Capon Springs: West Virginia Mountain Resort

Capon Springs and Farms is tucked away in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia, located less than a two-hour drive from Washington, DC. The 119 room all-inclusive resort is a wonderful oasis to relax and enjoy a wide range of activities like golf, tennis, swimming and their luxurious spa. This is an ideal getaway for a digital detox or family reunion. Here is what you can expect to experience at the resort!

Hampshire Building at Capon Springs and Farms in West Virginia

Nature

A bright green praying mantis in a flower garden


It’s always lovely to get a break from the DC beltway. There is little to miss about the congestion along the I-495 loop. Your blood pressure quickly drops when you leave that behind, and enter the serene landscape of the Shenandoah Valley. One of the appeals of Capon Springs is its picturesque setting. The property is nestled atop 4,500 acres of wooded land, dotted with rolling hills and fresh streams.

Capon originates from a Shawnee word meaning “healing waters.” Their spring water is believed to have medicinal properties. It was once even the official water of the US Congress! The water is clear and tastes great, much better than typical tap water. Capon Springs has no shortage of potable water and they encourage guests to take some fresh spring water with them at no additional charge. Pro tip- arrive with a few large empty water bottles to take some of the Capon spring water home with you!

The brick structure built around the spring to protect with sandstone rocks and trees in the background
Bell filling a large plastic bottle with Capon water from a faucet

Keep your eyes open for wildlife. We saw deer, chipmunks, hummingbirds, butterflies, lizards, and praying mantis. Capon Springs & Farm also have pigs on their property! The pigs are entertaining to check out as they stick their noses through the fence when you first arrive. They’re initially just as curious about those that visit them.

Pig pen with 8 pink and black pigs and the woods in the background

History

The property is family owned and operated, currently by third and fourth-generation family members. But the history of the resort and spring dates back much further. For history buffs, there is a rich history of the mountain resort. The first European settler to discover the spring was Henry Frye, in 1765. Over the years a resort popped up with guest houses for those wealthy folk from the city wishing to “take the waters”.

a little brick building where the spring water is collected and a tour group listening to the history of the water

The water was also bottled and distributed in places like Washington, DC and Philadelphia. While its medicinal benefits were touted a century ago, with the introduction of the Food and Drug Administration, regulators came down hard on spring and mineral water distributors citing health benefits. Now you can stop in at Capon Spring and fill up your water bottle for free!

Capon Springs Breakfast

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included with your rate at Capon Springs. All meals are available to be eaten as a takeaway option. You can take your meal back to your room or enjoy it somewhere on the property. Bell and I enjoyed a scrumptious and large takeaway breakfast one morning by ourselves on the terrace of the lovely Main Building.

2 photo collage; 1st photo, Bell & Alex selfie with pancake, bacon, eggs and toast breakfast, 2nd image close up of bacon, pancakes and garden view

Tables in the dining room are spaced out appropriately. Also, some meals are served outdoors on the golf course at Sunset Lodge, like their Thursday night BBQ steak dinner. It’s a gorgeous place to enjoy a delicious meal. It also makes for a beautiful venue for wedding receptions.

Capon Springs Rooms

Capon Springs and Farms has 119 rooms dotted across the property. Rooms range from private cottages to hotel-style accommodation in the main building. Some rooms have balconies and terraces, but private rooms in the main building do not.

3 photo collage 1st, a small cottage nestled behind a flower garden, 2nd image a larger house nestled in the woods, 3rd image a large house with a water fountain out front.
two photo collage, top image of the white wooded cabin with a chimney, 2nd image of the balcony overlooking the pool with alex looking out

We enjoyed the Honeymoon Suite for two nights. It is a standalone cottage nestled in the woods above the swimming pool. It’s a short walk down to the main area and amenities but provides the feeling of being tucked away. It’s a great place to enjoy your honeymoon, or perhaps celebrate an anniversary or other special occasion.

The cottage includes a sunroom, living area with a fireplace, balcony overlooking the pool, kingsize bed in the bedroom and bathroom. The room includes a small fridge and microwave, but there is no television. We found this to be a refreshing break from screens! So it is perfect for anybody needing a digital detox.

three photo collage: image 1 sunroom with a desk and floral couch, image 2 king size bed with floral bedspread, and image 3, living room with couch, rocking chair, fireplace and door to balcony

WiFi and Air Conditioning

If you need to use wifi at Capon Springs, high-speed wifi is available in the meeting room, which is adjacent to the main building. Wifi is also available in rooms in the main building.

