Page 32 - aruba-today-20180217

A32 FEATURE
Saturday 17 February 2018
Hot tubs, fire pits in Appalachia for offseason bargains

MICHAEL VIRTANEN
Associated Press
ROANOKE, W.Va. (AP) —
The sky faded toward co-
balt over the rolling horizon
and its bare hardwood for-
est, the faux street lamps
in the foreground lighting
the outdoor walkway and
swimming pool. One man
lingered in the adjoining
Jacuzzi despite the 30-de-
gree chill that blew mist off
the heated water.
The moon gradually cast
a narrow, shimmering line
across the lake. I sat at
a high bar table sipping
peach moonshine watch-
ing through picture win-
dows as winter dusk fell in
the Appalachian Moun-
tains.
The state of West Virginia
owns this resort, called
Stonewall, along with other This March 11, 2017 photo shows the grounds at The Stonewall Resort in Roanoke, W.Va
upscale resorts with golf Associated Press
courses, indoor pools, Ad-
irondack-style lodges and
miles of scenic hiking trails the moment — peach and room at a $40 discount, for spa was open, taking ap- other resorts in the state sys-
for laid-back getaways in coffee-flavored — and $129. The resort was half- pointments for facials and tem, all with lodges, most
the offseason. Thanks to poured the peach into a full on the weekend with massages, discounted to with cabins or cottages
offseason bargains, a stay small cordial glass. Several about 200 people. Staff $50 on Thursdays in March. and campsites to rent as
couldn't have been friend- The resort is a about two- well.
lier. Desk clerks checked hour drive south from Pitts- According to state officials,
us in four hours early. Taxes burgh. the parks had about 7 mil-
and a resort fee added $30 That was also the cost of a lion visitors last year and
to the bill. winter room at West Virgin- nearly 700,000 overnight
Heading to our room later, ia's Twin Falls Resort State guests. Discounts include
we saw families still play- Park, where we stayed in golf passes for any of the
ing in the indoor half of February, after the desk four resort courses, a $50
the pool and its adjoining clerk knocked $25 off our rate for any standard room
Jacuzzi, kept at 88 and reserved low winter rate at any lodge in January
103 degrees, respectively, and upgraded our room. and package offers updat-
same as the water outdoors
where we swam earlier.
In the sunny afternoon, we
walked out on the board-
walk that crosses part of
the lake, heading toward
the marina and the camp-
This March 11, 2017 photo shows hearth in the lodge at the ground already booked
Stonewall Resort in Roanoke, W.Va solid for the summer. We
Associated Press
decided against a lon-
ger walk on trails through
can be had for as little as small distillers produce ver- the woods. Instead, we
$50 a night. sions of the liquor in West drove 15 minutes to see the This Feb. 15, 2017 photo shows The Twin Falls in Mullens, W.Va.
The wood fire in the large Virginia, where it tradition- sprawling, gothic Trans-Al- Associated Press
stone hearth threw heat ally came from corn mash legheny Lunatic Asylum in
into Stonewall's high-ceil- in Prohibition-era stills. Weston. Built in the 1800s as It's located up a winding ed monthly.
inged lodge. Guests drifted The winter cold had driven a sanctuary for the mental- road in southern West Vir- A West Virginia friend rec-
in and out, warmed at the me and my companion in ly ill, it housed 2,500 patients ginia's coal country, on a ommended Pipestem Re-
fire, or lounged on the so- from the outdoor fire pit, in the 1950s and closed in mountaintop surrounded sort State Park, in the state's
fas. Soft jazz played in the where more wood was 1994. It's now a national by its own golf course and southeastern corner, which
background. A couple nes- burning. Fixings for s'mores landmark. We didn't take hiking trails through forests has two lodges, one open
tled in the dark-paneled li- were offered: chocolate the tour. that are a nature preserve. year-round with balconies
brary next door reading in bars, marshmallows and Stonewall's golf course with There were few other guests and views of the Bluestone
club chairs under lamps. graham crackers. The Arnold Palmer's name on it midweek in February. We Canyon gorge, and a sec-
The downstairs restaurant s'mores were gratis, as was was empty except for a few saw three at breakfast. The ond lodge open from May
and tavern were busy. The the upgrade we got to swans, the golf shop and lodge has 47 rooms and an to October and reachable
bartender said she had only a lakeside room, though its restaurant closed until indoor pool. only by an aerial tram.
two kinds of moonshine at we'd booked an ordinary spring. The lodge's health West Virginia has eight Room rates start at $75.q