A visit to Washington, D.C. traditionally means stops at the Smithsonian, Capitol Hill, and a few of the city’s national monuments.
But in order to have a true appreciation of the Washington area — where the No. 1 industry is politics — one must visit where politics originated and where, even now, it is refined and perfected.
That’s what we had in mind when we decided to arrange a 3-day excursion that combined the Washington political experience with prestigious luxury resorts.
Willard Intercontinental Hotel: A Civil War Icon
Our first stop was the Willard Intercontinental Hotel. Originally built in 1850, the reception area of this prestigious hotel was where President Lincoln informally met with businessmen and political activists seeking his support. These casual encounters, held in the Willard’s magnificent lobby, gave rise to the term, “lobbying” which in the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal has lately taken on a more sinister dimension.
No visit to the Willard Hotel is complete without a meal at the prestigious Willard Room, where the degree of elegance is so impressive that the service staff ensure that a guest attired in dark clothing is issued a black, lint-free table napkin.
The hotel has hosted almost every US president, plus kings, princes, and prime ministers. Martin Luther King, the celebrated civil rights leader, used the occasion of his stay at the Willard to write his “I Have a Dream” speech.
The Willard’s ornate Peacock Alley, where Mark Twain once used to promenade in his all-white suits, has also been used by the FBI to practice covert operations.
But the FBI was not the first to conduct espionage at the Willard Hotel. During America’s 1861-1984 Civil War, it was here that Antonia Ford, wife of Maj. Joseph Willard, co-proprietor of the hotel, was arrested as a Confederate spy.
But while Civil War historians frequently presume that the route taken by southern slaves seeking freedom in the northern states of America — sometimes known as the “Underground Railroad” — passed through Washington, D.C., the truth is that the Underground Railroad passed through less conspicuous parts of the country. Which brings us to our next destination — St. Michaels, Maryland.
This peninsula on Maryland’s scenic eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay is home to The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, which features an entire exhibit that explores routes taken by the Underground Railroad around the Chesapeake Bay region. Here, escaped slaves often took advantage of the network of waterways and the access that many blacks had to schooners and other vessels that once plied these waters.
It is here, adjacent to the museum and across the narrow inlet off Miles River, we alight at our next destination, the Inn at Perry Cabin.
Situated just 90 minutes by car from Washington, D.C., the Inn at Perry Cabin is a restored 1816 colonial mansion, located on 25 private acres on the outskirts of the charming, historical port town of St. Michaels.
The resort offers 80 guest rooms; each individually decorated and furnished with American and English antiques, original works of art and collectibles. The rooms feature stately beds and opulent baths, offering guests a warm and elegant atmosphere.
One of the Inn’s restaurants, Sherwood’s Landing, is decorated in nautical style and offers diners a superb and unspoiled view of a Miles River inlet and the Chesapeake beyond. The restaurant’s award-winning cuisine features international fare and local dishes.
Cuisine is an important aspect of one’s stay at Parry Cabin, said John Volponi, the Inn’s general manager. “Our chef uses a lot of local fresh farm products purchased from the local Farmer’s Markets. Each Saturday, our Executive Chef Mark Salter creates a ‘Farmer’s Market menu,’ which is based on whatever he has found at the markets.”
Properties owned by Orient Express Hotels, such as the Inn at Perry Cabin, have certain prerequisites, according to Brian Plaska, director of sales and marketing at the Inn. “They must be in a unique location, be the best in that location, and the physical property must be a combination of charm, luxury and character.”
St. Michaels: Nantucket on the Chesapeake
“St. Michaels is a charming area, quaint and full of Americana — there are no chain stores here,” said the Inn at Perry Cabin’s Volponi.
The homes and buildings in this tiny seaport are picturesque and reminiscent of New England. This has led many observers to refer to St. Michaels as the “Nantucket of the Mid-Atlantic.” In fact, the Inn at Perry Cabin is so picturesque, it has served as the backdrop for many movies, including “Message in a Bottle,” and “The Wedding Crashers.”
