If your idea of a romantic getaway with your significant other includes fun outdoor adventures (combined with a bit of luxurious relaxation), take a look at The Preserve Resort & Spa in Richmond, Rhode Island. The Preserve will spoil you with experiences at the most amenity rich retreat in the country. From clay shooting to fly fishing, horseback riding to ATVing, spa treatments to fine dining…the menu of options is extensive.
The thoughtful and attentive team at The Preserve will also work with you to create unique, unforgettable experiences including a five-course tasting dinner in a Hobbit House, a romantic carriage ride through the woods, a picnic in a safari tent, or a Bentley off-road driving experience, among others.
Try your hand at golf, fishing, shooting, zip lining, or more. If you are up for it, get ready to get dirty at The Preserve.
About The Preserve
The Preserve is a luxury resort with a small number of residences which include contemporary townhomes, spacious single-family houses, efficient tiny homes, and luxury condominiums. This resort is located on 3,500 acres of private land in Southern Rhode Island, surrounded by thousands more protected acres of the Carolina Management Area.
The Preserve is only 30 minutes from Providence and within a short drive from Boston, New York and major international airports. The Preserve is both a hotel resort and a membership club with a wide range of outdoor activities that appeal to families, friend groups, corporate retreats, and couples.
Plan a Romantic Weekend at The Preserve
Editor’s Note: I received complimentary accommodations, activities, and some meals as part of a media stay in order to review the property. All opinions are my own.
Thankfully you don’t need to take advantage of all the amenities and activities to enjoy your stay at The Preserve, because my husband and I aren’t what you would call “outdoorsy.” I love hiking and horseback riding, but hunting, fishing, and off-roading aren’t my cup of tea. But that is ok, because I’m sure you would need to buy a house at The Preserve, or at least a membership, to have the time to enjoy all the property has to offer.
With a rainy two night stay in April, we weren’t about to hit the pool or zipline, but we found just enough to keep us busy with plenty of time to relax at the OH! Spa and enjoy many delicious meals at Double Barrel Steak.
OH! Spa at The Preserve
OH! Spa at The Preserve is open to members, guests, and the local public seeking relaxation and services. With 10 treatment rooms, the spa has a full range of services including massage, facials, and body scrubs, as well as offering a salon for hair and nails. To get access to the spa, you can either book a treatment or purchase a day pass.
The 12,000 square foot spa includes hot tubs, saunas, and steam showers in both the men’s and women’s locker rooms. In addition, there is a co-ed area with hot tubs, relaxation loungers, and a cold shower. In the summer, the spa also has an outdoor pool. Just off this area is the small oasis dubbed the Lily Pad, where you can enjoy lunch from Double Barrel (while the cafe is under construction.)
My husband and I loved sitting in the hot tubs and relaxation room together and we even lucked out with a little wine tasting and charcuterie since we happen to visit during the OH! Spa’s Wine Wednesday event.
If you are seeking more than relaxation, Oceanside Medical offers primary medical care as well as anti-aging treatments, IV vitamin infusions, weight loss programs, and more concierge medical services.
The Equestrian Center
One of the activities I chose for our romantic getaway was a trailride at The Equestrian Center. For my trail ride, I was paired with Tommy, who must have been the tallest horse I’ve ever ridden, but was also a big sweetie.
While still part of The Preserve, the Equestrian Center is separate from the Main Lodge and I was picked up and driven over in one of the hotel’s Bentleys. The Center abuts public lands and has access to private and public trails for rides. Home to 17 horses, including ponies and draught horses that pull the wagons and carriages for guest rides, the Equestrian Center offers lessons, trail rides, and horse interactions.
Clay Shooting
My husband was excited to try clay shooting, since it had been decades since he last tried it as a teenager. He must still have some muscle memory because he knocked the first one right out of the sky and seemed to have a natural knack for finding his target.
Shooting sports are core to The Preserve, with a variety of options including hunting, clay shooting, and an indoor range, depending on your preferences. But for those that prefer shooting at clay targets than real ones, The Preserve has a 19-hole clay shooting course that is accessible to members and guests (for a fee.)
