Indiana's French Lick Resort Named Best Historic Resort 2013 by Historic Hotels of America

One of Indiana's own has received a distinguished honor ~ French Lick Resort, with its two grand hotels,
has been named the “Best Historic Resort ” after being awarded the distinction at Historic Hotels of America’s Annual Awards Program.

The Historic Hotels of America Annual Awards recognize and celebrate the finest historic hotels and hoteliers. The 2013 awards ceremony and gala took place at the historic Pfister Hotel, Milwaukee, November 21, where the final award winners were announced and presented awards.

Other Finalists

Castle Hotel & Spa (1910) Tarrytown, New York

Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa (1847) Point Clear, Alabama

The Inn at Furnace Creek (1927) Death Valley National Park, California

Jekyll Island Club Hotel (1886) Jekyll Island, Georgia

Ojai Valley Inn & Spa (1923) Ojai, California

Omni Mount Washington Resort (1902) Bretton Woods

New Hampshire; Royal Hawaiian, A Luxury Collection Resort (1927) Honolulu, Hawaii

French Lick Resort, with its signature West Baden and French Lick Springs Hotels, has often been called “The Save of the Century.” Local residents teamed with the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana and Indiana philanthropists and entrepreneurs, Bill and Gayle Cook, to restore the West Baden Springs Hotel, a National Historic Landmark, after an exterior wall had collapsed.

One of the largest private historic restorations in the history of the United States, the $500 million restoration and development project also included the meticulous restoration of the French Lick Springs Hotel, development of the French Lick Casino, restoration of the Donald Ross Course, creation of the award-winning Pete Dye Course and upgrade of the Valley Links Course.

About French Lick Resort

French Lick Resort is a $500 million historic restoration and casino development project that includes the West Baden Springs Hotel, French Lick Springs Hotel and the French Lick Casino. This premier resort and casino destination in Southern Indiana features 686 guest rooms and suites; a 51,000-square-foot, single-level casino; 63 holes of golf, including the fully restored 1917-designed Donald Ross Course at French Lick and the new, 18-hole Pete Dye Course at French Lick; two full-service spas with a combined 36 treatment rooms totaling 42,000 square feet; meeting and event space totaling 115,000 square feet (with an additional 56,000 square feet in development) and an array of dining and entertainment options. Visit FrenchLick.com.

About Historic Hotels of America

Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest Historic Hotels. Historic Hotels of America was founded in 1989 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation with 32 charter members. In 2007, Preferred Hotel Group partnered with the National Trust for Historic Preservation to grow and enhance Historic Hotels of America. Historic Hotels of America has more than 240 historic hotels. These historic hotels have all faithfully maintained their authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity in the United States of America, including the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. To be nominated and selected for membership, a hotel must be at least 50 years old, listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or recognized as having historic significance. Visit HistoricHotels.org.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel, food, wine and spirits columnist, freelance writer and photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic for Gotta Go. Read Infused, her spirits, wine & beer lifestyle column, at www.GottaGo.us and www.FoodDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Personal Lifestyle Adviser on Indy Style, WISH8 (CBS). Gotta Go is published on www.Gottago.us, www.BroadwayWorld.com, and in print. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Twilight Tours at West Baden Springs Hotel

West Baden Springs Hotel, located in the gently rolling hills of southern Indiana welcomes guests to mingle with ghosts during its Twilight Tours throughout the summer and fall. Costumed characters bring history to life with this year’s cast featuring two new figures.

The 100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking is represented by passenger Margaret (The Unsinkable Molly) Brown, and Caroline Astor. The socialite hid at West Baden’s luxury hotel during the scandal of her divorce from John Jacob Astor, who perished during the ship’s sinking.

Through October, Indiana Landmarks brings the period back to life on guided trips through the hotel where visitors meet costumed characters representing guests and famous people of the time.

Characters from the 1920s include: Col. Bliss, commander of US Army Hospital No. 35 (the Army leased the hotel as a hospital from September 1918 through April 1919); Walter Hagen, PGA winner at French Lick in 1924; Helen Keller, who attended the hotel’s grand opening; author Edna Ferber and Chicago mob boss Big Jim Colosimo.

Visitors also will meet hotel employees and entertainers, such as Mademoiselle Louise, the hotel’s resident palmist/mentalist in the early 20th century.

Tours last 75 minutes and ends before 10 p.m., leaving time for enjoying the moonlit gardens or one of the hotel’s restaurants.

Dates include, May 25, June 30, July 28, Aug. 25, Sept. 22 and Oct. 13.

To make required reservations and for more information, call 812-936-4034, 866-571-8687.

Photos provided by: Indiana Landmarks

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated columnist, travel writer, performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her new column, Infused, at FoodandDrinkDigital.com, as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC, and follow her on Twitter @GottaGo and Facebook. Gotta Go is published on BroadwayWorld.com, in M magazine and the following newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter.

Indiana Landmarks Seeks Volunteers

Volunteer opportunities at Indiana Landmarks campus

*** Press Release ***

If you have wondered, "How do I volunteer?" here is your volunteer opportunity.

Indiana Landmarks is recruiting volunteers, offering a variety of experiences appealing to young people looking for job experience and folks of every age seeking educational enrichment and meaningful ways to contribute their time.

The nonprofit organization welcomes those who’d like to know more about its volunteer options to an open house Wed., Feb. 15, 2012, 5:30-7 p.m. at Indiana Landmarks Center, 1201 Central 

Avenue. For directions, click here.

The center is an adapted nineteenth-century church which holds a 400-seat theater as well as the smaller Cook Theater and large reception halls. The building at the corner of 12th and Central is in the Old Northside historic district, a mile north of Monument Circle. Morris-Butler House, a restored Victorian site next door to the center at 1204 North Park, was built in 1865.

