Way Back Whensday- Nov 2009

Last November I attended the Virginia Music Educator's Association's Annual Convention, which was held at The Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, VA.  I had no idea this place even existed until a colleague asked me if I wanted attend with her and share a room to lower the costs.  By the time we decided we wanted to go the resort was full (it fills up within minutes of the registration opening) so we stayed at a Bed & Breakfast down the road a few miles in Warm Springs.

This place is very grand!  There is nothing around it but winding roads and woods.  You drive up out of the mountains and see this!

Under this portico is where you drive up, and the valets take your car.  

There are old carriages all around the property, from when they were used to transport guests.

The front porch where you can sit and drink the afternoon tea that is served.

This is the main Lobby with lots of sitting areas and fireplaces.  The carpet had large water stains and other marks all over it, I couldn't understand why such an expensive resort wouldn't replace the carpet!

The B&B where we stayed- it was featured in the movie "Somersby".  We had fabulous service and a very comfortable stay there!  It is called Hidden Valley, and it truly was!  There was no cell service and the little valley has a small river that runs right in front of the house.  It's just gorgeous.  The owners of the B&B bought it years ago and it was in shambles and have spent years restoring it.  They have a great picture book of everything they've done over the years.

This is attached; another little house where you can stay.

It is certainly a pricey location, and not in a convenient place for most of VA's music educators to attend.  Every 2 years it goes from Hot Springs to Norfolk, stays there 2 years, then back to Hot Springs.  I'm not sure why they do it this way.  It seems to me that a more central location, and perhaps cheaper for most people to attend would be somewhere around Richmond...but I'm sure they have their reasons for why they hold it at The Homestead.  I was very glad that I went, it was my third State MusEd convention.   So far I've attended NC, Michigan, and now VA.  I wonder what is next?