The Ritz-Carlton Lodge at Reynolds Plantation

February 15, 2010

The Ritz-Carlton Lodge at Reynolds Plantation
Greensboro, Georgia

Getting There

To get to the Lodge it's an easy four-hour drive from Charlotte down I-77 to Columbia and then on I-20 West to Greensboro, Georgia.

Take it Home

Chef Jaco Smith at the Bistro offers a three-hour hands-on customized cooking class on Saturdays during which you can create and cook a lunch with locally grown ingredients and then enjoy the meal with him. Order a monogrammed jacket or apron to remember your experience — and inspire yourself to culinary greatness back home.

Get Away. Now.

If you arrive at the Ritz-Carlton Lodge at Reynolds Plantation after dark, you'll know you're in a luxurious hotel filled with cozy nooks for relaxing, elegant spots for dining, and feather beds certain to instantly put you in a state of tranquility. what you won't know until the sun slowly rises the following morning is just how peaceful — and gorgeous — the view is from your room. whether you're looking over the sparkling blue waters of Lake Oconee or the thick pine forests sloping up to the lodge, a peek from your balcony is sure to inspire you. This quiet 251-room lodge (from $229 per night, 706-467-0600, ritzcarlton.com) is set on 10,000 acres once owned by the Reynolds family. The Lodge is the perfect place to escape stress — but don't worry about being bored. you'll find ninety-nine holes of championship golf as well as opportunities for swimming, fishing, water skiing, and canoeing. of course, to do those things, you'll have to leave your lakeside lounge chair, and who wants to do that? – Sarah Crosland

What to Do

After you've finished an elegant dinner at Georgia's Bistro, head to the lawn leading up to Lake Oconee. Each evening, guests are given complimentary fixings for s'mores and can gather around a warm campfire to make the tasty treats.
Just as the sun starts to rise, meet your Zen healing therapist at the floating dock outside the lodge for the Zen of Kayaking spa option (from $689). Your guide will assist you through a three-hour kayaking excursion along the banks of Lake Oconee as he or she coaches you on your breathing and meditation before a lakeside session of stretching and yoga.
The two-hour Segway tours ($135 per person) are the perfect way to take in the rolling hills and woods on this 10,000- acre golf and lake retreat. Your guide will take you through the chic neighborhoods and along the pastoral golf course.
Indulge yourself at the spa with the GemSTONE Therapy Massage, which uses hot stones to relieve stress ($175 for sixty minutes). Or try the Drift to Sleep treatment ($300 for 110 minutes), which includes an aromatherapy milk bath, herbal tea, and a massage designed to lure you into sleep on a warmed, down duvet draped over an oversize massage table.
Warm spring evenings are the perfect time to enjoy a lakeside chiminea dinner. Settle in to one of the inviting, lakefront Adirondack chairs and soak in the warmth of a chiminea fire while you share a private picnic. The peaceful — and romantic — experience also includes chilled Champagne and chocolates.