A Weekend at Graylyn

The impressive Manor House of the Graylyn Estate features 85 guest rooms and elegant dining rooms.

For some time, we’ve wanted to visit the Graylyn Estate in close-by Winston Salem, NC and selected Easter Weekend as the time to make this trip with two other couples. The estate is set on a 55-acre historic property. It includes a boutique hotel designed by Luther Snow Lashmit built in 1932 for Bowman Gray, Sr., the former president of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, and his wife, Nathalie. The 46,000-square-foot Norman Revival-stye manor house is often recognized as the second-largest private home in North Carolina, trailing only the Biltmore Estate in Asheville. The stone mansion features distinctive 15th-Century French-carved doorways and detailed, unique rooms, including a library with imported French panels. The estate changed hands several times over the years, including a stint as an academic psychiatric hospital. In 1972 it was donated to Wake Forest University. Following a $6 million renovation, the Graylyn Estate and International Conference Center opened in 1984 and is now a member of the Historic Hotels of America Program affiliated with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Our late-morning arrival precluded our checking in, but they gladly stored our luggage. Graylyn features a dedicated team of eight butlers who offer personalized guest services, such as luggage assistance and conducting tours. Brad, who was to become our favorite butler, suggested we have lunch at nearby Reynolda Village and kindly drove the six of us the short, one-mile distance in one of the estate vans.  

The popular Village Tavern turns out dishes from juicy burgers and tacos to fresh fish and steaks.

Reynolda Village was a very busy place on that Friday afternoon during lunch hour. Bart had recommended the Village Tavern and we promptly put our name in for a reservation, but were told we’d have a 35-minute wait. We spent some time in the interim exploring the shops (OK, the ladies went exploring and the gents found a shady bench in which to wait for them). The Village is a charming, historic shopping and dining district repurposed from the 1912 agricultural support buildings of R.J. Reynolds’ 1,067-acre estate. It featured boutiques, restaurants, and salons housed in original, renovated structures designed to resemble an English village. Initially developed by R.J. and Katharine Reynolds, the buildings once included a dairy barn, cattle shed, and post office. The Barn at Reynolda Village, formerly the estate’s dairy barn, is now an elegant venue for weddings and other private events. When our wait time was over, we enjoyed lunch in the bar area and appreciated the large menu of American favorites. A few of us ordered the Firecracker Shrimp Tacos, which were flash fried, tossed in a Sweet Chili Sauce with Sesame Seeds and served with Mango Cilantro Slaw. While I was expecting a rather spicy flavor, the sweet sauce tempered the heat. The tacos were served with Black Beans and Rice, all of which made for a hearty and satisfying lunch. 

The tub and shower color combination left a lot to be desired in Room # 207 at the Graylyn Estate.

The group soon received word that our rooms were ready and appreciated Brad’s picking us up to take us back to the estate. After a smooth check in at the Manor House, we were delighted to learn that our luggage had already been transferred up to Room 207, which directly overlooked the outdoor patio. It featured a queen-sized bed, a fireplace and two large, comfy chairs. The room was spacious, but the carpet and chair coverings were showing their age. Nothing, however, prepared me for the 1920s bathroom with its bare, console sink atop four metal legs and tile floor with grout that hadn’t seen a good cleaning in many a day. And, one large tile was missing just off the entrance that could have caused a guest to trip and fall. But wait - there’s more. The pink and green tiles on the shower walls were accented by a brown bathtub. Whoa! That color combination was downright unappealing. Finally, for nearly $480 per night, including taxes and estate fees, I think Graylyn guests deserve better than single-ply toilet tissue. There, I feel better now and promise that’s it, no more complaining in this post. 

Known for their intelligence and social nature, the llamas at the Divine Llama Vineyard loved to pose.

