Slow Mornings at The Greenbrier: Coffee, Draper, and History

The Greenbrier rewards a slow coffee morning more than almost any American resort. Order coffee at breakfast in the Main Dining Room, then carry a second cup through Dorothy Draper’s painted lobbies. For a quick cup, The Greenbrier Gourmet & Coffee Bar serves espresso drinks and pastries on property.

Two centuries of taking the waters

Visitors came to White Sulphur Springs long before the hotel did. The resort traces its guest history to 1778, when settlers began “taking the waters” at the sulphur spring. A large hotel called the Grand Central Hotel followed in 1858.

The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway bought the property in 1910. In 1913 it opened a new hotel and named the resort The Greenbrier. The railroad link mattered, because guests arrived by train from East Coast cities.

World War II changed the building’s purpose. The government first held enemy diplomats at The Greenbrier. From 1942 to 1946, the resort became Ashford General Hospital, an army hospital that treated about 25,000 soldiers.

From 1959 to 1962, the government built a secret bunker for Congress beneath the West Virginia Wing. A journalist exposed the bunker in 1992. Guided tours now show visitors the rooms.

Dorothy Draper’s rooms

After the war, the railroad hired designer Dorothy Draper to redecorate the entire hotel. The Greenbrier reopened in April 1948 with a celebrated society weekend. Draper’s work became the resort’s visual identity.

Draper rejected the beige restraint of her era. She used oversized floral chintz, bold stripes, black and white floors, and strong pinks and greens. Every lobby and lounge has its own color scheme.

Her style is the reason a coffee here feels different. You drink it in rooms designed to be lingered in. After Draper’s death, her design firm kept caring for the interiors for decades. The rooms still follow her color language.

Where to get coffee at The Greenbrier

The resort offers a few distinct coffee settings. Each suits a different kind of morning.

Spot	What it is best for
Main Dining Room	Full breakfast with table coffee service, served daily
The Greenbrier Gourmet & Coffee Bar	Lattes, brewed coffee, pastries, and snacks to go
Draper’s Café	A Draper-styled room for lunch and dessert with coffee
In-room dining	Coffee delivered for a private start to the day

The Main Dining Room is the classic choice. Chandeliers hang overhead, and the service is unhurried. Order a pot of coffee rather than a single cup, and plan for at least an hour.

The Greenbrier Gourmet & Coffee Bar is the practical option. Stop here for a latte before golf or a walk. The shop also sells packaged coffee, jams, and cookbooks. Hours change by season, so check the resort’s daily calendar.

Draper’s Café pays tribute to the designer in color and menu. It opens for lunch and dinner, so treat it as an afternoon coffee stop.

Coffee in the town of White Sulphur Springs

The Greenbrier faces Main Street West in White Sulphur Springs. A short drive east along Main Street brings you to local cafés. These suit guests who want a cup away from the resort crowds.

Tootsie’s Place, at 728 Main Street East, is a coffee shop and bakery. Across the Board Game Café, at 698 Main Street East, pairs coffee and food with hundreds of board games. Both give a local view of the town.

Lewisburg, about 14 km (9 miles) west, has a walkable historic downtown with more cafés and restaurants.

How to plan a slow morning

Start with breakfast in the Main Dining Room around 8 a.m. Take your time with a second pot. Then walk the lobbies and take in Draper’s color schemes.

Mid-morning suits a latte from the Coffee Bar and a walk on the grounds. The resort covers about 4,450 hectares (11,000 acres), so short loops near the hotel are easy.

Driving in from the state capital? Our guide to Charleston’s coffee scene covers the city side. For another historic Southern escape, see our Cumberland Island guide.

If you go

• Address: The Greenbrier, 101 Main Street West, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
• Spelling note: The town is White Sulphur Springs, with “ph.”
• By train: Amtrak’s Cardinal stops at White Sulphur Springs station, beside the resort.
• By car: The resort sits just off Interstate 64.
• Breakfast: Served daily in the Main Dining Room.
• Quick coffee: The Greenbrier Gourmet & Coffee Bar, with seasonal hours.
• Bunker tours: Book ahead, as tours run on a set schedule.