Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Renovated
2024
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Luxe Resort DesignOutside the door
The house
Auberge CollectionHighland wilderness outpost
High in the Blue Ridge Mountains, vast forested wilderness surrounds a mountaintop lodge with an astronomical observatory and expansive valley views.
“The showpiece of this remarkable eco-resort is an on-site observatory, a giant silver, silo-like structure attached to the main lodge, with a powerful telescope.”
What it’s good at
Exceptional
Dedicated estate valets, tailored outdoor itineraries, and spacious suites dressed in custom Frette linens.
Exceptional
A 12,000-acre mountain playground with championship golf, fly-fishing, clay shooting, and an on-site astronomical observatory.
Notable
Cedar treehouse cabins perched over Dan River Gorge, alongside stone fireplaces and a gleaming observatory silo.
What they say
Two Michelin Keys
Michelin
UK Gold List
Condé Nast Traveler
2026
Also in AFAR.
The spa is another highlight, with a large pool that opens onto an outdoor terrace, and treatments courtesy of cult French brand Biologique Recherche.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Winding along the Blue Ridge Parkway, the surrounding highlands offer dense forest trails, swift trout waters, and quiet mountain viewpoints.
The rooms
Accommodations span main lodge suites with stone fireplaces, chalet cottages, and private cedar treehouses perched high above the Dan River Gorge.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
The heated indoor pool is enclosed in glass and opens onto a stone sun terrace overlooking the mountains.
The spa
Relaxation lounges look across the mountain grounds, and treatment rooms host sound therapy and Native American-inspired rituals.
Yoga and the gym
Morning yoga takes place on an outdoor platform overlooking the valley, and the gym looks onto the forest.
Restaurant
Leatherflower
Set beneath exposed wooden beams around a hearth, the dining room serves Appalachian dishes sourced from estate gardens.
At the table
Terrace tables look over mountain ridges, and the Stables Saloon serves Southern suppers in a converted horse barn.
How it began
French businessman Didier Primat acquired twelve thousand wilderness acres in 1977, developing an eco-minded highland estate before opening the lodge in 2009.
Good to know
Stay here
The Lodge at Primland
Choose your dates to see every room and rate, and book in a few steps.
Add dates to see the price for your stay.
Or book with
Booking.com ExpediaWe may earn a commission when you book through Booking.com or Expedia. It never decides which hotels we include or how we rate them.
The app
Like this one? There are so many more.
Swipe any city’s hotels and heart the ones you love. The app gets your taste.
Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.