This is my room, or at least the bed.  The bathroom was full of marble and a tub that I spent a good deal of the evening soaking in.  And the bed was nothing less than threadcount heaven.

We presented in the Tyler Room, one of many rooms named for former Presidents of the US.  Of course, you can also see, that even academics sometimes fail at labeling.  It's supposed to have read, "WV's Spectral Literature", but it's also special literature, so I laughed it off.  After all, I was at the Greenbrier. 

Here John and I are presenting.  This particular part is about the ghosts of Blennerhassett Island and the colonial period of WV.  A friend and fellow storyteller Danny McMillion took this picture for us.  Thanks Danny!

Here John is relating the history behind the Big Bend Tunnel and the Hawk's Nest Tunnel Disaster.  This part also involved the ghosts of WV's industrial period.

This gigantic breakfront china cabinet was on display outside the Tyler Room in the hallway.  It would dwarf anything I own.

Famed interior designer Dorothy Draper decorated the Greenbrier Hotel in the 1950s, and it definitely still shows.  This giant window is located just inside the front doors of the hotel, and serves as a breezeway into the place.

This is the main Christmas tree in the main hall of the hotel.  The blown glass teddy bears on it were the same size as actual ones.  I wonder how big the attic is that they store them in?

This is by far one of the prettiest rooms in the hotel - the Victorian Writing Room.  The gilt bullseye pier mirror over the fireplace is antique and has been at the hotel since it opened!

I know what you're thinking - but this furniture is actually quite comfortable.  I sat on every one of them to make sure, of course.

This is one of the many long halls that lead through the building.  You can see it leads through the writing room to the conservatory and beyond to the Ballroom, which was absolutely stunning!

The ceiling is white and pink plaster, with a giant chandelier.  Here its decorated for Christmas. 

The ballroom led on into the Princess Grace Room, which is named for the Princess of Monaco - or Grace Kelly, if you are into Hollywood's golden era.  She was great in "The Rear Window" with Jimmy Stewart. 

Even if you are not into movies, you have to admit she was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful.  Princess Grace and her husband Prince Ranier stayed at the Greenbrier with their children in the 1970s, I believe.  I may have the date wrong, but this room was redecorated in her memory, and this portrait was created for it.

Of course I could not possibly show you every photo I took at the Greenbrier, because I took over 400.  But here are some more:

This is part of the hall leading from the ballroom to the Princess Grace Room.  Each of these busts is a President, I believe, or at least a political figure from the past. 

This giant bust of Athena lorded over the hall outside the Conservatory, which was worthy of anyone's murder mystery involving a lead pipe and Colonel Mustard.

There was a large bust of Ares, god of War, located in the hotel bar.

These murals of American History are similar to ones that decorate the White House. 

This is where they normally serve afternoon tea.  Neat.

Here is John taking a break from the hike through the hotel.  The lights in this hall killed me!  Ha!

This mirror is in the main dining room - and is well over 12 feet tall.  This hotel is nothing if not over the top.

And to think it all started with this little sulphur spring - now covered with this federal style springhouse.  All in all, the Greenbrier Hotel is a very nice place - if you can afford it.  It is interesting because it is a grand old dame of WV, well worthy of contemplation and study.  While I did not find any new ghosts or monster tales at the hotel, I can only imagine that they are well-kept secrets, much like the bunker was that would have saved our government during a nuclear war.  OR maybe the ghosts were too snooty to show themselves to a commoner such as myself - who knows?   If anyone knows the ghost stories of the Greenbrier Hotel, please let me know.  I would love to hear them. 

Also, let me say that all the grandeur and luxury of the Greenbrier is a good thing, but I'd rather spend time with my comfortable old home, where we can all cuddle up on the furniture and wonder what needs fixing next.  It may not be marble, wrapped in 1200 threadcount sheets, or doused in the glory of royal visits, but its my West Virginia home.  Let me also say that places like the Greenbrier also serve not only as a way for me to revel in what I have, but also to inspire me to become more than I am.  After all, the Greenbrier Hotel started with a smelly hot spring bubbling out of the ground centuries ago. Hey, whatever it takes...