Whether for a special celebration or a last-minute getaway, we’re constantly asked to offer up our favorite resort-style hotels that won’t break the bank. You won’t see the likes of the always-stunning Blackberry Farm, The Swag, or Montage Palmetto Bluff on this list. Rooms at these luxe lodgings are under $500 a night. (Yes, even on most weekends, too!) The extensive list of excursions, food, and amenities — some included, some à la carte — make these properties popular, so don’t wait to book!
Fearrington House Inn | Pittsboro, North Carolina
This historic farm outside Chapel Hill, NC, has earned the prestigious Relais & Châteaux badge for its luxurious rooms and trimmings. The 32-room inn is in a pastoral village with access to a working garden, dining options, a seasonal beer garden, a full-service day spa, and boutiques. As your wander the acres of brick paths, Fearrington ignites all the senses and is a great home base for a trip to the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area.
As you walk from shop to shop, it’s not unusual to pass some grazing cows and goats. Image: The Fearrington House Inn via Facebook
White Burch Inn | Clayton, Georgia
The moss-laden brick exterior and dreamy courtyard make White Burch Inn feel like a fairytale from the moment you arrive. The warm, mountain lodge-style suites have luxurious sheets and robes, canopy beds, copper soaking tubs, and fireplaces. Wake to chirping birds and fresh local coffee over a cooked-to-order breakfast on their screened porch or sundeck. Additions like guided fly fishing trips and on-site massages are easily booked with their staff.
After spending the day visiting North Georgia’s charming small towns, wineries, antique shops, waterfalls, and lakes, return to the inn’s complimentary wine and cheese service in the fire-lit lounge at 4 p.m. each night. Image: The White Burch Inn via Facebook
Greystone Inn | Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
Built in 1915 by Savannah heiress Lucy Armstrong Moltz, a stay at The Greystone Inn feels like you’re an intimate guest of your fancy aunt’s sprawling private estate. Each guest room brims with character. Some have fireplaces, soaking tubs, and lake views, while others have private entrances and waterside terraces. Dine at the enchanting restaurant or have the team pack you a picnic spread. After some “me time” at the on-site spa, enjoy the amenities at Lake Toxaway Country Club’s golf course, tennis and pickleball courts, croquet lawns, and new swimming pool.
One of the best guest experiences is the complimentary sunset cruise aboard “Miss Lucy,” the property’s famous wooden boat. Image: The Greystone Inn via Facebook
Nicewonder Farm & Vineyards | Bristol, Virgina
Late last year, we dove deep into this fabulous new resort destination that has already collected some shiny awards. With award-winning wine, vineyard views, and fine dining, there is much to love about Nicewonder. Book a spacious room in the 28-room main inn or one of the nine luxury yurts in the cozy Yurt Village. Wine tastings, infinity pool hangs, hikes, and axe throwing will whet the palate for a tasty dinner at the property’s signature fine-dining restaurant, Hickory.
The Bud Break Package,$450 a night, gets you daily breakfast for two, a vineyard tour with the wine-making team, a complimentary wine tasting for two, one dinner for two at Hickory, and a bottle of wine. Image: Nicewonder Farm & Vineyards
Windy Hill Farm & Preserve | Loudon, Tennessee
This new destination resort and upland preserve in Loudon, Tennessee, offers guests an intimate, all-inclusive experience across 650 acres of idyllic countryside. Any booking at the 18 accommodations — from lodge rooms to cabins — includes three meals daily at the chef-driven, garden-to-table restaurant. Pick from a slew of on-site activities like wine hikes, yoga, mountain biking, garden and orchard walks, nightly s’mores bonfires, summer concerts, cooking classes, beekeeping and honey tasting, clay shooting, and quail hunting.
Whether you’re there to eat or hunt, you cannot beat the all-inclusive prices (starting at $475 a night) of a Windy Hill getaway. Image: Windy Hill Farm & Preserve
Barnsley Resort | Adairsville, GA
Last year, we gave you An Updated Look at the Amazing Barnsley Resort, which also deserves a spot on this list. Perched on 3,000 picturesque acres surrounded by Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, this fairytale resort resembles a European estate with sprawling verdant gardens, stately architecture, and a storied history. While some may book a lesson with a golf pro, others may try their hand at Chef Javier’s Fire Kettle Cooking School. Enjoy the spa, taste all the dining options, shoot sporting clays at the Beretta Shooting Grounds, take a horseback or UTV ride, paddle the lake, and so much more.
Rooms at Barnsley Resort start in the mid-300 range. Image: Barnsley Resort
Pursell Farms | Sylacauga, Alabama
This boutique resort in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains offers bucolic serenity and unique amenities for every taste. For sporty schooling, tee off on the world’s only research and demonstration golf course, FarmLinks, or take a shot at the ORVIS® Shooting Grounds. If zen is more your vibe, book a treatment or three at The Spring House Spa, followed by a farm-fresh meal.
The farm is especially mystical at sunset, whether you’re watching from your inn room’s balcony, a fireside Adirondack, or a rocking chair. Image: Pursell Farms
Old Edwards Inn & Spa | Highlands, North Carolina
Another Relais & Châteaux member, this Carolina mainstay hotel combines wellness and rejuvenation with recreation and fun. It can be hard to leave the property, from the award-winning spa to the fireside nooks and the lush wine garden. But Old Edwards’ address amid the small mountain town makes it the perfect gateway to the region’s best outdoor adventures, shopping, and arts scene.
Pro tip: If Old Edwards Inn is booked for your ideal dates, check its sister properties, Half-Mile Farm and 200 Main. Image: Old Edwards Inn via Facebook
Fort Lewis Lodge & Farm | Millsboro, Virginia
Family-owned for over 30 years, this rustic yet elegant farm resort has mountain seclusion with all the modern amenities you could ask for. Forests, fields, and streams host ample outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and trout fishing. Then head to the treetop sauna or the pristine swimming hole for some serious relaxation. A farm-fresh dinner and breakfast (included with your stay) kick off and top off each fun-filled day. We included this in our farm stays article, which is always worth rereading!
Visit this 3,300-acre farm in the mountains of Bath County, Virginia, from April to October. Image: Fort Lewis Lodge & Farm
Cheeca Lodge & Spa | Islamorada, Florida
Cheeca has been a pillar of the Florida Keys community since 1946. Serious fishermen, Netflix film crews, and romantic honeymooners alike flock to this jungle oasis for world-class service and tropical scenery. When you’re moved to leave the pool or spa, they have fresh al fresco dining, golf, tennis, pickleball, stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, and water hammocks at your disposal. Book a snorkel excursion, deep sea fishing trip, parasailing adventure, sunset cocktail cruise, or guided jet ski tour.
The world is your oyster here! Image: Cheeca Lodge & Spa
Sweetgrass Inn & Boardwalk Inn at Wild Dunes Resort | Isle of Palms, South Carolina
Blending seaside beauty with Lowcountry culture, the Sweetgrass Inn (Wild Dunes’ newest addition) and Boardwalk Inn make Wild Dunes one of the South’s most sought-after coastal destinations. From the candy-colored boardwalk shops and restaurants to the sparkling pools and world-class spa, there is much to do, eat, and see here, no matter your age or interests.
Just 20 miles from Charleston, Wild Dunes is an easy flight or drive from most Southern cities. Image: Wild Dunes via Facebook
Happy booking!
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