Perry Cabin Rooms: ‘Where Ralph Lauren Meets Norman Rockwell’
All of the rooms at the Inn of Perry Cabin offer garden or water views. We stayed in a “Master Suite,” one of the most spacious and luxurious rooms at the Inn.
The rooms feature a sumptuous sitting area with a touch-control gas fireplace, separated by French doors from the king-bedded room. We were delighted to find, hidden inside the antique leather-bound sea chest at the foot of our bed, a wide-screen multi-function television set that rose up for viewing at the touch of a bedside button. But TV watching was our last priority as we enjoyed the waterfront views and savored the sea-tinged air.
Many of the antiques here were found in Europe and shipped over by Sir Bernard Ashley, husband of Laura Ashley, the former owners of the Inn at Perry Cabin and another Orient Express property in the region: Keswick Hall in Charlottesville, Virginia — our next stop.
Keswick Hall: Like a Guest at an English Country Manor
Virginia enjoys a rich history. It was here that the first English settlers arrived on the banks of Jamestown almost four centuries ago. Home to more American presidents and Civil War battles than any other state, Virginia — with its lush green landscapes — is also known for its high standard of living.
Located at the foot of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, a 3-hour drive southwest of Washington is Charlottesville, the gem of the Central Virginia region. Named for Queen Charlotte, wife of George II, it was established as a town in 1762 and became a city in 1888. Five miles away is Monticello, home of America’s third president, Thomas Jefferson. Close to both is Keswick Hall, a magnificent luxury resort situated on a 600-acre estate.
The Tuscan-style 48-room luxury hotel was originally built as a private estate in 1912 and named “Villa Crawford.” The home was eventually converted into a country club in 1930.
Keswick Hall’s property offers formal gardens at the front entrance, and a golf course with lush rolling fields at the back.
It was the beauty of the region and Keswick Hall’s appeal that caught the attention of Orient Express Hotels, a company whose commitment to the finest in travel is legendary.
Unlike the Inn of Perry Cabin, which has an informally elegant atmosphere, Keswick Hall would feel austere and intimidating if not for the luxurious style and comfort of its furnishings and the pleasant nature of the staff.
“The beauty of Orient Express is that you can allow your staff and your taste to come through; you can draw on the beauty and opportunities of the area and be creative,” says Anthony McHale, Keswick Hall’s general manager.
“If we get people down here, and they see the property, the game’s over. I mean, who wouldn’t want to stay here?”
“It has a landed gentry feel, without being stiff and formal,” the British-born McHale adds. “The beauty of this place is that you can either curl up by a fire, or get out and enjoy the outdoors. And there are a myriad of things you can do in this sleepy little country town, Charlottesville is vibrant and sophisticated.”
The golden-hued Keswick Hall allows guests the ultimate experience a country estate experience, with cozy public spaces, plush furnishings, and wood burning fireplaces throughout.
In “Fossette’s”, the hotel’s main dining room in the Great Hall, we enjoyed a combination of European classic recipes and excellent modern American cuisine.
For accommodations, we stayed in the former owner’s personal bedroom, the Crawford master suit, which is one of several of Keswick Hall’s rooms that feature large private balconies, where we enjoyed afternoon tea while overlooking the 18-hole Arnold Palmer signature golf course.
Many of its rooms feature canopied four-poster bed plumped with comforters and feather pillows, club chairs, hand-painted armoires, overstuffed ottomans, antique furnishings and fitted carpets with Aubusson designs.
Both Keswick Hall and the Inn at Perry Cabin have been consistently named as “one of the best small inns in America” in Andrew Harper’s Report, called the “ultimate travel guide for sophisticated travelers seeking candid reviews of enchanting luxury hotels, resorts and hideaways in the Untied States and around the world.”
And, as a result of such a luxurious experience, returning to reality after our whirlwind tour of these prestigious hotels was more than a little difficult.