By Renuka Christoph
The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, GA is a quintessential retreat for couples, tucked away in a blanket of pine trees. The resort offers the perfect combination of rest, relaxation, recreation and remarkable dining, making it a choice getaway for couples.
Start the weekend off at the award winning Prunifolia Spa that relaxes the senses upon entry. Named after the Prunifolia flower, the 13,000 square-foot haven utilizes herbs and plants found in Callaway Gardens and Pine Mountain Ridge. The Spa has an exclusive line of luxury lotions, creams and soaps. Enjoy quiet time in the meditation lounge while waiting on a romantic couples massage and/or side-by-side facial. Afterward, keep the spa experience going in the steam room and sauna. In addition to massages, the spa also offers full service hair and nail care.
After a luxurious spa treatment, it is time for some fine dining. Piedmont Grille, located within the lodge, utilizes locally-sourced, organic ingredients. Recommended starters are fried green tomato caprese and She-Crab soup with Crème Fraiche and sherry. For an entrée, consider the Sweet Tea Roast Chicken, a Springer Mountain Farms Free Range Roast Chicken, served with smoked Gouda mac and cheese casserole and chefs table vegetables or the Piedmont Roasted Prime Rib with horseradish roasted garlic cream. It is served with buttermilk mashed potatoes. The Grille also offers a great breakfast buffet with made to order organic brown eggs, gourmet pancakes and build your own omelets. Or choose from a daily egg specialty as well as Applewood Smoked Bacon, chicken and Sage sausage links and homemade granola parfaits.
The Ironwood Lounge, next to the Piedmont Grill, has live music on Saturday nights. The rustic décor, exposed timber beams, floor-to ceiling windows and glass doors add to the ambience of this relaxed atmosphere. The outdoor courtyard adjacent to the lounge tops off a romantic night, where couples can star gaze while staying warm in front of the outdoor fire pit.
After a fulfilling day at the spa and restaurant, enjoy a quiet evening in a suite or guest room of the 150-room hotel. Every room offers a balcony view of the beautifully designed courtyard along with an inviting cozy, plush interior.
Bring comfortable shoes for some outdoor discovery. Exploration is endless upon the 6,000 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and forest land all connected by bike and walking trails. In warmer months, brave the Treetop Adventure, an in-air obstacle course with 10 ziplines. The Callaway Discovery Center houses an auditorium, an exhibit hall, an education wing and the Discovery Gift Shop. The shop carries unique gift items reflecting the setting of the area. There is also a free-flighted birds of prey show offered throughout the day. The Day Butterfly Center is a lush greenhouse, home to hundreds of butterflies that flutter freely in one of North America’s largest glass-enclosed tropical butterfly conservatories. The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens shares 36 holes of championship golf on the Mountain View and Lake View courses of Callaway Gardens. Activities for two, such as canoeing and kayaking reveal tranquil waters and quiet wildlife.
Located in between the Georgia Piedmont, the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Upper Coastal Plain in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens is a must see. Beautiful gardens paint the perfect backdrop for couples to enjoy the serene stillness.
Spend a decadent Valentine’s Day at The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens with one of the following packages.
Love is in the Air starts at $299 per night. This includes intimate deluxe accommodations for two, four-course, candlelight dinner in the Piedmont Sunroom, breakfast buffet in Piedmont Grille
Romance in Pine Mountain starts at $209 per night, accommodations for two, breakfast in bed, champagne and strawberries.
Deep Forest starts at $299 per night and includes intimate accommodations for two, breakfast for two and a $100 spa credit which consists of a couples massage and/or side-by-side facial available in the couples room at Spa Prunifolia.