Officials from Salamander Resort and Spa in Middleburg on June 20 made the announcement everyone has been waiting for.

The plush and relaxing resort sitting just north of downtown will officially open its doors in August 2013.

Times-Mirror Staff Photos/Beverly Denny Prem Devadas, president of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, gives a tour of the Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg that is under construction and scheduled to open August 2013. The luxury resort will include an equestrian center, hiking and biking trails, guided nature programs, cooking classes, and will be one of the first luxury destination resorts in the U.S. to earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.

Salamander Resort is set on 340 acres and is approximately 65 percent complete. It is only a 30-minute drive from Dulles International Airport and an approximate hour drive from Washington, D.C.

According to Salamander Hotels, it is the only luxury resort in the nation scheduled to open in 2013. The resort has already registered for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification.

Sheila Johnson, CEO and founder of Salamander Hotels and Resorts, made the announcement alongside Middleburg Mayor Betsy Allen Davis at the dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony for the town’s new water and waste water treatment plant.

Sheila Johnson, CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, talks about her vision for the spa during a tour of the Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg that is under construction and scheduled to open August 2013.

“When we open up those doors, I think you all are going to be absolutely stunned and amazed at what is going to happen here in this town,” Johnson said. “It is not just a resort sitting up there on that hill. It is a resort that belongs to the town.

“It will generate business for the retailers and help lower taxes from the spending of people coming to the town,” Johnson said. “When we open those doors in August 2013, it is going to be enormously exciting.”
The new plant was built by Salamander Hotels and cost $11 million. It has already begun serving the town’s residents and businesses.

Davis was happy the partnership has worked so well with the town.

“This day has been a long time coming and we are here to officially open our state-of-the-art water treatment and waste water treatment plant,” Davis said. “Several years ago after the Middleburg Town Council approved the plans for the Salamander Resort, Dr. Johnson stood up to thank the council and turned to the crowd and said, ‘I will not let you down.’

“She has kept her promise and this is just the beginning,” Davis said.