History

Located on the James River, in Williamsburg, Virginia, the grounds of Kingsmill once served as part of the plantation life in the 1600s through the 1800s. Anheuser-Busch purchased 3,900 acres of James River land in 1969. Originally, they planned a large brewery. However, part of the agreement was to develop hundreds of the acres into a resort that is now Kingsmill. In 2010, Xanterra, the largest national and state park concessioner in the United States, purchased Kingsmill. I was eager to see the ownership difference, as Xanterra is proud of a commitment to instill integrity at the same time they lead in environmental stewardship.

Sustainability

Kingsmill dedicates approximately 40% of its beautiful acreage to environmentally-friendly initiatives. This has earned the resort a Virginia Green certification, as well as a listing in Preferred Hotels And Resorts as an eco-friendly hotel/resort. These practices include water conservation, a pest management program that minimizes the use of fertilizers and pesticides, and resort-wide recycling. The three golf courses are “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries.”
Activities

For me, this time, it was primarily walking. When you see the map of the property, it seems like you will never learn your way around, but you do. Walking is a great way. Whether you walk, jog, or hike around Wareham’s Pond or just walk the trails or grounds, you’ll discover so much.

Kingsmill also has a huge tennis facility with 13 clay and two hard courts and the clubhouse to go with it. Something I’m partial to are the bikes you can rent, as well as Skagway tours. They provide both an adult pool and family pool and they recently opened a “lazy river” pool for warm weather guests.

Now, what captured my heart, mind, body and sheer delight was the spa. It has been upgraded to a world-class facility with something for everyone. I spent a day there and felt wonderful. The spa feature natural products you may be familiar with, like Eminence, to perms that you can have at the same time as color, and natural nail polish. The spa manager, Shari McGhee, is on the “hunt ” for new products, and she is finding many. Personally, I feel it could be featured as a destination spa.  Attached to the spa are indoor and outdoor pools, as well as state-of-the art fitness center.
Accommodations

Most of the cottages are privately owned. Kingsmill is doing a great job of quality control in their maintenance. I know the resort will purchase back any that do not want to stay upgraded. Of our group of 80, everyone was pleased with their condos. The living room, dining room, kitchen, and bedroom are well designed and furnished. I slept well and that is always a good sign.

Restaurants

This topic always ties with spa facilities, as I thoroughly enjoy good food. The resort features The Bray Dining Room, Eagles, Regattas, The Mill, and the recently opened James Landing Grill. Both Norm and I were partial to James Landing Grill. All of the restaurants provide fresh, locally sourced cuisine to the Williamsburg, VA region, as they have many locally patrons. Naturally, I had to meet and interview the executive chef, Mark Florimonte. He brings such a wealth of talent to his position, I have great expectations for continued creativity and development in all of these outlets. They are all good, but I think in another year or two, they will rank outstanding.

Meetings and Special Functions

It is easy to see why this is a favorite for meetings, incentives, weddings, and various other special programs. With 17,000 square feet of meeting space, Kingsmill can do just about anything. Since we were attending a meeting, we also experienced this aspect of Kingsmill’s services. Its food prices for banquets are not as high as we’ve seen in comparable properties. This should make it easier for guests and corporations to stay within a budget.

The resort is certainly worth visiting, whether a family, romantic get-a-way, corporate retreat, or rest and relaxation. It offers shuttle service to Busch-Gardens and Colonial Williamsburg.  You could spend a day or two in each place and then enjoy the property itself, as there is so much to experience. I took a half-day and went to The Williamsburg Winery, which was well worth the time, both for history and tasting.  Kingsmill provides a combination of history and comfort combined.

Learn more at www.Kingsmill.com

If you would like to submit a guest post on food, wine or travel to Where and What in the World, I would be happy to feature your travel experience , drink, special wine tasting, or family or simply delicious recipe. If you go to submission tab, you will see how to submit, as well as have the opportunity of telling me if you would like to would like to be a regular contributor. When uploading a file for submission, you are also able to upload jpgs. Please feel free to put a last paragraph about you and a link to your profile. No html please. You can also include a head shot.