Photo Friday: Adairsville, Georgia

When I was in elementary school my grandparents moved from a short drive from our house in suburban Atlanta to the “country,” a farm in Adairsville. They bought a plot where a barn had once been and built a house. They’ve lived there ever since and I always looked forward to exploring the woods when we visited for holidays.

Many times we would drive five minutes down the road to Barnsley Gardens, as it was known then, and explored the ruins. Back then it was little more than a restaurant and a few buildings on the site, owned by a Bavarian prince.

Today the resort has 90 rooms made up of cottages and cabins and has dozens of activities to match. I was invited to stay a night at the property and experience what it’s like now. While no longer free for interested visitors and no longer owned by the prince, Barnsley Resort has been rated one of the top hotels in the world by Conde Nast Traveler, TripAdvisor and USA Today. It’s also a member of the Southern Living Hotel Collection, which features the best in the region.

After spending a night with my grandparents, I drove into the gates of Barnsley Resort and gave them my name, where I was welcomed warmly. I met the group for lunch at The Woodlands Grill, the casual eatery that overlooks the Fazio-designed golf course.

Here my fellow bloggers and I were served charcuterie and cheese plates, fried green tomatoes and grilled shrimp. I ordered myself a crisp white wine to pair with a chicken salad sandwich and cup of rich she crab soup.

No sooner had we finished our meals and been given a crash course in the resort grounds when we were split up into two groups for our day’s activities. I started with horseback riding, where I joined my equine pal for a one hour trip into the woods. After galloping through the trails, we stopped off at the spa, where we each had an hour long treatment. I’m not a big massage fan, but after my experience here, I’m a changed woman. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so relaxed.

We were then able to check into our rooms for the night. I was placed in an adorable purple cottage with a garden of roses out front. It had a front and back porch, complete with a swing. The living room was cozy and had plenty of spots for reading and having a cup of tea. I took full advantage of the claw foot tub and had a short nap before dinner.

For dinner, we were taken to the Manor House Ruins, where a special event had been set up just for us. They put together a holiday room similar to how it looks starting in November and a table under the stars. We met the hotel manager, resident historian and official wine snob before sitting down for a multi-course meal with wine pairings from Europe and beyond. Chef Roberto Guzman came out to introduce each course, including a favorite of mine, the duck.

Before we tucked in for the night, we met up in one of the cottages for the roasting of smores and some nightcaps.

The Fairy Godmother, a role designed for special events, set us up with a photo booth and some goofy hats and signs to wear. But then it was time for sleep, which I drifted off into quickly.

It was a little too cold for swimming at the pool and I suck at tennis, so instead we took advantage of the Syrens and Spa package, which lets you shoot female-friendly shotguns at clay targets. And while I’d never shot a gun in my life (by choice), my instructor told me I was a natural as I hit all but one or two of the clay discs resembling frisbees.

Great news in case of a zombie apocalypse! One last lunch at the lawn outside award-winning The Rice House capped off our brief trip to the resort. It was time to head back to reality.

For more on staying at Barnsley Resort, check out my friend Kristin‘s recent stay. 

Have you stayed at Barnsley Resort?