You may walk or drive along the mile-and-a-half wooded path to the various shooting pavilions. Each station has both open-air and covered positions, and six clay throwers, creating a competitive sporting environment. The clay throwers are automated so all someone needs to do is press a button (although yelling “pull” is still encouraged). The throwers, which utilize biodegradable clays, are strategically positioned and regularly moved to ensure shooters a variety of ever-changing experiences.
Other Activities at The Preserve
The Preserve is a four-season resort, which offers fly fishing, pheasant hunting, zip lining, rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, tennis, pickle ball, bocce, shuffleboard, archery, swimming, cross country skiing, ice skating, snow shoeing, ice fishing, championship golf, basketball, volleyball, lawn games, yoga, canoeing and kayaking, carriage rides, paddle boarding, axe throwing, ATVing, and even a Bentley Off-road Driving Experience.
Some of these activities may be included in your stay, but others are available for an additional fee. In addition, the resort offers a robust calendar of daily activities such as horse grooming and bonding, board games and cocoa, farm tours, sunset hikes, fire pit and s’mores, intro to pickle ball, and more.
The Hilltop Lodge at The Preserve
There are currently 75 accommodations at The Preserve and these are a mix of multi-bedroom houses, condos, townhouses, and tiny homes. During our visit, we stayed in a one-bedroom condo at the Hilltop Lodge with a woodland view in room 8428.
The condo was outfitted with high-end appliances including a full kitchen and a washer and dryer, making it perfect even for longer stays. We were welcomed with a selection of snacks, along with a fridge stocked with sodas, local beer, and water.
The main space consists of a living room, dining room, and a luxury kitchen. My husband used the large dining table to get some work done, while we enjoyed snuggling by the gas-powered fireplace on the chilly evenings. The spacious bedroom with a King-sized bed was adorned with personalized monogrammed pillows and luxurious linens and offered not one, but two closets!
Even the shower was roomy, with large Moulton Brown bath products and a set of waffle-knit spa robes and slippers, perfect for visits to the spa downstairs!
Double Barrel Steak
The Preserve offers a range of dining options, but only the main restaurant, Double Barrel Steak, was open during our stay. Other dining options are seasonal, such as the H2O Cafe by the main pool. But you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner at the Double Barrel Steak at The Preserve.
Double Barrel Steak is a rustic yet elegant restaurant located in the Main Lodge, featuring a gorgeous stone fireplace, wood beams, and spacious leather banquettes. The restaurant is open to the public, beyond hotel guests and residents, and offers some terrific mid-week specials including (when we visited) an affordable date night menu on Wednesdays and burger menu on Thursdays.
The menu itself is New American, with strong classic steakhouse vibes featuring dry-aged steaks and hearty cuts of fish, but there are some unexpected surprises. For lunch, we tried the burger, chicken sandwich, and caesar salad and all were great and hearty portions.
On our first night, we split a tomahawk steak for dinner and even then we had plenty to take home. The char was perfect and the dry-aged beef was tender and flavorful, with a dramatic presentation on the bone, surrounded by grilled rosemary. Double Barrel certainly knows how to make an impression! On the second evening, we shared the bacon clothesline appetizer, which features thick-cut bacon hanging from a clothesline and is finished by grilling with a torch at the table.
With such a decadent starter, I finished with the delicate lobster dumplings and my husband had the scallop risotto, and both were truly delicious.
Hobbit Houses
As I mentioned above, The Preserve has many opportunities to arrange special and truly unique experiences including a five-course tasting dinner with bourbon pairings at The Preserve’s very own Maker’s Mark Hobbit Houses. This is still on my bucket list but there are currently three Hobbit Houses, with one more, two-story Hobbit House, currently under construction.
These unique buildings are used to host these special dinners for two to ten people, or can be booked for photo sessions. It is the perfect treat for any Lord of the Rings fan!
You will not be bored on a romantic getaway to The Preserve and you may just find some new experiences to bond over!
SOURCE: Your Time of Fly - Tamara Gruber
