What is Mother’s Day like at Barnsley Gardens Resort?
- Natalie Wearstler
- Forbes Travel Guide Editor
Treat your mother to a weekend of Southern charm and special attention at Barnsley Gardens Resort. In addition to enjoying the resort’s relaxed mountain-view atmosphere and abundance of outdoor activities like golf and horseback riding, she’ll be thrilled to have you accompany her to a traditional afternoon tea on May 11. Should you be traveling with children under the age of 12, there’s a special “Mommy, Me & Fairy Makes Three” tea party, where the resort’s Fairy Godmother will make a special appearance. And, because the resort understands that some ladies are moms to four-legged “children,” there’s even a unique tea for moms and their dogs, with gourmet biscuits and pet-friendly chamomile tea for Fido.
On May 12, put on your Sunday best and sit down to a delicious lunch buffet at this luxury Adairsville hotel. A few of the tasty options you can look forward to are roasted eggplant salad with capers and sweet onions, tarts filled with duck confit and mango chutney, roast prime rib of beef with au jus and horseradish cream and herbed yellow squash sauté. Children will have no problem staying on their best behavior with a just-for-kids buffet brimming with all their favorites: chicken fingers, French fries, mini pizzas and more. For dessert, indulge in a selection from the display of pastries, cakes and tarts.
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On April 30Natalie Wearstler answered the question:
What is Mother’s Day like at Barnsley Gardens Resort?
Treat your mother to a weekend of Southern charm and special attention at Barnsley Gardens Resort. In addition to enjoying the resort’s relaxed mountain-view atmosphere and abundance of outdoor activities like golf and horseback riding, she’ll be thrilled to have you accompany her to a traditional afternoon tea on May 11. Should you be traveling with children under the age of 12, there’s a special “Mommy, Me & Fairy Makes Three” tea party, where the resort’s Fairy Godmother will make a special appearance. And, because the resort understands that some ladies are moms to four-legged “children,” there’s even a unique tea for moms and their dogs, with gourmet biscuits and pet-friendly chamomile tea for Fido.
On May 12, put on your Sunday best and sit down to a delicious lunch buffet at this luxury Adairsville hotel. A few of the tasty options you can look forward to are roasted eggplant salad with capers and sweet onions, tarts filled with duck confit and mango chutney, roast prime rib of beef with au jus and horseradish cream and herbed yellow squash sauté. Children will have no problem staying on their best behavior with a just-for-kids buffet brimming with all their favorites: chicken fingers, French fries, mini pizzas and more. For dessert, indulge in a selection from the display of pastries, cakes and tarts. -
On September 18Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
Is Rice House a good place for group dining?
One might say group dining is a specialty of Rice House considering the restaurant is the reception location of choice for indoor celebrations at Barnsley Gardens Resort. Comprising two large, rectangular dining rooms that are visually joined by a wall of white-paned windows, the intimate space can comfortably seat 80 guests. Smaller groups, such as private birthday parties, might consider booking just the sun porch, where a lit fire and doors that open to the herb garden make for festive surroundings. For groups of 10 or fewer, the private dining rooms include the Rose Room, a dainty room with hardwood floors, burgundy walls, white wainscoting and a brick fireplace, and the Lily Room, a meadow-facing room with great views of the Forbes Travel Guide recommended hotel’s historic ruins. -
On September 18Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
What is the interior design of Rice House?
Rice House at Barnsley Gardens Resort is located in an original 1854 farmhouse that was home to the Fleming Rice family before the Civil War (check out the bullet holes peppering the building’s exterior). The interior design, accordingly, succeeds in creating the feel of an upscale country inn. Burgundy carpeting and white wainscoting anchor the main dining room, which features thick wooden timbers in the ceiling. A large brick fireplace at one end is wrapped in a white painted wooden mantle adjacent to a wall of windows overlooking the second dining room on the porch. The sun porch dining room boasts a redbrick floor and windows overlooking a rolling meadow and the historic ruins on the grounds of the Forbes Travel Guide recommended hotel. Ladder-back chairs, white tablecloths and handpicked botanic prints complete the traditional aesthetic. -
On September 18Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
What makes Barnsley Gardens Resort different from other hotels?
The romantic origin of Barnsley Gardens Resort makes this gentlemanly countryside retreat stand out from the crowd: The land was purchased in the 1840s by Englishman Godfrey Barnsley, a shipping magnate from Savannah, Ga., who wanted to bring his ailing wife Julia to the healing air of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Barnsley was heartbroken when she died before the completion of their Italianate villa, but swore her ghost visited the boxwood parterre garden and guided him through the completion of the home.
