Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / United States / Meadows of Dan / Primland Resort
Primland Resort
Meadows of Dan, Virginia, United States · Auberge Resorts · Grand Luxury
After dinner, Primland's observatory opens the Blue Ridge night sky through a research-grade telescope. Didier Primat developed this 12,000-acre Virginia retreat with days just as full: Donald Steel's Highland Course follows the ridgelines, while fly-fishing, hiking, and private cottages bring guests into the mountain landscape around Meadows of Dan.
- 54 rooms
- Opened 2009
- Rooms from 552 sq ft (51 m²)
- Architect: Donald Steel
About Primland Resort
- Accommodations include riverside treehouses on the 12,000-acre Blue Ridge tract.
- A research-grade observatory takes advantage of dark sky above 3,000 feet at Meadows of Dan.
- Entry-level rooms start at 552 sq ft (51 m²).
History
Primland Resort occupies a sweeping 12,000-acre tract in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia, near the hamlet of Meadows of Dan at an elevation above 3,000 feet. The land itself is part of the ancient Appalachian plateau, a landscape shaped by millennia of mountain farming and timbering before it was assembled into a single private holding in the twentieth century. The resort was developed by Didier Primat, a French industrialist and grandson of oil magnate Marcel Schlumberger, who acquired the property and spent years crafting a world-class wilderness retreat that would honor rather than subdue the terrain.
Primland opened in 2009 as one of the most ambitious luxury resort projects the American South had seen in a generation. Primat's vision was deliberately comprehensive: golf, hunting, fly-fishing, hiking, stargazing, and fine dining, all woven into a landscape that retains the raw character of the Blue Ridge. The centerpiece golf course was designed by Donald Steel, the distinguished Scottish architect whose portfolio spans two continents, and the Highland Course has consistently been cited among the premier mountain layouts in the United States, playing across dramatic ridgelines and through rolling meadows with long views down into Virginia's river valleys.
The resort's observatory, equipped with a research-grade telescope, reflects Primat's particular interest in astronomy and takes advantage of the property's position far from urban light pollution. Dining at Elements has long been anchored in Appalachian and Virginia terroir, interpreting regional ingredients through a fine-dining lens. Accommodations range from lodge rooms and suites to private cottages and riverside tree houses, each designed to place guests within the landscape rather than apart from it.
After Primat's death, Primland joined the Auberge Resorts Collection in 2021, gaining the backing of one of American luxury hospitality's most respected curation platforms while preserving the singular identity its founder had established. It remains one of the few American resorts where a guest can play an internationally recognized mountain golf course in the morning, ride horses through hardwood forest in the afternoon, and sit beneath the Milky Way through a research telescope after dinner.
The setting
Meadows of Dan, on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Virginia mountains.
Restaurants and bars
- Elements — Restaurant · Virginia Highlands and Southern fine dining
- Leatherflower — Restaurant · Farm-focused refined Southern, breakfast and dinner
- 19th Pub — Bar · Casual pub fare
- Stables Saloon — Restaurant · Family-style Southern supper with live bluegrass
- Laurel Bar — Bar
- Woodland Grill — Café · Grab-and-go sandwiches
Experiences
- Golf at the Highlands course — Donald Steel-designed 18-hole course through forests and valleys on high ridges at about 3,000 feet.
- Stargazing at the resort's observatory — Stargazing under the clear night sky at the resort's renowned observatory.
- School of Golf — Multi-day lessons with professionals at the resort's School of Golf.
- Hiking and guided nature hikes — Guided nature hikes across an eighteen-mile trail network and wider hiking trails.
- Horseback riding — Exploring the eighteen-mile trail network on horseback.
- ATV tours and ATV paths — ATV tours and paths through the property, offered through its outdoor activity center.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Golf
- Equestrian
- Observatory
- Sporting clays
- Sauna
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
- Kids' club
- Tennis
- Fine dining
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- Condé Nast Traveler Gold List (2026)
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
Open Primland Resort in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
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