The 52-year old organization saves, restores and adapts vintage structures throughout Indiana. It seeks to enlist volunteers who will lead entertaining and educational tours of Morris-Butler House and Indiana Landmarks Center, walking tours of Monument Circle and other historic areas of Indianapolis, and motorcoach tours for groups visiting the capital city. 

Cook Hall                      Image/Indiana Landmarks

For tour guides, Indiana Landmarks provides a required six-week training course. The course covers the history and development of Indianapolis’s downtown and landmark neighborhoods, architectural history, and how to create and deliver a compelling tour.

The organization also needs volunteers to provide office and library assistance and help with the special events, art exhibits, and performances held at Indiana Landmarks Center and Morris-Butler House. Volunteers greet and direct people, answer questions, usher at performances, and assist in set up for events. Training for these volunteer opportunities ranges from on-the-spot to a few hours, depending upon the task.

In addition to training, Indiana Landmarks’ volunteers receive complimentary membership, continuing education, the chance to visit fascinating historic sites, opportunities for involvement in the development of new tours, and social activities.

Indiana Landmarks also needs volunteers at its historic sites in Cambridge City, Aurora, and French Lick-West Baden. To learn more about volunteering, people can attend the February 15 information session, or contact Gwendolen Raley, 317-636-5409, tourism@indianalandmarks.org.


Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated columnist, travel writer, performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as Indy’s Arts & Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC, and follow her on Twitter @GottaGO and Facebook. Gotta Go is published in the following newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter.

Paoli Peaks or Bust

Always ready for something new, I accepted an offer to try downhill skiing at Paoli Peaks. Since it would take care of No. 2 on my Gotta Go Do list for 2010 (try a new sport), I packed up some hot chocolate and drove south.
Situated approximately two hours from Indy, the ski resort was easy to locate and quite busy, breaking attendance records this season. Snowboarding, skiing, snowtubing and hanging out by the gigantic fireplace in the lodge are popular, it seems.
I was left in the capable hands of Mark Jones. Being the ski school director makes him the Top Gun of skiers, right?
For fellow first-timers, I’ve got a few tips.
First, don’t put your skis on while standing backward on the bunny slope. The gentle slope is just that…a slope. Heading backward on a hill is not a great beginning. On the plus side, you do learn the art of falling right away.
Next, when you lean forward like the Olympic skiers do, don’t plant your poles hard into the ground in front of you. It causes a harsh stop; trust me.
And last, never, ever direct your skis toward your very nice instructor before you’ve learned how to properly stop. See where I’m going with this?
Slamming into him is not great for a new friendship. He ends up on the ground, which is bad for one very good reason. Who is going to help you up if he is next to you in the snow? After getting hauled back up on my thin, waxed slivers, I peeked over and he was still smiling. Oh wait; that was a grimace.
Why do you think he was shaking his head?
The chair lift seemed safe, so I agreed. Then Ski Boy told me that I would have to finish going to the bottom of the very long slope to get on the safe looking lift to get back to the top of the mountain.
Really?
All the way to the bottom?
Remember, when you get on the chair to go up, you eventually have to get off. It’s not like a carousel where you can just keeping go round and round. Nope, you’ve got one chance and you’d better land correctly, or guess what?
That’s right, the head-shaking and getting hauled up to your feet again. The sky looked pretty good from where I was laying, but I had to get vertical again.
I opted to leave the outdoors to grab some dinner at 33 Brick Street, a local sports pub and display haven for all things Larry Bird: trophies, jerseys, including his No. 33, and signed basketballs. Their signature appetizer is Philly Chips. Handmade potato chips topped with all the goodies off a Philly sandwich is a great way to finish a day of skiing. You work up an appetite falling down all day.
Arriving at my deluxe cabin at Patoka 4 Seasons, I decided to slip into something a little more comfortable. A Jacuzzi.
Hey, snow bunnies need pampering.
The wood-burning fireplace made the cabin even cozier, even though it was roomy enough for eight people.
The Spa at French Lick proved simple to locate on the town’s main street the next morning. The beautiful resort also has a casino, but my mind was on my aromatherapy massage. The spa offers a variety of services, including hair, nails, massages and baths, tempting me to stay all day.
Aah, maybe next time. The masseuse worked his magic on my muscles, and, revitalized, my thoughts turned to lunch.
Arriving at French Lick Winery, I was pleased to find they had not only wine, but excellent food. Pasta with fresh-made Alfredo sauce, pizza with, you guessed it, fresh-made crust and pan
bigio, Italian country bread. Nick Doty, winemaker, took me on a private tour of the family-run facilities, recently expanded due to high demand for their affordable wines. Tasting-room guru Adrian shared wine samples. My favorite white was Traminette, which Doty feels could take top awards at this year’s competitions.
My last stop was Big Splash Adventure hotel and indoor water playground. The immense size of the water park makes it a destination hotel. With bunk beds in the rooms and a tropical paradise down the hall, it’s easy to understand why this would be a kid’s dream come true.
Driving home, I contemplated where I should venture next. Hmm, snow melts when warm weather comes, making it into water and…oh yeah, water-skiing. Maybe the lake won’t be as hard as a mountain when I fall.
If you have a travel location or event you would like reviewed, e-mail elizabeth @gottago.us. Me, I’ll be right here, looking for my swimsuit and flippers.

Gotta Go Links Guide:

Paolipeaks.com

Patoka.com

frenchlickwinery.com

Frenchlickresort.com

33brickstreet.com

Bigsplashadventure.com

Indianauplandswinetrail.com

This post was originally published under "Gotta Go!" in the West Side Community News in Indianapolis, and the West Indianapolis Community News.