With new branding and memberships, luxury resort Nemacolin is thriving
FARMINGTON — If you are looking to escape the COVID-19 routine, Nemacolin is ready. The Fayette County resort has made itself a mini santuary city for the virus-weary, with holiday shows, club memberships and lots of precautions to keep guests safe.
Founded by Joe Hardy of 84 Lumber, the place formerly known as Nemacolin Woodlands Resort has undergone a rebranding and is now simply Nemacolin. Even the fat bird logo has been redesigned; the new bird is named Pearl.
With more than 200 acres, guests have lots of room to roam. Mystic Mountain, Nemacolin’s ski slope, is open along with its latest cold weather attraction, an ice skating rink.
“We have not had any incidences of the virus — knock on wood,” said managing director Trey Matheu.
When Nemacolin opened up after lockdown on May 8, infectious disease epidemiologist Gavin Macgregor- Skinner was thereto teach the staff how to disenfect, not just clean.
“We were one of the first resorts in the country to do that,” said Mr. Matheu.
Nemacolin is dotted with signage imploring guests to stay 6 feet apart and wear masks at all times. Before guests enter the property, a guard at the gatehouse checks the temperatures of everyone in the car before they’re cleared to check in.
Each week, 25% of the staff is tested for COVID-19. Nemacolin will also be one of the first hotels in the world offering testing to guests who want it.
“The cost of the rapid antigen COVID-19 tests will be $299 per person, and you can get them upon arrival or when you are leaving,” Mr. Matheu said, noting the tests will be available every day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Lodge is closed to keep guest capacity at the legal limit during the pandemic. Rooms at The Chateau start at $315, the twobedroom townhomes at $432 and the five-star Falling Rock at $504 per night.
Despite the pandemic or perhaps because of it, the resort has managed to thrive.
“This has been one of the best years on record because people are looking for that
escape,” said Christopher Baran, vice president of sales and marketing.
“We think it is partly because people do not want to fly and are looking for drivable destinations. There has been a lot of success in attracting visitors six- and eight-hour drives away.”
Nemacolin has 200 rooms but is using only about 140 to keep occupancy below 70%.
“Keeping our key count lower controls capacity in the spa and the resturants so we can space things out and do activities by appointment,” Mr. Baran said.
“That way we can sanitize and disinfect properly.”
The resort’s efforts to maintain safety have apparently drawn the eye of television producers. Nemacolin was reportedly used to film all of the latest season of “The Bachelor” featuring Matt James. It will begin airing on ABC in January. Officials would not confirm it; the resort has a policy of not commenting on guests or groups who stay there.
One side effect of the pandemic is a noticeable increase in room service. “It is
through the roof,” Mr.
Baran said.
Many guests are ordering from Nemacolin’s restaurants for in-room dining. They can choose from Italian at Barattolo, seafood at Aqueous, steaks at Rockwell’s and gourmet dishes from Lautrec. Vegan meals usually found at the Spa can be ordered along with meals that meet special dietary restrictions.
In December, the resort featured “Unwrapped,” a weekly event for the entire family. Friday shows included a charity presentation,
a light show, entertainment, food and drink, and a special visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus.
On Dec. 4, Nemacolin hosted three New York City Ballet dancers — Sara Adams, Isabella LaFreniere and Roman Mejia — who performed pieces from “The Nutcracker.” The night also included a presentation of donations to the Fayette County EMS and the Farmington Volunteer Fire Department.
Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir closed out the “Unwrapped” events Friday
in a show to support the Fred Rogers Center at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.
If you want to spend more time at Nemacolin, the resort now has three levels of membership like a country club — golf, resort and all access.
“The membership component is called The Woodlands Club and allows us to service those who are in the area and don’t need to spend the night,” Mr. Baran said.