Couples' Getaway-Chateau Elan Winery and Spa
/
I love going on trips with my kids. We love to travel as a family. But I also love taking short trips with just my husband and me. Sometimes a date night is just not enough! I think sometimes couples focus so much on their kids, they forget to make time for each other. (Get ready for advice you didn’t ask for…) Couples should definitely make time for this because when those kiddos grow up and move out, you don’t want to realize you’ve grown apart!
Most of these trips are short weekend trips within driving distance of our home. One of our recent getaways was to one of our favorite hotels we’ve visited in Georgia: Chateau Elan Winery and Spa in Braselton, Georgia. This hotel is an easy ride, about an hour, from Atlanta. It is billed as a luxury hotel and has many eateries, amenities, and activities right on the estate. When we go, we usually don’t even leave the property and find plenty to do. With the resort being in the luxury price point, it isn’t cheap, but it’s also not Ritz Carlton level either. They often run specials on their site for reduced rates that include breakfast, so make sure to check that out!
Standard King Room
The Rooms
We stayed in a standard view room this time on the same floor as the check-in. It was near the elevators, so I was worried about noise, but I didn’t notice anything problematic. It turned out to be a very convenient location. The property is fairly compact, so nothing is too far away, but a nice bar and the restaurant we ate breakfast in were steps away from our room. The room and bathroom are well-appointed and the beds are amazing!
The Winery
The winery is the big draw here. Many Atlanta residents come up for the day and enjoy the tasting and have lunch at the winery. This means weekends are crowded. However, if you like wine, even if you are there during a popular time, make sure to do the tasting. At this time, the tastings are $25-$30 each, but you get generous pours and I feel like it is a good value. They have several different “flights” to do for your samples. I am not a huge fan of sweet wines, but that one seemed very popular. I tried the ‘Old World’ and enjoyed it. My husband is not a fan of wine, but always “takes one for the team” and does the tastings with me. This usually ends well for me because he doesn’t finish all of his and that equals more wine for me! They offer a complimentary tour for guests of the resort. Not exactly complimentary, it is just included in your resort fee. They give you tickets when you check in to the hotel. If you are not a guest of the resort, the cost is $5. The tour is brief, but it gives you a quick look at the wine making process. I enjoyed hearing the sweet story of how the winery’s creator started the winery as a gift for his wife. The guides will also answer any further questions you may have after the tour. The restaurant in the winery is open for lunch and dinner, but often closes for special events. Check the website, or call the resort to make sure the restaurant and winery will be open for your visit.
The Food
There are five restaurants on property: one in the winery, one in the spa, two in the hotel, and a pub walking distance from the hotel. Breakfast was included with our stay. It is was a delicious buffet and included an omelet station. Servers are attentive and the food was fresh and replenished quickly.
We only visited one other restaurant this trip, Paddy’s Irish Pub. I LOVE this pub. The pub is an authentic pub. The pub was designed and built, including the furnishings and fixtures, in Ireland and was then shipped to America and assembled at the resort. You can enjoy traditional Irish food, cocktails, music, and an Irish coffee by the fireplace here. The food is delicious and the atmosphere is relaxed and fun. This would be the kind of pub I would love to have in my neighborhood (if I lived in a neighborhood). We often share an appetizer or two and an entrée when we go out to eat. This gives us variety. At Paddy’s, we had French Onion soup, pretzel bread with beer cheese and mustard, and fish and chips. Everything was yummy!
One of the relaxation areas in the spa
The Spa
This was our second time to the spa. They offer a good variety of couple’s treatments compared to many other spas. However, this trip was a spur-of-the-moment one and we didn’t reserve anything in advance, so they didn’t have a couple’s massage time slot available for this time, but had openings for facials, so I convinced hubby to do a gentleman’s facial. He thought his facial was just okay. I had Ally for my facial and she was ah-mah-zing!! She had a teaching mind-set and explained what products she was using and what she was doing without talking so much that I lost my Zen vibe. I wish I could get monthly facials from her!
Access to all spa facilities for the day are included when you book a treatment, so we spent some time before and after our facials at the spa. Since we were on couple’s getaway, we wanted to spend our time together in the coed relaxation spaces. They basically consisted of the relaxation room where you wait for your spa, a hot tub, and the pool. Not the worst I’ve been to, but not the best either. The ladies’ locker room area had a sauna and steam room. They also had plenty of showers, changing spaces, and lockers. There is a fitness room and a variety of fitness classes throughout the day, but we didn’t experience either of those on our short getaway. Wine was available for purchase. Snacks, flavored waters and teas were complimentary. Our treatments were not for the budget-conscious, but were in the lower price range for luxury facilities. I felt my treatment was worth every penny!
The resort offers golf and tennis and special events like cooking classes, wine making events, and wine and canvas (paint while drinking wine-this would be fun with friends!) nights. We haven’t had a chance to try any of those things, but I’m sure we will be back!