After settling in, we opted to visit the Divine Llama Vineyards located in East Bend, some 15 miles northwest of the estate. The tasting took place in a rustic building with a rather crowded bar area. As a group of six, we were fortunate that Heather was looking out for us and directed us to a private room for our wine flight. Offerings included Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay, along with red and white blends and a sweeter dessert wine. It was casual and cozy and we appreciated the leisurely pace and unhurried experience. Of special note is that this unique, 91-acre vineyard lays claim to being the largest llama farm in the Southeast, so after our tasting, we took a walk down to the pastures in order to interact with the llamas. The animals were super social, gentle and, while appearing somewhat “aristocratic,” they were friendly at the same time. And, none of them spit on us!

Despite my best efforts, a win just wasn't in the cards as we played the ladies in the Billiards Room.

With a busy day in the rearview mirror, we decided to have a relaxing dinner in the Graylyn Grill Room, the historic lounge space in the lower level of the Manor House. Originally used by the Gray boys for entertaining, this tavern now serves as a full-service bar for guests of the estate offering cocktails and light fare in an informal atmosphere, which includes a fireplace. Aaron took good care of us and we had nearly the entire area to ourselves for most of the early evening. We later explored the lower level and came upon the Billiards Room. This was a cozy, old-fashioned space in which to relax with games, including billiards and darts. Game on. It was the ladies vs the gentlemen and, even though they sank two of our striped balls by mistake, we lost the game when I inadvertently pocketed the 8-ball. Before turning in for the night, we came upon something I’d never seen before at a hotel - an Ice Cream Room. This unique, complimentary amenity offered guests unlimited 24/7 access to America’s favorite dessert. Located in a historic butler’s pantry on the second level of the Manor House, it honored Mr. Gray's fondness for a late-night snack, featuring various flavors in single-serve containers. The perfect ending to a fun-filed Friday. 

While others rave about Old Salem, we wandered around without finding anything to interest us.

Saturday didn’t turn out exactly as planned, although it started out just fine. Several of us first met for breakfast in the main dining room, which was laid out with white tablecloths and fresh flowers. The service matched the decor and the Omelettes and French Toast were excellent choices. We then drove to Old Salem, the historic district, which was originally settled by the Moravian community in 1766. We expected to enjoy a few hours of browsing shops and historical buildings, but, despite having a map at our disposal, could find nothing but one, well-worn, but empty store selling tchotchkes. After walking up and down and around the streets, we simply gave up and elected to visit the Weathervane Winery in Lexington to enjoy a glass in the sunshine on their porch. Lunchtime soon approached and we headed back to the estate dining room, which was followed by a golf-cart tour of the grounds, courtesy of our favorite  butler Brad. The grounds consist of 55 acres of meticulously maintained, landscaped, and wooded space designed by Thomas Sears. The property includes a pond, a gazebo, and a stone pavilion and is characterized by large, mature tree groupings and open, rolling fields, as well as bungalows and cottages available for guest rental.

The Downtown Grille in the very heart of Winston Salem offered a sophisticated dining experience.

Our final night in Winston Salem found us at the Downtown Grille, which had a very nice, 15-seat bar, along with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking their outdoor patio. The restaurant featured a stylish, intimate setting with good lighting and was on the ground floor of the Flow Automotive Building on West 5th Street. The restaurant relocated to Winston-Salem from Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2023 where it previously had a 28-year history. I’d say the move was successful as the food was pretty good. We appreciated the refined atmosphere with white tablecloths and large wine list, although our server could have been a bit more responsive. Our group enjoyed the Spareribs, Pork Chops and Chicken Marsala. The only drawback to the evening was that the I inadvertently left my credit card behind. Luckily, it was quickly retrieved after another Uber ride from the estate to the restaurant and back again, but...all’s well that ends well.The Billiards Room was occupied by the time we returned, so there was no rematch, but we bid the group adieu following some good conversation over a nightcap on the estate’s outdoor patio.

On Sunday, Graylyn’s Easter Brunch beckoned and we delighted in all the traditional favorites, which helped to fortify us for the journey home. It was yet another weekend to remember shared with good friends.

Until next time…safe travels.