A Taste of the Old World

by Juliana Mitchell

And now for somewhere closer to home - because you can't always jet off to someplace far, far away. One of our favorite places for a weekend or just a quick overnight from the kids is the Castle on the Hudson. Aptly named, it is indeed a Castle on the Hudson. It sits high on a hill top and commands amazing views of the Hudson River valley. The older structure of the castle is medieval in style with gothic windows and imposing turrets. The main building comes highly recommended for those who crave the kingly or queenly treatment. The suites in the main building are luxury at its finest. All are individually decorated and feature fireplaces and views of the river. These oversized suites command spaces of 700-900 square feet. All feature period antiques, marble bathrooms, TV, VCR, stereo, room service and turndown service. If advance notice is given, spa services are also available in room. The restaurant, Equus, features French-American cuisine, although if you have a hearty appetite you might choose another Tarrytown restaurant - Equus' portions are small and focus more on presentation than anything else. The bar is cozy and a nice place to curl up with a before or after drink or tea. The decor throughout the hotel is impeccable creating a feeling, if only for the moment, that you are part of royal society (hey, it's fun to play sometimes)

Outside, the castle is incomparable. The lawns and gardens are a sight to behold in spring, summer, and fall. The castle also features an outdoor pool (too cold for my tastes until about August), a whirlpool and a poolside bar. Also featured are a tennis court, jogging path and a Bocci court.

The hotel also has an annex building with which I have no experience, although I'm sure it is just as deluxe as the original castle. However, when given the choice to be treated like a queen, I will choose the tower anytime.

The French Countryside in Georgia?

by Juliana Mitchell

A French country chateau in north Georgia? "Sure, why the hell not," thought an Irish pharmaceutical mogul. He combined his love of wine and his wife's love of pampering and has come up with quite a place. Once you get over the pretentiousness and the out-of-place look of the buildings, you are in for a real treat.

The resort has an inn (well hardly an "inn" in common terms) - it's got at least 200 rooms, and it is pretty standard hotel fare.

If you really want to be coddled, the place to stay is the spa. They have 14 themed rooms: country French, vintage, Bacchus, modern, hunter's loft and several others. So far we have stayed in the country French and the vintage (note: Bacchus is the hardest to get hold of). The rooms are all decorated to give the feel of the name: frills in country French, neon and a vibrating Hammacher-Schlemmer chair in modern, lots of grape leaves in Bacchus. Each room has a unique bathroom: some have Jacuzzis, some giant soak tubs and some waterfall tubs. The bathrooms alone are worth the price! All rooms are very unique and romantic. Just take your pick of what setting you want.

The spa has a large indoor Jacuzzi, a small gym and a juice bar. The spa services are some of the most superior I have experienced - the attendants know their stuff. So if it's a facial, a massage, or a salt rub, you're in good hands (literally). And because Chateau Elan is a big conference/wedding center, staying in the spa really gives you an "away from it all" feel. The spa has a small restaurant, with healthy, low fat food - not very tasty or impressive.

There are also several restaurants in the main inn and one in the winery. All of these offer acceptable food, but you definitely will not be dazzled. Recreation includes several golf courses, an indoor and outdoor pool and a bar with several pool tables. You can take tours of the winery, and get samples. However, the chateau started out by making muscatine wine (the moonshine of wines). It is very sweet and, although they make a variety of other wines now, all of them seem to be on the sweet and fruity side. This is not a wine connoisseur's paradise.

The inn will prepare picnic basket lunches complete with wine that you can take and sit at the edge of several lakes - very nice setting, although you will have people "playing through" sometimes! The staff is helpful and accommodating. Pampering is the watchword at the spa.