Visit Like a Local

Written By: Luke Osteen | Issue: July 2023

Over the years, Tricia and I have noticed those winter articles in this very magazine about Old Edwards Inn offering special rates for local residents to get away, right here on the Plateau, at one of their internationally recognized properties.

But work schedules never gave us a clear couple of days to take advantage of their hospitality, and the prospect was shoveled onto our ever-expanding Bucket List (which includes, for me, Boxing a Kangaroo – How many seconds do you think I’ll last?)

So, you can imagine our astonishment when Marjorie told us that we’d enjoy an all-expense paid overnight stay at 200 Main, plus lunch at OEI’s exclusive Wine Garden! It was the equivalent of a company of angels launching into a chorus of “Hallelujah.”

And here’s the kicker – since this would be a review that would require a certain level of anonymity, the staff wouldn’t know that we were locals whose last getaway featured a Motel 6 outside of Griffin, Georgia!

That’s right – we’d arrive as out-of-town one-percenters looking to escape from the demands of running the world. (Fortunately, no one noticed that we arrived in a pollen-encrusted lightly-dented Prius).

Even at check-in, we began to feel the nonstop jerks and jabs of life slip away. Juanna, the Hotel Manager, who was minding the front desk was warm and equanimous and she gave us a great introduction to the concierge-level of service the place is famous for.

“Just remember to relax,” she told us as she handed over the key folder.

We remembered, Juanna, and it was apparent when we entered our room that every aspect of 200 Main exists to further that simple advice.

Our room was large (vast by the standards of Manhattan or London) and so comfortable – including a balcony overlooking Main Street and, this is vital, a fireplace.

I wasted no time in heading out to the balcony and enjoying the late afternoon sun and taking the time to truly observe the little comings and goings that animate my beloved town. This is the true beauty of the Plateau – the generous spirit of its people, extended to one another and to people arriving for the first time.

Tricia and I contributed our part after dinner, when we wandered down to the slate-tiled fire pit, so inviting on a spring-time evening still marked with a snap of cold.

We were soon joined in lively conversation with Bill and Edie Sarnoff from Cold Spring, New York, and Keith and Rebecca Reynolds from somewhere in Louisiana. It’s so easy in this perpetually stressed era to forget the sweet blessing of simply chatting with others, strangers brought together by fortune and circumstance.

Speaking of unexpected delights, I’d forgotten the decadent joy of sleeping in front of a roaring fire. The last time I’d done so was during the Blizzard of ’93. It was nine days without electricity and that didn’t seem as romantic. This was bliss.

And speaking of deep indulgences, I have to mention how Tricia fell in love with our enormous, have-a-seat-and-get-comfy shower. Paired with Molton Brown Mandarin & Clary Sage soap, Tricia rediscovered the delight of relaxed showering.

The next morning at checkout, we continued our charade as out-of-towners and asked about easy hikes and sights to see. Front Desk Manager Brandon gave us insider’s advice – take the Highlands Greenway to get a flavor of the town, visit both Bridal Veil and Dry Falls, and swing down into Horse Cove for a beautiful drive.

See, it’s those personal moments – from warm hosts like Juanna and Brandon, the people around the fire pit, and the Highlanders going about their business viewed from the balcony – combined with the luxurious amenities and appointments, that give 200 Main its distinctive flavor and ambience. I’m sorry that it took me so long to discover this.