Spa Aims to Turn Cold Shoulder Into Warm Embrace
The Salamander Resort and Spa in Middleburg, set to open in March 2010, expects to cater partly to corporate groups.
(Courtesy Of Salamander Hospitality)
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The frame of the 168-room Salamander Resort and Spa rises near a dirt road about a quarter-mile from North Pendleton Street in Middleburg.
Renowned billionaire and Washington Mystics owner Sheila Johnson, whose company Salamander Hospitality is building the resort, didn't initially receive the warm welcome for her project that she'd expected.
After she announced plans for the retreat on more than 300 acres of open land north of town, some Middleburg residents fought the project, fearing it would take away from the area's quaint character.
Eventually, Johnson received the approvals to build, all the while assuring town leaders and residents that the resort would be a positive addition.
Everything at the resort will be top-notch, Prem Devadas, president of Salamander Hospitality, said in an interview Friday.
It will have luxurious rooms, each with a private balcony, and a 23,000-square-foot spa and equestrian facility where guests can board horses during their stay.
The facility will cater to a posh crowd, but, Devadas said, a large portion of the clientele will be corporate groups that want full-service meeting space.
Devadas said Salamander Hospitality also wants to highlight the best of the area's offerings.
A wine bar will feature Virginia wines, and the dining facilities will support local farmers, he said. Todd Gray, award-winning chef and co-owner of Equinox restaurant in Washington, has partnered with Salamander and will serve as the resort's culinary director.
