Golf, spa, wine tasting, nature trails, fantastic food and a lovely room – we found all the ingredients for a relaxing, romantic and refreshing weekend getaway at Chateau Elan Winery and Resort. Located just an hour north of Atlanta right off I-85, this luxury resort includes an award-winning winery that resembles a French chateau.
Some of my favorite activities included dining on the patio of Sarazen’s at the golf course, a magnificent massage at the spa, strolling through the woods on the nature trail and sipping delicious wines on the patio at the winery. The food was also a highlight.
A resort always wins my heart instantly when I am offered a glass of champagne at check-in. A memorable stay can rely on little things and this was one of many I encountered at the Chateau Elan. Other small things included fast, available elevators, instant hot water in the shower, a variety of snacks at the spa and the friendly staff.
Of course, without the big things, the small things are of little consolation, but the resort has those covered as well, including the gorgeous spa, delicious dining and a beautiful golf course.
Accommodations at Chateau Elan
Chateau Elan has 300 rooms, which includes spa suites and golf villas. The resort hosts lots of large weddings and added a Hampton Inn on the 3,500-acre property to accommodate larger groups.
Our room was decorated in shades of brown with gray walls and included a king bed and chaise lounge. The bathroom included a lovely bathtub, a feature that is rapidly disappearing from hotel rooms but one I always enjoy.
Our view included the large outdoor pool where several people were lounging in the black-and-white-striped lounge chairs in the warm April sun.
Dining at Chateau Elan
Chris held up his Flintstone-sized bone and gnawed on it after finishing the Tomahawk steak at Marc Restaurant, the chophouse located in the Winery. It’s touted as the most sophisticated dining option, but dress was fairly casual. In addition to a variety of steak cuts, the menu also has seafood pasta, Cornish hens and starters that include ahi tuna and mushroom ravioli.
Breakfast is available at Versailles Restaurant, located on one side of the soaring glass atrium. I enjoyed delicious avocado toast there one morning. The restaurant also serves lunch and dinner.
Another morning, we grabbed a quick bite at Le Petit Café, which serves coffees and pastries, and sat in one of the many cozy seating areas in the lobby to enjoy.
One evening, we ate at Louis’ House of Bourbon, a casual southern gastropub with green leather barstools and brown leather chairs where Chris could indulge in his love of a Classic Old Fashioned and I enjoyed a glass of the Chateau Elan wines.
Menu items include some classic bar items like chicken wings and cheeseburgers along with blackened grouper, beet salad and veggie burger.
On the day Chris played golf, I took a shuttle to meet him at Sarazen’s Bar & Grille, where we sat outside on the patio. We loved our lunch of a Greek salad with salmon and a blackened salmon BLT. I went wild and even ordered a glass of wine at lunch, a rare occurrence as it makes me sleepy but it was Friday afternoon and I really enjoy the wines.
Other dining options at Chateau Elan include Paddy’s Irish Pub, an authentic Irish pub that serves burgers, beer cheese soup and Irish classics like pot roast, cottage pie and fish & chips.
If you’d like to dine poolside, you can order salads and sandwiches from Le Soleil, which is open seasonally.
Breakfast and lunch are also available at Fleur de Lis in the spa where you can choose items like sweet potato French toast, grilled shrimp, crab cakes, Vidalia onion ravioli and shrimp and grits.
Things to Do at Chateau Elan
Whoever came up with combining a golf course and a spa in the same resort was a genius. While my husband played golf, I relaxed and enjoyed a fantastic massage in the Spa at Château Élan.
Despite only playing golf a handful of times a year, Chris is good at it and enjoyed his morning on the scenic golf course.
“It was fun to meet other players here from other parts of the country who were attending a wedding, along with North Georgia residents enjoying their weekly rounds,” he said. “The course is lovely, sometimes hilly, with some challenging water hazards and forgiving greens. Sometimes there’s a backup at first tee but that gives you more time on the putting greens and practice tee.”
Chateau Elan has 45 holes of course spread out over three courses, the Chateau Course (18 holes), the Woodlands Course (18 holes) and the Executive Course (9 holes).
I spent that morning relaxing at The Spa at Chateau Elan where amenities include a whirlpool, steam room, sauna, indoor pool, fitness center and an outdoor sun deck.
The waiting room had serene views of trees and a small pond. After my relaxing massage, I returned to it to sip on tea and snack on the five different snacks, including a yummy trail mix. I may have put a bit of that in a napkin to enjoy later, but don’t tell.
Another favorite activity was the wine tasting at the Winery where we enjoyed six pours of Chateau Elan wines while sitting outside enjoying the gorgeous sunny weather. You can also sign up for a Tour and Tasting if you want to learn more about the winemaking process.
We took the complimentary bikes out for a short spin around the property and walked on the Nature Trails, which took us through wooded paths and around a neighborhood by one of the golf courses. Other activities include tennis, pickleball and wellness classes like yoga, sound bath meditation, barre and dance cardio.
We found one of the most fascinating activities was not on the official list, but involved getting glimpses at some of the South Asian wedding festivities. After seeing many of the guests wearing colorful saris, we learned that Chateau Elan is a sought-after place for weddings and caters specifically to South Asian weddings, which involve several days of activities and can have huge guests lists.
During our wine tasting, we saw a large gathering of guests at the front of the Winery who then followed a convertible where the bridal couple was seated on the back seat, parade style, that drove slowly through the parking lot, accompanied by festive Indian music.
Apparently, this wedding started early Saturday morning and we saw a huge crowd on one side of the atrium observing some type of ceremony, which we believe lasts for several hours and involved melodic chanting.
Chateau Elan is a place to tie the knot or getaway for a romantic getaway, but is popular with solo travelers as well. Chris was walking to dinner one night when it started raining. He held an umbrella for a woman walking near him and she told him she was treating herself to a stay here for her 40th birthday. “It’s just me and the Lord,” she said.
Coincidentally, during our wine tasting, we chatted with another woman, who was also there on her own to celebrate her 40th. We told her about the first woman and where she was having dinner. We’ll never know, but hope they met and formed a lasting friendship.
– Jan Schroder, Editor-in-chief