Chateau Lafayette, modelled on The Ritz in Paris, seems an unlikely addition to a Pennsylvania resort. But this is no ordinary spot.

A turn in the winding country road brings us to …The Ritz!

There is the sweeping curve of the famed building, there the long, elegant windows, the wrought iron, the grand entrance. The only thing missing is the ubiquitous midnight blue Bentley parked in front.

No, the famed Paris hotel hasn’t been moved to Pennsylvania, but a facsimile now graces the Laurel Highlands. Built by the eccentric owner of 84 Lumber Company, Joseph A. Hardy, