21 Aug 2013
Producer of ‘The Butler’ movie unveils resort and spa in Washington
BY Aoife Dowling
Film producer Sheila C. Johnson, who recently opened ‘The Butler’ movie featuring Oprah Winfrey, Forest Whitaker and Mariah Carey, has unveiled her decade-long project– the Salamander Resort & Spa.
The resort is set in the village of Middleburg – in the centre of Virginia’s horse and wine country.
Designed to blend into the countryside and respect the traditions of Johnson’s own nearby Virginia farm, which served as the architectural inspiration, Salamander Resort & Spa features 168 rooms originally fashioned by designer Thomas Pheasant.
Salamander Spa features 14 treatment rooms with private stone treatment terraces and fireplaces, while the locker rooms include whirlpools, steamrooms, heated stone loungers and experiential showers. There is also a detoxification Rhassoul wet treatment and a spectacular couples suite with private patio and hot tub. The spa, which is also open to day guests, houses an outdoor courtyard, featuring an infinity pool, private cabanas, whirlpool, fire pit and dining café.
It also features a 10-station salon for hair, makeup, manicures and pedicures, as well as a sun-lit fitness facility with indoor pool, cardio and weight room and movement studios for yoga and tai chi.
The area where the resort is set became famous when then-President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy began spending their weekends in the village.
In 2005, Johnson founded Salamander Hotels & Resorts to manage the development of the project. The company now also operates Innisbrook, Reunion and Hammock Beach resorts in Florida.
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