luxurious…Keswick Hall, just east of Charlottesville. Lying at the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Keswick Hall, located on the 600-acre Keswick Estate, is truly a world-class luxury hotel.
From the moment you arrive, pulling up in front of the Tuscan-style villa, featuring archways and columns, you quickly discern that something very special lies within. Keswick Hall was purchased, in 1999, by Orient-Express Hotels, Trains and Cruises. The very name “Orient Express” conjures up images of grandeur. “They are known worldwide for their dedication to excellent service,” says Tony McHale, general manager at the resort, “and Keswick Hall is no exception.”
Each of this intimate resort’s 48 guestrooms has been decorated with your comfort in mind. And, each room is completely different. “This is no cookie cutter hotel,” McHale says. Distinguishing features in your guestroom include stylish American and European furniture, beautiful armoires, personal collectables, overstuffed ottomans, antique club chairs and restful beds plumped with comforters and feather pillows.
And, every room offers a spectacular view, either of the Arnold Palmer designed golf course (see separate story, Your Private Club Awaits), the beautiful Virginia countryside, or even the magnificent Blue Ridge Mountains. Each room provides the perfect setting for a real weekend getaway.
However, that’s not to say there’s nothing to do but relax at Keswick Hall. Actually, there are more activities from which to choose than you could pack into one weekend. For instance, McHale suggests, as the perfect itinerary for a romantic weekend getaway, “Start with dinner on Friday evening at Fossett’s restaurant in the hotel. Then, take an early morning balloon ride over the Virginia mountains (and enjoy a special picnic basket created by chef Craig Hartman).
“Relax in the late afternoon at the spa,” McHale continues, “Play a round of golf, or spend a few hours visiting some of the renowned local vineyards in the area. Sleep in on Sunday morning, but plan to enjoy the hotel’s champagne brunch. Then spend the rest of the day by the hotel’s infinity pool.”
Wherever your interests lie, be it history, Virginia wines, or gourmet dining, there’s something for you at Keswick Hall, or just down the road. And, of course, one of the most renowned historic homes in the nation, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, is just minutes away.
Keswick Hall offers a variety of special packages, including their Summer Escape Package. To learn more about this beautiful resort…a resort less than an hour’s drive away for most of us, visit their website (see below). Tony McHale sums it up well, “Service, luxury and relaxation…Keswick Hall has a bit of everything for a perfect getaway.”

Your Private Club Awaits

Adjacent to Keswick Hall, you’ll find the exclusive Keswick Club. The Club, which offers a host of activities, lists many local dignitaries and Hollywood stars amongst its members. And, during your stay at Keswick Hall, you’ll be listed as a day member of this beautiful facility.
Your only problem will be in deciding what to do next. If golf is your game, then you’ve come to the right place. Fred Findlay, a Scottish immigrant and renowned designer of several courses in central Virginia, built Keswick Club’s original course in 1939. The Arnold Palmer Golf Course Design Company completed a redesign of the course in 1990, elevating Keswick Club to the status of an Arnold Palmer Signature Course. Palmer said the course had “good bones” and was therefore able to keep the majority of the original design. Palmer’s touches included additional bunkers, contouring changes to the land, greens built to United States Golf Association standards, and a new tee-to-green irrigation system.
But there’s much more to the Keswick Club than just its magnificent golf course. There’s also a fully equipped fitness center, offering a variety of cardio machines as well as Cybex strength training equipment and free weights.
You can also enjoy a rousing game of tennis at the club. Or, if relaxing is your activity of choice, you have two outdoor pools, with plenty of space for sunbathing.
If you’re in the mood to be pampered, check out the spa. Delight in a variety of treatments such as massage, body wraps, facials, manicures, pedicures, and more. Raindrop therapy, and hot stone massage are also available.
You can even dine at “your” club. The Palmer Room offers a superb setting overlooking the 18th green. It is the perfect venue for an informal lunch or dinner with terrace seating also available, weather permitting. The restaurant offers an extensive, tantalizing a la carte menu, created by the club’s executive chef, Craig Russell and his team.

Keswick Hall
701 Club Drive, Keswick, Virginia 22947
800 274-5391
www.keswick.com

HOW TO GET THERE FROM RICHMOND:
Take Interstate 64 west towards Charlottesville.
Go to exit 129 (Keswick/Boyds Tavern) and turn right on Route 616.
Travel 3/10 of a mile to Keswick Estate. The entrance is on the left.