There’s a New All-Inclusive Luxurious Resort in a Tiny City in Georgia—The place Wellness and Meals Take Middle Stage

Earlier than I arrived at Quercus, a resort within the 129-person city of Homosexual, Georgia, I believed I had a good concept of what I might count on. I used to be ready to check it to different high-end Southern properties—The Swags and the Outdated Edwards Inns of the world. I figured it could be considerate and well-executed, someplace I’d really feel comfy recommending even to probably the most discerning of vacationers.

Whereas these preliminary assumptions had been correct, it’s troublesome, if not inconceivable, to juxtapose Quercus with another resort within the South. Sure, the standalone cabins are harking back to these at North Carolina’s Cataloochee Ranch, and the give attention to nourishing friends with farm-fresh substances is akin to the ethos of Tennessee’s Blackberry Farm. The standard of the linens, the surprise-and-delight moments (like a Hatch sound machine beside the mattress), and the variety of cozy studying corners are equal to these related to five-star resorts, like Montage Palmetto Bluff or Sea Island. I might even argue that there are components to the wellness choices that really feel on model for Miraval Austin.

However the reality is, Quercus is unprecedented in identification and presentation. It’s a singular idea, one helmed by Chiara Visconti di Modrone and her husband Angelos Pervanas, who’re deeply enthusiastic about their roles as stewards of the land and creating a restorative retreat that blends “conventional ranch tradition and Southern hospitality with a European aptitude.” Along with chef Ryan Smith and Kara Hidinger, house owners of Staplehouse, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Atlanta, they’ve constructed an all-inclusive resort that left me with a newfound understanding of my well being, a deeper appreciation of a very good night time’s sleep, and the belief that there’s a distinction between leisure and restoration (although I skilled each throughout my two-night keep).

Positioned about an hour south of Hartsfield-Jackson, the three,800-acre property—crammed with pecan groves, pastures, forests, and lakes—is rooted in Visconti di Modrone’s household historical past. The land was bought by her mother and father, an Italian duke and duchess, within the late Nineteen Seventies. For the previous few a long time, it’s served as a searching reserve, a working farm, and a cattle and horse ranch. It wasn’t till the pandemic, when Visconti di Modrone and Pervanas started discussing regenerative farming with Hidinger and Smith, that this concept of an in a single day retreat started to kind.

Opened within the fall of 2024, “the World of Quercus,” composed of 4 visitor cabins, a biodynamic vegetable backyard, a farm-to-table restaurant, a restored farmhouse, and infinite methods to benefit from the outdoor, is the kind of vacation spot that has the power to shift into no matter kind of retreat you want. Visconti di Modrone and Pervanas hope that their friends depart feeling “nurtured and re-energized, each bodily and mentally,” and so they’ve offered a number of methods to realize that purpose.

Whether or not you e book a one-on-one holistic wellness session with Visconti di Modrone (who additionally based the corporate Intuitas Integrative Wellness), bask in an in-suite therapeutic massage, take a look at your hand-eye coordination at a close-by sporting clay course, or get pleasure from a leisurely lunch in your outsized porch swing ready contemporary by Smith himself, it’s inconceivable to drive away from the property in the identical headspace as while you arrived.

Learn on for my full evaluation of Quercus.

The Rooms

With “Quercus” being the Latin identify for “oak,” it’s no shock to be taught that the 4 visitor cabins, starting from one to 2 bedrooms, share a nature-inspired naming system. Cypress, Ember, Naya, and Sylva are all designed by Tammy Connor, however there’s a shared throughline of bespoke class and sheer consolation, accented by books, art work, and different furnishings and heirlooms owned by the Visconti di Modrone household (some items even date again to the Crusades).

The cabins are as spacious as they arrive. Each is tucked into its personal little non-public nook on the property, which friends entry by way of an all-terrain golf cart; you’re principally staying in your individual home-away-from-home, as clichéd because the phrase could also be. There’s an outside hearth and indoor wood-burning range in the lounge with all the required supplies and instruments to gentle them, a wraparound porch, a kitchenette and eating space, a powder room, a main bedroom outfitted with blackout curtains, and an ensuite toilet with a soaking tub and a walk-in bathe.

Each inch of the house, from the natural mattresses to the cabinets stocked with home made snacks and a choice of natural teas, anticipates the wants of the friends. The espresso maker comes with detailed directions, the bathtub towels are plentiful, and also you even get a little bit pouch of sunscreen and lip balm you possibly can take with you on the finish of your keep. There’s no TV, however you received’t miss it. In case you do have to examine in with the surface world, there’s robust WiFi at your disposal.