Be aware most rooms and the cottages do not have WiFi and cell service is spotty. We honestly loved being able to switch off and be mindful about choosing to seek out WiFi as needed, rather than catching ourselves in the endless scroll of social media.

Air conditioning and wifi are not available in cottage style accommodation. So if you know you’ll need these, book a room in the main building. Rooms in the main building have air conditioning and wifi.

Temperatures cooled off enough at night that we were comfortable without air conditioning in the Honeymoon Suite. Especially with the ceiling fan above turned on. Lack of air conditioning could be an issue for some during summer nights when temperatures do not cool off as much.

Capon Springs Dining

Before COVID-19, Capon Springs offered the majority of their meals buffet style. However, now they have several ways you can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner. Most meals are served in their well spaced out dining room. A server explains what is on offer and then brings it to your table.

Alternatively, you can avail of their carry out service. Staff will pack your selection in to-go boxes and you are free to take your meal to an outdoor dining area. The staff are flexible about which option you choose and you won’t walk away from a meal hungry!

2 photo collage, image 1 is of scalloped potatoes, meat loaf and carrots; image 2 is of a table with a green and white table cloth and a green and white tapestry hanging on the wall of Capon Spring main house

At each meal, our server came to tell us what our options were and to see what we wanted. We appreciated the serving sizes that seem thoughtful to reducing food waste, but you can always ask for more! Staff come around frequently asking if they can get you anything else,

For breakfast, we enjoyed blueberry pancakes, eggs, bacon, grits and fruit. One lunch was a tasty beef stew. A carafe of fresh brewed iced tea and Capon Water is a staple of lunches and dinners.

Sunset Lodge Meals On the Golf Course

On Thursday nights, they grill a wonderful steak dinner at their Sunset Lodge, which sits atop their lovely golf course. In addition to grilled steaks, you can also add grilled ham, hamburgers and hot dogs to your dinner. With delicious corn on the cob, baked potato and salad, it’s a plentiful and well balanced meal. The fresh baked blueberry pie, topped with vanilla ice cream is phenomenal. This was the highlight of the meals we ate at Capon Springs.

3 photo collage: 1st image blueberry pie and vanilla ice cream, 2nd image steak, corn on cob, baked potato and salad, 3rd image, people eating at outdoor tables overlooking a golf course

They also typically serve Wednesday lunch at Sunset Lodge. Although with smaller offseason crowds, they’re experimenting with other ideas. They recently served Wednesday lunch on the terrace in front of the main building, a throwback to the 1950’s on the property.

Hygeia Bath House and Spa

Hygeia Bath House and Spa is right on the property of Capon Springs. Due to Covid-19, visits are timed to prevent guests from coming into contact at the spa. So we only encountered staff during our visit. Before entering the spa your temperature will be taken again. Before entering, stop and see if any of the hummingbirds are visiting the feeders they have set up!

We highly recommend taking the time to enjoy a 30-minute soaking bath. They have been modeled after the original brick-style baths on the property. This service provides you and up to three others in your group a private bath with waters heated to 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Staff supply robes, slippers and a carafe of Capon Springs water in the bath. You can choose various aromatherapies to be added to the bath, like lavender or chamomile. We choose a Capon Springs blend that aids in physical ailments.

We loved letting the jet streams pummel our backs as we relaxed in the private bath for 30 minutes. I had a sore back before going into the spa and felt so much better afterward, both physically and mentally. We honestly could have spent all afternoon there!

Alex and Bell sneak a kiss in the the private bath with brick walls and a window

Hygeia Bath House and Spa also offer massages by licensed therapists. You can choose a 30-minute massage that focuses on back, neck, shoulders or a particular spot that is ailing you. Or you can select a 60-minute full-body massage.

Amenities

Spotted across the property are hammocks, and benches often surrounded by flowers that are charming spots to relax and read a book or just watch the clouds pass by. There is a large library of books to choose from. And guests can choose from a large selection of sports equipment and games. So there is lots to keep families occupied with fun.

2 photos collage, 1st photo is of the library with comfy chairs and books; 2nd photo is of Bell lying in a hammock outside

Activities include ping-pong, basketball, badminton, frisbee golf, shuffleboard, tennis, pickle ball, hiking, digging for fossils, swimming, board games and fishing. If your catch is over 8 inches, the Capon chefs can even cook it up for your breakfast!

