By Bridget Williams

Some travelers have their go-to place, whether inherited, generational, or discovered. And, even if it’s only visited annually, the sojourn serves as a bookmark in a life’s chapters. Though I’ve always been more globally curious than a repeat visitor-type traveler, Barnsley Resort in Adairsville, Georgia—nearly smack dab in the middle between Atlanta and Chattanooga—could be my place.

Why? First of all, it’s a snap to get to. As a fan of road trips, I opted to make the five-hour drive from my home in Louisville for my visit this past November. Second, there are scores of things to do. And, even if you want to be a total sloth, you can eat to your heart’s content and be very, very happy you came. The 3,000-acre resort, sited in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, envelops the ruins of Woodlands, an 1840s estate with an exquisite boxwood parterre garden.

Guest accommodations are spread out amongst 39 spacious freestanding cottages organized in the style of an English-inspired pedestrian village, along with a 55-room Inn. Opened in 2018 and inspired by the work of noted British architect Edwin Lutyens, the stately structure sits prominently at the end of a tree-lined boulevard, standing watch over the charming cottages like a proud parent. The Inn is the antithesis of a bland box, boasting 16 different room configurations, including third-floor dormer rooms with window seats that complete the country estate feel. The entirety of the resort is charming year-round, but it really comes alive at Christmas, where a storybook quality is even more pronounced.

I arrived after dark, and after so much COVID-era travel, where resorts were primarily empty, and visiting seemed to serve more a reminder of the pandemic rather than an escape, I was happy to find myself in a bustling place with people genuinely enjoying themselves. After taking a hot second to admire my spacious room, I headed through the center of the village to meet my travel mates for dinner at Woodlands Grill. En-route, I spied a crowd, bundled up off to ward off the chill and sticking close to a firepit, raucously sharing a drink at the Beer Garden while listening to live music. This being the South, you better believe that they answered my curious glances with an invitation to join them.

A feeling of community is encouraged throughout the village, demonstrated by the Adirondack chair-ringed fire pits and corn hole sets lining the greenspace separating the cottages. S’mores kits are set out in the lobby of the Inn each evening, adding to the allure of the firepits. Renovated from floor-to-ceiling since my last visit, the food at Woodlands Grill was even better than I remembered. Focused on Southern regional comfort food, the familiar hallmarks are there, some remixed, others true to form, but all exceptionally plated. An arugula salad with grilled peaches was particularly memorable, as was the sinful brioche French toast coated with Frosted Flakes I enjoyed there following my workout the following morning. As a side note, it’s not unusual to find pre-dawn gym goers coaxed from their machines to head outside and admire spectacular sunrise views.

A strong commitment to craft extends to all dining options, including privately catered affairs where the creative tablescapes whet the appetite. For a private barbeque lunch in the Beer Garden, property pit master Paul shared some secrets of his 48-hour brisket, and gave each guest a glass jar filled with his proprietary housemade rub to enjoy at home.

At the time of my visit Javier Cuesta, an accomplished French-trained chef with 25 years of experience in destinations around the globe, had just been appointed Executive Chef. During our visit, he took our taste buds on a journey to his native Portugal by serving Cataplana, a pork and seafood stew, and Morocco with a lamb and faro dish, before returning “home” with bacon-wrapped venison.

Launched in 2021 and offered seasonally, Barnsley’s Fire Kettle Cooking Demonstrations offer an open-air culinary exhibition where Chef prepares one of his favorite seasonal recipes over the open flame of a Sea Island Forge fire kettle. Guests are given recipes following the experience to recreate the dish and relive the memory at home….