Equestrian Epoch

Cobblestone streets and horse bits, swarthy whiskey winks and delicate nods, breeches and hounds... It’s like

a forgotten language whose vestiges still cling to the groomed hills of Middleburg, Virginia. Set in those hills— past the centuries-old inn, behind a quiet alley that extends into a long and winding drive, by prim fences and verdant pastures—you’ll find Salamander Resort and Spa.

This is where old-school affluence meets modern luxury, where you can wear both breeches and yoga pants. This resort is where polo games are followed by campfire marshmallows, and a deep equestrian history has found a new home within contemporary, chic walls. 

Established by BET’s co-founder Sheila Johnson and modeled after her own home, Salamander Resort and Spa is the epitome of comfortable luxury. Middleburg, where the resort lies just an hour outside of Washington D.C., has long been such a place; it was a town favored by John F. Kennedy, and before him the students of the highest echelons of America’s oldest communities. For a century and a half, the town has extended itself into the equestrian arts, from polo to fox hunting to various forms of riding. It still retains many of those same trademarks of leisurely opulence and history. Like every year, when the town gathers for Christmas in Middleburg as fox hunting gentlemen parade down the snowy streets, hounds at their horse’s heels.

Salamander is invested in the town of Middleburg, both literally and figuratively (they’ve expanded to offices and even a market within the town’s center), but it’s really the town that makes Salamander a luxury destination. The greatest affectations of Middleburg you’ll find at Salamander are equestrian in nature. An extensive horse barn dominates the hillside outside of the resort, and you’ll almost always find a horse in the ring, rider bouncing along. Visitors can take horseback rides or engage in the EquiSpective program, a type of equestrian therapy where you discover as much about yourself as your horse. The boarding at the barn is top-notch, so you can even bring your own fleet-footed friend along for vacation.

The equestrian elements extend far beyond the barn and into the interior design of the estate. Every room—from the warmly wooded "Living Room" branching out of the lobby to the stately Harriman’s Grill—features a bevy of equestrian touches: the pattern of stirrups stitched into blankets, bridle- bit curtain rods, painted horses in frames. If these walls could speak, they would neigh.

If Salamander weren’t a decidedly equestrian resort, it would be a culinary one. Every dining experience offered at Salamander is exquisite. For a fine dinner (or the most expansive breakfast buffet we’ve ever laid eyes on), head to Harriman’s; finish the meal with s’mores around the fire pit just outside on the Grand Lawn. Or try Gold Cup Wine

Bar for a casual lunch in the richly-paneled room where you feel more like you’re in a private library or gentleman’s retreat than a resort; pair Piedmont-inspired cuisine with wine from 60 local wineries. Explore the Culinary Gardens from which the chefs pull their herbs and produce. If you want to get the real culinary experience, sign up for a class in the Cooking Studio where one of the resort’s chefs will guide you through preparing a signature dish. Even the room service is incredible, served on crisp white linens and adorned with a fresh flower. 

No resort is complete without a spa, and Salamander is no exception. The spa is drenched in calm tones of blue and cool ceramic tiles that entrench you in cave-like calm. Relax with a soothing treatment or meditative massage, then lounge by the infinity pool; unwind in the sauna, or recline on one of the heated body chairs. If you want to work up a sweat, that won’t be a problem; with 340 acres featuring trails and zip- lining, your afternoon off will be well-deserved.

Salamander is decidedly un-Californian; it harbors the kind of aristocratic gentility our golden state often lacks. And yet you’ll still feel at home here. Over a glass of local wine, on horseback, or in the warm folds of a spa robe, Salamander delivers the kind of genteel homey energy we all crave. 

For Related Articles Try:

Westin Kierland Resort and Spa

Bayan Tree Mayakoba

Top 5 National Parks