Oval shaped outdoor swimming pool, with deck chairs spaced out

The property is also well set up for a beautiful wedding with the option to either get married at the bandstand and have your reception at the Sunset Lodge or alternatively to hold your entire day at the Lodge. Either option would make for a magical day!

Bell kisses Alex on the check in front of a small band stand and green lawns

Capon Springs Golf

Sun rising over the mountains from the fairway of a golf course

Capon Springs golf course is gorgeous, with rolling greens and the Allegheny mountains surrounding you as you take in a round of golf.

We did not play traditional golf but did try our hand at fling golf. Fling golf is a cross between golf and lacrosse. The stick compares to one that you scoop up the ball and throw to your dog! You can play fling golf at the dedicated fling golf course adjacent to the traditional golf course. Experts can also try their hand at playing it on the regulation course.

2 photo collage; 1st image, Alex with the fling golf stick preparing to fling the golf ball down the golf green; 2nf image, Alex & Bell selfie holding their fling golf sticks

Fling golf is easier for most people to catch on compared to traditional golf. But putting in traditional golf is easier than the push putting of fling golf. Another advantage is the use of one lightweight fling golf stick in comparison to a heavy bag of golf clubs.

Check the schedule to see if a fling golf lesson is being offered. Or find Jonathon to get some pro-tips! We had fun flinging golf balls down the fairway and trying to land it on the green after a brief lesson from Jonathon. I holed a fling shot from around 60 feet away for birdie (one under par). Bell witnessed it, so it did happen! 🙂



Booking.com

Capon Springs Rates

American flag being held by a small boy on the pole, with guest watching with the sun in the background with green trees

Capon Springs all-inclusive per person pricing includes 3 meals daily and most resort offerings.  Golf and Spa services are available at an additional cost.

Weeknight rates start at $142 per adult per night, with a private bath. Weekend rates start at $202 per adult per night with a private bath. During Peak Season and weekends during High Season, rates are based on a minimum of 2 adults per room. A 2-night minimum stay is required on weekends.

Guests can check-in Monday after 3:00 pm. For those staying over the weekend, check out is 11:00 am Sunday.

Capon Springs Recap

Who is Capon Springs for?

The resort makes for a great city getaway for those looking for a digital detox. It is ideal for people wanting a relaxing getaway by the pool or spa. It is also great for those wanting to play golf and to stay active with tennis, badminton, swimming or nearby hiking.

Capon Springs is also great for family reunions. We chatted with a lovely family at breakfast who has been getting together yearly at the resort for many years. Lots of families return the same week year each year and stay in the same room. So it’s a bit like timeshare without any long term commitment.

Who is Capon Springs Not For?

The resort is not for people looking to veg out in front of the TV since there are no TV’s in any of the rooms. It is also not for people wanting to party hard since it is a family resort. You can bring alcohol to drink in your room on the property, but it is not for sale on the resort.

Hampshire County

An open train car crossing a bridge with a river underneath and mountains in the background at sunset

Hampshire County West Virginia is great for outdoor enthusiasts. The South Branch Potomac River offers outdoor recreation options in a pristine landscape. You can also enjoy the highlights on the scenic Potomac Eagle Scenic Railway. Pop into the Flying Buck Distillery to try various small batch moonshines. Read our article on Hampshire County West Virginia getaway tips to learn more!

Read more of our articles here like Washington, DC to Florida road trip tips. And our guide to driving from Washington, DC to Niagara Falls! If you have any questions on travel, leave a comment below or get in touch!

Spa at Capon pin for pinterest

Disclosure: We thank Capon Springs and Farms for hosting us and allowing us to cover the resort. All photos and opinions here are our own. 

Author

  • Alex&Bell

    Alex and Bell originally met while solo traveling after finishing university in 2002, in Brugge, Belgium. Alex grew up in the USA and Bell hails from Australia. During our nearly 20 year marriage we've lived around the world, including spending six years living in the Netherlands and Ireland. We have traveled to nearly 70 countries and enjoy giving readers authentic and quality travel tips. Alex is an award winning travel journalist and travel planner, who also freelances for other outlets. Bell is an award winning PhD scientist who currently works for a non-profit lung cancer advocacy research organization called Lungevity. Happy travels and if you have any questions leave a comment or drop an email!

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