Meals and Drink

When requested about their imaginative and prescient for Quercus, Visconti di Modrone and Pervanas talked about making a “high-level culinary expertise that nurtures the physique.” Chef Smith and Hidinger have introduced that concept to fruition, creating an revolutionary meals and beverage program that leverages native substances and the fruits of the backyard to gas friends all through their keep.

All meals are included within the nightly charge, and there are a number of the way to benefit from the delicacies ready by Smith and his group. Breakfast will be hand-delivered to your suite, and you’ll go for a picnic lunch for on-the-go comfort. Don’t count on commonplace eggs-and-bacon or sandwich-and-an-apple mixtures, although. No matter is rising within the backyard conjures up Smith’s menus. And, given the restricted variety of friends on property at any given time, it feels as if he’s whipped up your individual private gourmand unfold, all made with any dietary restrictions in thoughts.

You too can select to take meals or seize a day cocktail inside The Principal Cottage, a restored farmhouse full with an enthralling library and porch, that sits subsequent to Uberto, Quercus’ 30-seat farm-to-table restaurant named after Visconti di Modrone’s late father.

Uberto’s multi-course tasting menus are devised by Smith and supplied solely on Fridays and Saturdays. The precise make-up of the meal is dynamic, nevertheless it’s clear Smith has perfected the artwork of impressing his friends each visually and gustatorily. One dinner at Uberto is included in your keep; different dinners, whereas not as extravagant, are equally entertaining (and scrumptious). The signature chef-guided hotpot expertise, which I can’t advocate sufficient, is the proper introduction to the kind of creative, ingredient-forward delicacies Quercus is adamant on serving. On the night time of my arrival, Smith and Hidinger welcomed me to my suite, armed with platters of rice, kimchi, broth, and greens and different greens.

Actions and Experiences

The kind of individualized service you possibly can count on from the culinary facet of issues can also be mirrored in different areas of the Quercus expertise. Forward of your arrival, you’ll obtain an e mail asking you to share your preferences on your itinerary. Obtainable actions embrace guided fishing or kayaking on the Flint River, an academic tour of the on-site biodynamic farm, rucking (mountaineering across the property with a weighted backpack), clay taking pictures, and liberty coaching with horses. I opted for the latter two, spending one morning maneuvering via the programs at neighboring Massive Crimson Oak Plantation and a day studying the ins and outs of bonding with horses.

The exercise that had the most important influence on me, nevertheless, was my session with Visconti di Modrone. After dropping her brother to most cancers and her mother and father quickly after, she immersed herself on the earth of vitamin and preventative well being. The journey led her to develop The Visconti Methodology, a 12-week program to “empower girls dwelling with the worry of most cancers.”

She and I spoke about my very own well being issues and targets, and we touched on meals and sleep and the position they play in wellness, significantly for girls. As a journey author on the highway a number of occasions a month, I discover it troublesome to eat in-season and prioritize sleep on a regular basis, however along with her approachable, actionable recommendation, I left our session feeling empowered and excited to evaluation my personalised well being plan she developed.

The Spa

Visconti di Modrone and Pervanas are wanting ahead to “making a wellness program that aligns with [their] methods of dwelling off the land,” with plans to start development on a separate spa—that includes a sauna, chilly plunge, and therapeutic massage rooms—this coming fall. For now, friends have the choice to e book an in-suite therapeutic massage or non-public yoga session.

Accessibility and Sustainability

The Principal Cottage and Uberto are wheelchair accessible, however the completion of the ADA-compliant suite has been delayed.

Sustainability and eco-conscious efforts play a major position at Quercus. The property largely makes use of solar energy, and Visconti di Modrone and Pervanas shared with Journey + Leisure, “all elements of rising our meals and livestock, together with compost manufacturing, minimizing plastic, and meals preparation (the place, for instance, each element of the plant is used),” are sustainably-minded as effectively.

Household-friendly Choices

Quercus is a 16-and-up property. Whereas there aren’t any teen-specific actions, the group can definitely assist design an itinerary that retains youthful friends entertained.

Location

The small city of Homosexual is positioned 3 miles east of the Flint River and about 53 miles south of downtown Atlanta. Exterior of Quercus, its major attraction is Towerhouse Farm Brewery, a taproom and biergarten that’s only a brief stroll from the resort.

The best way to Get the Most Worth

All meals and snacks, drinks (each alcoholic and non-alcoholic) within the suites, and sure actions and gratuities are included within the charge. Examine-in is barely accessible Thursday via Sunday, with a minimal keep of 1 night time and a most keep of 4 nights. Have in mind, Quercus is closed throughout the summer time months, from the start of June till early September.

Nightly charges at Quercus are $1,350 per individual.

Each T+L resort evaluation is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed on the property, and every resort chosen aligns with our core values.