Barnsley’s original Italianate manor still stands, a restored redbrick ruin without a roof, windows or second-story floorboards. Combined with the antique walking gardens and attached museum, the ruins provide a rich glimpse into a bygone era. You’ll find wide, wood-planked floors with working fireplaces, garden views from every room and blooming vines that creep into overhead arches. It hosts romantic plein air weddings throughout the year and private fireside dining in the evenings — if you can brave the rumors of Julia Barnsley’s ghost.
When Prince Hubertus Fugger of Bavaria, Germany, purchased the property in 1988, he set about creating a resort in the vision of landscape architect Andrew Jackson Downing, who inspired Godfrey Barnsley. Downing was a proponent of fitting man-made elements naturally into their surroundings, and was an early contributor to plans for Central Park in New York. Prince Fugger stuck to Downing’s original illustrations, created by English architect Calvert Vaux, when designing the resort. The resulting pastoral cottages and 19th century English village arrangement evoke the simple, comfortable lifestyle inherent in Downing’s design philosophy.
This history provides a fascinating backdrop for your stay at the Forbes Travel Guide recommended hotel, which is enhanced by the approachable staff and vast array of activities. Tucked away on 3,300 acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the resort celebrates outdoor pursuits with a Jim Fazio-designed golf course, clay tennis courts, horse stables, fly-fishing, a saltwater pool, an 1,800-acre hunting preserve with a Caesar Guerini shooting school and canoes, kayaks and bicycles. You will feel equally at home, however, reading hardbound Mark Twain volumes from the hotel’s shelves and heading for the Adirondack chairs surrounding the fire pits.
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On August 1Michael Gordon answered the question:
What five words describe the style of Barnsley Gardens Resort?
The five words that best describe the style of Barnsley Gardens Resort are:
1. Elegant. The attention to detail and European styling of our resort lends it an old-fashioned elegance.
2. Relaxed. Our use of warm, casual fabrics and whimsical decorative touches temper luxury with a sense of coziness. Yes, we want our resort to be beautiful and upscale, but at the same time we want our guests to feel at home while here.
3. Natural. We designed our buildings and gardens to blend in with the natural surroundings, according to the design principles of Andrew Jackson Downing. Downing is credited with the popularization of the front porch — he believed it was the link between the home and nature — and you’ll find that “porching” is an art form here at Barnsley Gardens Resort.
4. Peaceful. With a small number of accommodations and 3,300 beautiful acres, we average more than 17 acres per guest. One of the first things a guest typically notices is just how quiet it is here.
5. Romantic. Barnsley Gardens Resort is one of the most romantic locations in Georgia for a reason: Not only are our accommodations more private (due to their location in cottages, rather than an inn) and loaded with romantic features like wood-burning fireplaces, but our very existence is the result of a great love story. Englishman Godfrey Barnsley built the original estate for his American wife, Julia, who died before its completion. Barnsley finished the grounds after her death as a testament to their love. Those same gardens, plus the ruins of the home he built for her, are now one of the most sought-after locations for marriage proposals and weddings in the Southeast. -
On August 1Michael Gordon answered the question:
What is the design style of Barnsley Gardens Resort?
The writings of Andrew Jackson Downing inspired the design of Barnsley Gardens Resort, where the landscaping and architecture resemble a 19th-century village. The village, as we refer to the main portion of the resort, includes 37 guestroom cottages and 12 public buildings that reflect an Old World attention to detail, with reclaimed pine flooring, detailed woodwork, soaring ceilings and wood-burning fireplaces. Similarly, the décor ranges from European country to American Victorian, depending on the building’s design and function. There is also a touch of rustic Appalachian influence here and there, and we have two restored 1840s cabins at our resort. Regardless, you’ll find our interiors to be warm and inviting, with residential-style furnishings, handpicked artwork and estate collection accessories. -
On August 1Michael Gordon answered the question:
What are the five best things about Barnsley Gardens Resort?
Among our many unique features, the five best things about Barnsley Gardens Resort are:
1. The location. We’re just a short drive from Atlanta; Chattanooga, Tenn.; and Birmingham, Ala., but we’re enough out of the way that guests feel like they’ve traveled a great distance.
