Georgia resort just earned one of world’s most prestigious hospitality honors
In the town of Gay, a rural hamlet about 60 miles south of Atlanta, a resort has earned one of the highest accolades in global hospitality.
World of Quercus was one of three North American properties added to the Relais & Chateaux association of independent hotels and restaurants this year. The international collection includes only independent properties that pass a rigorous inspection process for high levels of hospitality, sustainability and “sense of place,” according to a news release. There are fewer than 600 hotels in the world that meet this distinction, and they tend to be expensive and exclusive.
Quercus (which means “oak” in Latin), along with its restaurant, Uberto, is the only Relais & Chateaux property in Georgia, and one of just a handful within driving distance of Atlanta. Those include resorts such as Old Edwards Inn and Cataloochee Ranch in North Carolina, as well as Blackberry Farm in Tennessee.
The owners of Quercus, married couple Chiara Visconti di Modrone and Angelos Pervanas, sowed the seeds of the resort in 2020 when they partnered with the couple behind Staplehouse, Kara Hidinger and chef Ryan Smith.
The acclaimed restaurateurs now split their time between Atlanta and Meriwether County. Smith cooks a multicourse tasting menu at Uberto and the pair transformed Staplehouse into a much more casual counter-service restaurant, conscious that they were sacrificing a Michelin Star along the way.
In interviews with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, both couples at the helm of Quercus expressed a sense of validation about the Relais & Chateaux honor.
“It’s been a challenge, establishing a new brand, and especially in this segment,” Pervanas told the AJC.
“There’s recognition to it, right?” he continued. “Now this third party actually, thoroughly did its due diligence and agreed for us to become a member of this network.”
Joining Relais & Chateaux is a layered, secretive process. Pervanas explained properties must be invited by the association to apply in the first place. If their application moves forward, they are subjected to an anonymous inspection, similar to evaluations for the Michelin Guide or Forbes Travel Guide.
Now that Quercus has joined such a prestigious association, the owners hope for a little more exposure and to grab the attention of more far-flung potential customers.
“We knew Relais & Chateaux from Europe,” Visconti di Modrone told the AJC. She is Italian, and Pervanas is Greek.
“Here, it’s less known, but there is a certain guest that seeks only Relais & Chateaux properties,” she said.
Quercus is set on 4,000 acres along the Flint River. The property has been conserved as a ranch and private hunting retreat since the 1970s, yet has only four guest cabins. The resort is seasonal, so the cabins close in the height of summer. Its exclusivity is both its greatest strength and most formidable challenge.
Having so few beds contributes to the peaceful, pastoral environment and highly personalized level of service. But its relative isolation and high price point preclude many people from staying there, a challenge the owners acknowledge. A weekend stay in April costs $1,350 per night for each guest — inclusive of all meals, most activities and gratuity. Staff members are paid a salary with benefits.
Inclusion in Relais & Chateaux will serve as confirmation for some potential guests that Quercus is a worthy destination unto itself. But the resort is also working to become more accessible.
Later this year, Quercus will open four new guest rooms. And Uberto is now open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays, offering its unique, menu-less dining experience to an audience beyond guests at the resort.
At the restaurant, Smith’s cooking focuses on produce and meat raised on the property, making Uberto a “zero-mile, zero-waste” restaurant, according to a news release.
Smith has spent recent years working on fermentation and preservation techniques, allowing him to create dishes that would be impossible to replicate elsewhere. Imagine a dish that pairs miso made in-house from last year’s tomatoes with a fresh tomato plucked from the same plot that day.
Smith is able to work with Quercus’ farmers to raise the exact produce and ingredients he desires, much like vaunted restaurants such as the French Laundry in California and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York.
The opportunity to live and work so closely to the land in a natural, old-fashioned way is what drives Smith and the other partners behind Quercus.
“It does feel reassuring to get the recognition from Relais & Chateaux,” Smith said.
He said the process took time and required their team to submit a surprising amount of information to the organization. Then, there was the anxiety of waiting and wondering about an anonymous inspection.
“What I kept telling myself and my team was, ‘We’re doing what we’re doing and, if it aligns with what they’re looking for, then that’s great,’” Smith said. “We try to stay grounded, just thinking about how we can be better than we were yesterday. Not trying to meet someone else’s standards, but improve our own.”
About the Author
Henri Hollis is a restaurant critic and food reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he covers Atlanta’s restaurants, chefs and dining culture. As part of the AJC’s Food & Dining team, he reviews new restaurants, reports on industry trends and explores metro Atlanta’s culinary scene through the neighborhoods and people that shape it.
