Primland, Auberge Resorts Assortment in Virginia Is the Finest Resort within the South: Evaluate

Getting into Virginia’s Primland, Auberge Resorts Assortment’s Hawk Eye property looks like a scene from a James Bond movie. With towering 27-foot floor-to-ceiling home windows overlooking the resort’s 12,000 acres of immaculate forest, it’s simple to think about 007 himself striding in, martini in hand, surveying the panorama, neutralizing the villain, after which sinking into the personal heated lap pool for a well-earned second of rest.

The famously secluded Blue Ridge Mountains resort rewrites the rulebook on rugged sophistication with its latest residence. The sprawling foremost home contains a gourmand kitchen and suites for 4, whereas subsequent door, a 1,210-square-foot visitor home provides two further visitor rooms. And the pièce de résistance? A stand-alone video games cottage decked out with classic pinball, a pool desk, and a non-public bocce courtroom. This luxe enclave isn’t your extraordinary retreat; it’s the key escape for vacationers craving a hideaway with a touch of cinematic drama. However Primland additionally accommodates a variety of tourists with every part from accessible Lodge suites to mountaintop tree homes for {couples} and family-friendly cottages.

Primland’s epic grandeur, which just lately earned it the title of finest resort within the South and made the record of the most effective resorts within the continental U.S., as voted in our “World’s Finest Awards” survey for 2026, has been its defining function since French industrialist Didier Primat based the eco-conscious lodge within the early 2000s. After Primat’s passing in 2008, Auberge Resorts Assortment assumed stewardship of the property in 2021. Nonetheless, possession stays with Primat’s eight youngsters, who, resort workers informed me, are dedicated to preserving their father’s imaginative and prescient and Primland’s putting European aesthetic and unique vibe that units the tone if you arrive on the entrance gate.

The ascent is dramatic—a winding, six-mile climb introduced us 2,700 ft above sea stage. The drive to the just lately renovated alpine-chic Lodge, house to a two-story nice corridor with panoramic views, takes about quarter-hour underneath regular circumstances. Ours stretched for much longer, interrupted by stops to soak within the blockbuster vistas. On a transparent day, the skyline of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, will be seen on the horizon, a putting sight even from 60 miles away.

Whereas Primland’s expansive panorama invitations friends to clay shoot, hike, pheasant hunt, horseback experience, or paddleboard by way of the rugged Dan River Gorge, the environment again on the Lodge is moody and atmospheric. The intimate foyer has a soothing dimness, crafted to ease stress and set up a way of serenity. A complimentary glass of glowing wine, supplied throughout our seated check-in, instantly enhanced the sensation of exclusiveness and calm.

A 2024 refresh to the Lodge has launched native artwork and refined rustic decor impressed by southwestern Virginia. Native natural world motifs mingle with American quilts, uncovered beams, and landscape-themed wallcoverings, for a curated and deeply rooted atmosphere. Considerate particulars abound—there was an intricate wooden inlay on the steps resulting in our second-floor suite and two-story matching rock fireplaces abutting the floor-to-ceiling home windows that overlook Dove and Tar Kiln mountains.

Listed here are all the main points on Primland, Auberge Resorts Assortment, in Meadows of Dan, Virginia.

The Rooms

Our 1,125-square-foot second-floor Lodge Balcony King Suite mixed the comforts of an prolonged stick with the sophistication of a luxurious escape. A spacious out of doors patio missed the Lodge entrance, which I initially feared would possibly make for a loud keep—I used to be mistaken. As an alternative, it supplied quiet mornings to observe the dawn above the mountain peaks.

The fashionable residing space, that includes an opulent couch accented by leather-based pillows, cozy chairs, and partitions of uncovered wooden, was framed by a coffered ceiling. The glossy moist bar was absolutely stocked with complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.

Designer Chad Dorsey, a Tennessee native and proprietor of Chad Dorsey Design, has given the Lodge a up to date refresh with a western Virginia character. The bed room, for instance, featured an inviting chambray blue quilt elegantly draped throughout the foot of the mattress, whereas the palatial lavatory supplied a contemporary bathe in addition to a soaking tub giant sufficient for my 5’11 body (a uncommon deal with, as any tall lady can attest). An extra separate powder room with its personal bathe supplied added comfort—a pleasant contact had we been touring with companions.

Meals and Drink

Whereas a part of the enchantment of Primland is its remoteness, that does restrict off-site eating choices. To compensate, the resort has 5 culinary areas, the star being Leatherflower, its farm-to-table restaurant. The centerpiece of this midcentury trendy venue, lined in floral wallpaper, is a freestanding fire that instructions the room. Fortuitously, it isn’t the one attention-grabbing function at this breakfast and dinner spot.

My husband and I had our first style within the morning, and take it from a author who coated meals in Charleston, South Carolina, for greater than a decade—the grits bowl with roasted greens and a sunny-side up egg is unbelievable. Leatherflower’s farm-to-table ambitions don’t simply pay lip service to the time period “regionally sourced.” Dinner is a decadent white tablecloth affair and, for many who love elevated Southern consolation, an actual deal with. Assume striped bass in a rustic ham broth with braised greens and black-eyed pea salad or the vegetarian-friendly Carolina gold rice with butternut squash, spiced crème fraîche, and pumpkin seed gremolata.

