The Umstead Hotel and Spa

Rather than giving each other gifts for various occasions, Kendall and I usually prefer to go on a trip or some sort of adventure instead. Our most recent excursion is one for the books. In fact, we liked it so well, we went back a second time. (First, for our anniversary and then again for my birthday.) And as I’ve mentioned before, Kendall excels in finding fantastic and fancy accommodations. This time, we stayed at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, North Carolina. And let me tell you, it was um… amazing!

For our initial visit, I really had no idea what to expect. I left it all up to Kendall so that I could be surprised (and I didn’t want sticker shock to ruin my good time). After we checked in, I’m literally not joking when I tell you that I spent a solid forty-five minutes geeking out over the whole room. Seriously, you can’t take me anywhere. (And probably it wasn’t the most romantic way to start an anniversary trip…) I took no less than a hundred pictures, sent videos of the mini bar to my family and friends, and marveled at our extremely deluxe accommodations. Quite honestly, I’d never stayed in a room quite so extravagant, with a mini bar to boot, and I was completely enchanted. (Not even when I stayed at the Greenbrier years ago for a conference.)

After soaking in my surroundings, it came as no surprise to me that The Umstead has been bestowed the coveted AAA Five Diamond Award, and is also a Forbes Five Star rated property. The service is very friendly and helpful. The building and the grounds are beautiful, luxurious, and impeccable. Fine art adorns all the walls, and you can even go on a self-guided walking tour of their extensive collection. (Which I did with a glass of champagne in hand.) The ambience is elegant and serene with a nod to nature, that was not only reflected in their décor and art, but also in their sustainability practices. (Kendall nailed it – an environmentally friendly and fancy place with art. He knows me well.)

While I loved all of the above, one of the deciding factors for our decision to go back a second time was the cuisine. The food was phenomenal! The dining experience was one of my favorite parts of our trip, from the fancy table they wheeled in for room service, the scrumptious poolside menu, to the lounge where they had live music and served fun snacks while you wait for a table, and especially the bar dining area where they served me the best meal I’ve ever had in my life. (We didn’t make reservations at the Herons restaurant, but I believe it all comes from the same kitchen…) I’m truly not exaggerating when I tell you that the beef filet I ordered the first time we were there, was the best food I’ve ever stuffed in my face – bar none. (Sorry, Mom; your cooking is still great).

The other reason we returned to The Umstead, actually had nothing to do with the luxurious lodging, or even the spa (which I failed to make reservations for both times). Kendall and I wanted to take Olivia to the nearby museums in Raleigh, NC. We were blown away by the history museum we visited the first time, and had a hunch that Olivia would find the science museum quite impressive. It did not disappoint. Wow! If you ever have the opportunity, I highly recommend visiting the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the North Carolina Museum of History, and I understand the North Carolina Museum of Art is also amazing. (I plan to go there next time.) They are all free and you can simply walk in without reservations. (Although please consider giving donations.)

If you’re dreaming of a fabulous weekend getaway where you can (perhaps just temporarily) bask in the lap of luxury, eat delicious food, visit remarkable museums, and even get pampered at the spa, this is definitely a trip you might want to look into. So, break out your fancy pants and get packing…

PS: Remember the robe I’m obsessed with? Yeah, it came from here.

PPS: Yes; the slide show has a ton of images (43 to be exact), but I wanted to give you a good feel for our experience, and I had a really hard time narrowing it down to that, haha.

🙂