THE LODGE AND COTTAGES AT PRIMLAND:WHERE THE HECK ARE WE?

We celebrated our 29th anniversary this past weekend.  Since after 29 years we don't really need much in the way of gifts, we tend to like to celebrate with a nice dinner somewhere...and I like to go places that I've not been to before.  The adventurer side of me.  I am always up to try something new, full out realizing that it may not compare to the "tried and true".  But the adventure outweighs the known in my book.  I'm wierd that way.

I had recently heard of a place down the road a bit in Meadows of Dan, about a 45 minute drive up by Chateau Morrisette and the Floydfest site.  Primland.  So I got on their website, was well impressed if not a bit blown away.  I called and was told that if we ate in the more casual Pub then we didn't need  a reservation for dinner on Friday night.  A reservation seemed a bit commital.  Don't like to plan the adventure too much. 

We took the long way up 221, turning left at the only stoplight in Floyd, curving through farmland and colorful little Blue Ridge Mountain towns.  Curving being the key word here.  We were glad that we had taken the old 1998 Diesel Mercedes and thankful that we didn't yet need airconditioning.... because the car doesn't have any.   Larry remarked at some point that he was also grateful that he hadn't taken his big pick up truck Suburban thing, because the rear end of the car wouldn't have made it around the curves in the same lane as the front end.  Curvy.  Curvy road. 

We wound up in Meadows of Dan and found the big stately Primland sign and entrance.  There was a helipad.  Pulling up to a restored log cabin and gated entrance, a well dressed woman with a clipboard popped out and asked of our intentions.  "Do you have a reservation?  Are you here to check in?"  She was perfectly polite as I recounted my conversation with the restaurant staff the day prior.  She put a sticker on our car and let us through the gate.  The drive up to the Lodge was six miles long.  Six miles of Primland.  Wow.  What had we gotten ourselves into?  Feeling a little out of our league, we pulled up to the front of Primland and the valet popped out of the front door.  He greeted us by name and whisked away our little suddenly shabby looking Mercedes. 

We walked in the front door and the very helpful manager again greeted us by name and offered us a cup of tea and a lovely place to partake of it out on the veranda.  We were assured that they had made a reservation for us in the pub, and we could enjoy the Inn and eat whenever we felt like it.  Was there anything else we needed?  Wow again.  Where the heck are we?  Why have we never known this place was a mere curvy ride across the mountain?  Who comes here?  People whisked in and out by helicopter? 

The place was so luxurious and the staff well trained and discreet enough not to lurk but instead to anticipate your every need in advance of your knowing that you need it.  We felt like we were in a very fancy private home with an incredibly pampering household staff.  I hear we could have tried the spa, taken a guided fly fishing tour.  The golf course is supposedly one of the best public courses in the United States.  Hunters and fishermen and golfers and spa-partakers.  Something marvelous for all of them.

We were very content to sip our tea on the veranda and take a bite in the pub.   Next time we will make the point to have a reservation and dine in the elegant Elements Restaurant.   But I think Larry will save some money and flyfish from our own Bottom Creek.  Hunt whitetail deer from the hot tub.  (That's another story.)

Check out http://www.primland.com/.  Prepare to be bedazzled. I guess what impressed us most about this whole anniversary adventure is that people pay BIG BUCKS for a taste of the SW Virginia lifestyle we have come to enjoy FOR FREE.    And I am that much more appreciative of my own Blue Ridge Mountain retreat.