Georgia Gingerbread House Puts on the Ritz with Resort Rates from $229/N

In one of the more deluxe (yet priceless) holiday packages we've encountered, the Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Georgia is teaching families how to decorate their own gingerbread houses.

We love luxury and learning combined, so a chance to stay at this five-star resort on the shore of beautiful Lake Oconee, have fun with the kids, drop by the spa, and even take in some golf – as well as have a lifetime take-away in the form of cake decorating skills – is very tempting.

As one of the Ritz-Carlton chain's most family oriented properties, Reynolds Plantation has a Ritz Kids Camp at The Lodge open daily for ages 5-12. Activities range from nature hikes to fishing in the lake or making a pine cone bird feeder; rates are $85 full day or $65 per half-day session. If the weather is fair, you might use this opportunity to play a few rounds of golf. The resort has been recognized as one of the "75 Best Golf Resorts in North America" by Golf Digest and offers guests 99 holes of golf designed by four of the game's best-known architects, Rees Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio and Bob Cupp. 

If adults are interested in a quiet dinner at one of the resort's gourmet dining rooms, they can enroll their offspring in the Kids Night Out program, available Friday and Saturday evenings from 6pm-9pm for a $75 fee that includes dinner and refreshments. If the Ritz Kids Club is not of interest, pull up some Adirondack chairs and relax by the open fit fire, admiring the setting sun over the lake's wooded shore. Or, of course, spend time in the lobby studying the resort's oversized, intricate Gingerbread House, on display through January 2, 2010.

Locals and visitors are welcome to visit The Lodge's Lobby and see what Executive Pastry Chef Brian Sundeen and a team of pastry chefs and engineers took 450 hours to construct. The chef has christened it “The Biggest Santa’s Bake Shop in The South.” This year’s hand-crafted house is 9 feet tall and 14 feet wide, features a candy store theme and is composed of edibles, including Gingerbread Tiles made with over 720 eggs, 346 pounds of sugar, 26 pounds of gingerbread spice and 1000 pounds of flour, decorated with 400 pounds of Royal Icing and 800 pounds of assorted gum drops and candies.

If you can gather a group of four or more, book one of the new Holiday Tours for a guided, behind-the-scenes peak at the resort. The 75-minute “Deck the Halls Tour” ($10) includes a tour of the gingerbread house, a story read by Mrs. Claus, the chance to decorate a keepsake ornament with one of Santa’s elves and a visit from St. Nick himself. The two-hour “Jingle Bell Rock Tour” ($85) includes the above plus that mouth-watering cake decorating lesson, actually a chance to decorate your own personal, take-home gingerbread house.

During the special holiday period, there are still good value rooms, but this is a lovely place to getaway and savor childhood all year round. Through winter and spring until June 1, 2010, the Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation is offering a "Resort Reconnect" package that includes:

· Overnight accommodations in a resort-view, lake-view or Club Level guestroom, or executive suite.·

· American Breakfast for two which can be enjoyed in Georgia’s Bistro or through In-Room Dining, including tax and gratuities·

· $50 resort credit per day (not applicable to golf)

The starting rate is $229/N plus taxes and gratuities, and families may request a guestroom with two queen size beds to sleep four.

Another popular deal is the resort’s golf package "Fairways & Greens," which includes overnight accommodations, brekfast, and 18-holes of golf daily, including a golf cart, club storage, use of practice facility and additional rounds available on the same course, same day at a reduced rate. Rates for Fairways and Greens start at $299/N per night per room with one golfer and $429/N for two golfers sharing a guestroom. 

christmas season tours are available November 30 to December 23 from 10am to 4pm and require one week's advance reservation by calling 706/ 467-7048. To book the resort offer, contact your travel agent, call 706/467-0600 or visit the Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation website. The hotel is located at One Lake Oconee Trail, Greensboro, GA 30642, just 75 miles from Atlanta.