For friends looking for a extra laid-back possibility, Primland’s Stables Saloon, situated a brief shuttle drive from the Lodge, is a pleasant various. On Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant hosts native musicians. We listened to stay bluegrass whereas having fun with what can solely be described as a prix fixe platter of nation fixins: mac and cheese, fried rooster, hoppin’ John, Gulf shrimp, and creamed corn.

For an informal lunch between rounds of golf on the Highland Course or after a morning clay shoot, as we did, Primland has the Laurel Bar—a comfortable sports activities bar serving towering sandwiches, heavy desserts, a number of craft beers, and traditional cocktails. Non-public dinners (for as much as 12 folks) may additionally be booked within the Schlumberger Wine Cellar, the place friends dine surrounded by wine bottles representing 450 labels from 18 international locations.

Actions and Experiences

Primland takes pleasure in its in depth record of actions, delivered to friends by way of a printed weekly itinerary at check-in. Complimentary choices embody each day yoga, disc golf, and hearth moonshine storytelling. Nonetheless, the true highlights are the fee-based experiences, resembling year-round catch-and-release fishing, RTV rides, and archery classes, hosted throughout the huge campus.

By no means one to overlook a chance to check his purpose, my husband jumped on the likelihood to expertise Primland’s 14-station clay capturing course ($216 per particular person, together with gratuity). A shuttle whisked us to the sporting membership, the place a information loaded us right into a golf cart for a 50-round journey. Whereas my husband introduced his personal CZ Bobwhite 20-gauge side-by-side shotgun, I confirmed up empty-handed. The useful workers had me outfitted rapidly. Regardless that I solely managed to hit an embarrassing three clays, on the very least, I seemed the half, and it was a unbelievable morning open air.

One other spotlight was Primland’s stargazing expertise ($60 per particular person, together with gratuity). At 8:30 p.m., we climbed to the brisk open-air fourth-story observatory, becoming a member of different friends bundled in complimentary blankets. A cheerful resort information expertly operated the Celestron CGE Professional 1400 and CPC 800 telescopes, projecting celestial wonders onto big-screen TVs. Earlier than we knew it, we had been marveling on the Milky Manner, the Orion Nebula, and the Betelgeuse crimson supergiant star, a humbling approach to shut out a outstanding day.

The Spa

Primland has an award-winning spa on the decrease stage of the Lodge, and whereas we didn’t have time for a therapy, we did take a dip within the lap pool. In hotter climate, accordion glass doorways open to the out of doors patio with breathtaking views. Our journey being in late fall, the doorways had been closed and the place empty and blissfully silent—a restorative expertise for folks of a rambunctious nine-year-old.

Household-friendly Choices

Whereas our son stayed house this time, Primland was filled with youngsters, many underneath 5. The resort welcomes children and, within the winter, provides horse-drawn sleigh rides with them in thoughts. Throughout different instances of the 12 months, a Junior Mountaineer program with horseback using, archery, and foraging classes is obtainable for youngsters aged six to 12 and will be booked for half-day (9 a.m.-1 p.m.; $150) and full-day (9 a.m.-3 p.m.; $210) periods.

Accessibility and Sustainability

The lodge has three ADA-compliant suites. The 982-square-foot Pinnacle Suite King Accessible is provided with a roll-in switch bathe, a telephone that includes a flashing mild to point when it’s ringing, and absolutely automated shades. The 2 Lodge Balcony Suite King Accessible rooms additionally embody bathroom seize bars and a visible hearth alarm. The Lodge is designed as an accessible house. Many paths across the resort are paved to permit for wheeled entry. Van-accessible parking can be supplied, and the resort provides a detailed information on its web site to assist navigate its varied areas, together with visitor suites and eating places.

Primland, Auberge Resorts Assortment, has applied quite a few sustainable initiatives throughout the resort—from sourcing natural components regionally to recycling rainwater by way of an irrigation pond. The Lodge has been LEED-certified for its sustainable design, building, and operation, whereas bio-filters defend the native trout streams within the space. For nicely over a decade, Primland has labored intently with the Virginia Tech School of Pure Sources and Atmosphere to protect wildlife and birds, in addition to keep water high quality.

Location

The seclusion of this property means there is no such thing as a fast approach to entry it, so put together for an extended drive. It’s roughly 5 and a half hours from Washington, D.C., and roughly one and a half hours from both Greensboro, North Carolina, or Roanoke, Virginia. The closest airport is Piedmont Triad Airport (GSO) in Greensboro, North Carolina, which is 70 miles away.

Ebook Now

Auberge Resorts Assortment doesn’t have its personal loyalty program, however Primland is part of American Categorical Nice Lodges & Resorts, which supplies its members with 12 p.m. check-in, when obtainable; a room improve upon arrival, when obtainable; each day breakfast for 2; a $100 resort credit score; and a assured 4 p.m. check-out.

Nightly charges at Primland, Auberge Resorts Assortment begin from $595/evening.

Each T+L lodge evaluate is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed on the property, and every lodge chosen aligns with our core values.