Barnsley Gardens Resort

The tale sounds like something out of a romance novel. In the 1840's, a wealthy shipping magnate decides to build his young wife a luxurious manor house in the foothills of Georgia's picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains. But before he can complete the project, the wife dies and the grief-stricken husband halts construction. Though it is eventually finished, civil war, a tornado, and decades of neglect combine to leave the property in ruins.

Enter German prince Hubertus Fugger, who purchases the estate in the 1980's, restores the house and gardens, and converts the property into a luxury retreat, complete with charming cottages, world-class restaurants, and loads of natural space in which to enjoy horseback riding, fly fishing, and championship golf.

From the antique-filled suites with wood-burning fireplaces to the gourmet Rice House restaurant featuring prime beef, fresh fish and wild game, Barnsley Gardens offers an experience in sumptuous country living that simply can't be beat.