Travel

Cozy up like a commander-in-chief at The Homestead

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Nightfall at The Homestead, the revered resort in the Allegheny Mountains in Virginia visited by many U.S. presidents.
The resort's outdoor spa garden.
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A stream runs through the snowy grounds.
The resort's cozy indoor pool.
Comfy tables greet guests at one of the resort's spa suites.
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Eight years ago, we celebrated my father’s 60th birthday at The Homestead, a venerable resort set in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains, in the tiny town of Hot Springs, Va. It was a fitting place for such an occasion: My dad teaches American government, and some 22 presidents — from George Washington to Bill Clinton — have visited the Homestead since it opened in 1766. Thomas Jefferson, attracted to the area’s naturally hot mineral waters, stayed for several weeks — the nearby Jefferson Pools, the country’s oldest spa structures, are named for him. And of the resort’s 483 rooms, five suites are dedicated to commanders-in-chief — Taft, Wilson and Eisenhower, among them.

The more snow out there at Hot Springs, Va., resort Homestead, the more reason you have to jump in.

The Homestead is the kind of place that hasn’t strayed far from its historic roots — and that’s pretty much how people like it. So when it embarked on a multi-million-dollar renovation in 2010, followed by a sale to the giant Omni Hotel and Resorts (which rechristened it The Omni Homestead Resort), there was reason for concern. What of the stately dining room with its nightly dancing? The grand, columned lobby? The old-school bowling alley? Most important, fretted my father — would they do away with the Presidents Lounge and his beloved Dick Nixon portrait?

Our recent visit revealed that plenty had changed — the bowling alley was gone, the presidential portraits nowhere to be found — yet a good deal was still comfortably familiar, and even much improved.

Food-wise, the new Jefferson’s Restaurant & Bar features a sleekly-designed, spacious dining room with an impressive wine list and mid-priced farm-to-table cuisine; the bar area has a distinct sports lounge vibe — lots of flat-screen TVs and plush seating. It’s a good bridge between the fancy Main Dining Room (jacket and tie required) and the casual, kid-friendly Casino Restaurant.

The Homestead’s regal Grand Hall Lobby.

Speaking of kids, you’ll probably notice there are lots more around than in years past. That’s thanks to family-friendly additions like the massive Allegheny Springs Winter Wonderland, a year-round outdoor playground featuring two heated pools and a (very modest-sized) ice-skating rink. Once the weather warms up, the rest of the two-acre water park will open, with water slides and a “lazy river” (it’s also when the ball gets rolling on the 18-hole mini-golf course). Indoors, there’s the new DownTime, a complete lower level filled with arcade games, Wii, Xbox and Playstation, air hockey, foosball and more.

Winter sports-wise, the resort’s ski/snowboard/tubing area now has snow machines — a vast improvement over our last visit, when warmer-than-normal temps meant a soggy hike instead of schussing. (What we do miss: the large skating rink at the foot of the ski hill, which hasn’t operated in years.) Perhaps the most welcome new amenity is The Spa at The Omni Homestead Resort, which opened in June. Men’s and women’s lounges are each outfitted with a variety of “aqua thermal treatments,” letting you jump from icy-cold showers to steamy eucalyptus steam rooms to warm herbal “cocoons.” Outside, in the adults-only Spa Garden, you’ll find a heated pool and Jacuzzi, sauna, as well as a pool of naturally hot mineral water, so you can “take the waters” — just like President Jefferson did nearly 200 years ago.

Ski deals: The “Family Learn to Ski Package” includes accommodations, lift tickets, rental equipment and group lessons (from $310/night); the “Homestead Ski Package” includes accommodations and lift tickets, (from $219/night). More info at the resort’s website.