Southern Hospitality

Sheila Johnson’s Salamander Hotels & Resorts Is Welcoming Guests And Ringing Up Profits From Virginia To Florida As It Redefines What It Means To Own And Operate Luxury Properties.

- Alisa Gumbs

WALKING THROUGH THE DOORS OF THE SALAMANDER Resort & Spa in Middleburg, Virginia, feels less like checking into a hotel than akin to visiting an old family estate in the countryside. Equestrian touches everywhere allude to the horse country provenance of the region, the lush garden surroundings tucked into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains entice you to sit for a spell on one of the overstuffed window seats, and the library is stocked with classic books befitting the quaint historic town—or with a chess set and a roaring fire, if you prefer.

It’s no accident that the resort feels welcoming and homey in the most luxurious way. The personal stamp of owner Sheila Johnson and her exquisite attention to detail are everywhere.

“I knew what I wanted my clients to feel when they came through the door. It’s welcome home, welcome to my home,” Johnson says. “And in every single one of our resorts, I want to be able to project that and have the Sheila Johnson thumbprint on every one of my properties.”