2. Our staff. We strive to have the friendliest, most attentive staff possible.
3. Our history. The history of our property, from its conception as a private estate in the 1840s to the construction of the resort itself in the 1990s, is filled with stories of love, loss, mystery and rebirth. This history adds an extra dimension to our guests’ romance with the resort. People come here to be with their loved ones and end up falling in love with this place.
4. The natural surroundings. With manicured English parterres and borders, shaded woodland paths and bamboo groves, you are sure to find a spot that speaks to you. Beware the hammocks, however — they are like time machines. Minutes turn into hours if you aren’t careful.
5. The amenities. We have so many to choose from that there is something for everyone. -
On August 1Michael Gordon answered the question:
What makes Barnsley Gardens Resort different from other hotels?
Our design makes Barnsley Gardens Resort different from other hotels because our guestrooms are located in freestanding cottages instead of one inn or lodge. It makes our 92-room hotel feel like a private country home or a small bed and breakfast. -
On July 12Michael Gordon answered the question:
What is the nearest golf course to Barnsley Gardens Resort?
We have a par-72 golf course designed by Jim Fazio at Barnsley Gardens Resort. Its unique design pays homage to the principles 19th-century landscape architect Andrew Jackson Downing, whose vision inspired our resort’s buildings and gardens. In keeping with Downing’s philosophy, Fazio supervised the moving of only one-quarter of the earth typically sculpted at new courses, lending it challenging elevation changes and striking views. Barnsley Gardens Resort’s course also earned 4.5 stars from Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play” in 2008/2009. -
On July 12Michael Gordon answered the question:
What is the best time of the year to visit Barnsley Gardens Resort?
When it comes down to the best time of the year to visit Barnsley Gardens Resort, a case can be made for each season. Most guests choose to come for the spring blooms or the fall foliage, although the summer is equally lovely and offers a surplus of blossoming roses. Winter is also a great time to visit: With our wood-burning fireplaces and cozy cottages, a trip to Barnsley is like a trip to the mountains — except the weather is much milder. -
On June 13, 2012Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
What are the wet areas like at The Spa at Barnsley Gardens?
There are three wet areas at The Spa at Barnsley Gardens, including the pool, whirlpool and steam and sauna room. The outdoor saltwater pool is large and shallow —with depths between three and five feet — and overlooks the 10th tee. (Swimmers beware: The pool is unheated even in brisk winter months.) The coed whirlpool space is a small room overlooking the golf course and tennis courts at the Forbes Travel Guide recommended Barnsley Gardens Resort, with taupe floor tiles that lead into white painted baseboards and caramel-colored wood paneling on the walls. At about the size of a king-size bed, the small whirlpool, set into the tiled floor, gets the job done with perfect temperatures and powerful jets. Just inside the door to the men’s or women’s locker rooms, the wet area comprises one shower, a sauna and a steam room. The cedar-lined sauna has two graduated benches, each about five feet long, along one wall, with a bucket filled with water and a ladle for pouring on heated rocks. The steam room, which is about the same size, has two rows of tiled benches and is lightly scented with eucalyptus. -
On June 13, 2012Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
Can I get treatments in my room at The Spa at Barnsley Gardens?
You can get almost anything in your room at the Forbes Travel Guide recommended Barnsley Gardens Resort, and massages from The Spa at Barnsley Gardens are no exception. A range of massage styles — sports, prenatal, deep tissue, Swedish and hot stone — is provided (based on availability Monday through Friday). And though body wraps and salon services aren’t available in your room, a relaxing massage in the comfort of your suite is just a phone call away. Dial the spa directly, or ask guest services to set it up for you. -
On June 13, 2012Forbes Travel Guide Inspector answered the question:
Does The Spa at Barnsley Gardens have a shop to purchase products used during treatments?
The reception at The Spa at Barnsley Gardens doubles as a shop, with row upon row of products used during treatments. Many are made specifically for the spa, such as the lusciously thick Kheh lotion for heels, elbows and feet. Created by an artisan in Atlanta, the salve softens dry feet during foot treatments and massages. You can also find the Anakiri line of bio-energetic skin care products, which include vitamins, minerals and plant nutrients. Anakiri’s heirloom rose lotion — formulated in honor of the rose garden at the Forbes Travel Guide recommended Barnsley Gardens Resort and only available through the spa — is a gentle, ladylike rose scent. You can also find the range of essential oils, balms and nail polishes used in spa and salon treatments.
