Hotel: Oglebay Resort

Address: Route 88 North, Wheeling, West Virginia

Website: www.oglebay-resort.com

TraveLife ranking:

Rooms: 253 rooms and 49 cottages

Room rates: Packages start from $165 a night

Awards: The two championship courses located on the resort property, the Arnold Palmer Signature layout and the Robert Trent Jones beauty, have both been recognized by Golf Digest – the Palmer course earning a 4 ½ star rating and the Jones property being decorated with four stars. The Palmer course, in our estimation, deserves an extra half star.

Highlights: The golf courses are certainly part of the thrill of visiting Oglebay, a resort that is quickly gaining a reputation for its hospitality and surroundings. The public areas and dining rooms are all comfy cozy but each exudes its own special charm. The 16-acre Bissonnette Gardens on site are a restoration of gardens that existed here in the early 1900s. They are a real treat to wander. Oglebay loves children and offers a 30 acre zoo featuring some rare species. There’s also a 1 ½ mile train line and a discovery lab for kids to create things. Oglebay is a year-round resort and holds a world renowned light show each year that features 1.3 million lights and attracts over 800,000 people to the area. It is the largest light show on Earth. There are 14 cottages on the golf courses, which operate under the single name of Speidel Golf Club.

History: Earl Oglebay owned the estate the resort now occupies over 100 years ago and in the 1920s turned it over to the city of Wheeling, which in turn created this exceptional property. The Oglebay mansion was actually built in 1846 a remains a part of the complex – as a museum displaying period antiques and glass treasures. The greenhouse was also built that year.

Interior highlights: Wilson Lodge is the focal point of the property. Large stone fireplaces and chairs made of local wood greet guests when they enter the premises. Waddington House, built by the grandson of Earl Oglebay in 1974, is now used as an executive retreat that offers five bedrooms and provides meeting space for 12 people. This lodge-like venue is perfect for corporate functions. The resort’s 49 cabins are rustic to look at from the outside but their state of the art interiors feature soft woods, stone fireplaces and lots of area rugs to soften the surroundings.

The rooms: They’ve all been redesigned and modernized yet keep their rustic good looks. Cheerful colors and bright fabrics are used throughout. The bathrooms are spacious and modern and offer all the latest toiletries. Modern gadgets abound and some rooms come with Internet links.

Amenities: Golf is the name of the game here and both the Palmer and Jones’ courses satisfy a golfer’s appetite. TraveLife’s favorite was the Palmer layout, with its many elevated tees and wide fairways. The greens here are fair and exciting. The Jones’ course appeared to be having irrigation problems the day we visited but the well laid out course still looked inviting. Canadian golfers are being lured to Oglebay with golf packages that start at $110 per day, which includes rounds of golf on both championship courses as well as accommodation. The resort also offers a nine-hole course and the original resort course called Crispin. A large cabin known as the Palmer House is being built next to the course and it will be able to sleep 16. For those who don’t mind playing at dusk, the after 5 p.m. rate on the Palmer course is just $25. The Jones course is where the LPGA held a tournament annually for 13 years. The resort also features a small spa, indoor pool, Jacuzzi and fitness center.

Restaurants: Eating is a real treat at Oglebay. The resort’s award-winning Ihlenfeld Dining Room at Wilson Lodge is a grand room with sophisticated trim and a menu featuring regional treats. The terraced dining room overlooks Schenk Lake and provides lots of ambience. The GlassWorks Grill, also in the main lodge, is suited for family dining and is used to serve heaping helpings of the resort’s famous breakfast. There’s also the Piscine Café at the indoor pool where snacks and light fare is served and the Speidel Grill over at the golf club features a light menu.

Shopping: With Wheeling so close, Oglebay guests are offered plenty of options but for those who don’t want to venture off property, the resort has seven shops where rare glass and other area crafts can be purchased. There’s even a glass museum on site – this part of West Virginia is well known for that art.

Close by: Great natural wonders and special places like the Oglebay stables, miles of jogging trails and the Anne Kuchinka Amphitheatre where productions are held under starry skies.

Tips: TraveLife was told the light festival is one of the most spectacular events you’ll ever see. The event is held annually in November – this year the date will be Nov. 7. The Palmer course is worth the trip here alone. This may be Arnie’s best work – and he’s designed some great courses. Make time to visit Wheeling and its abundance of Italian eateries.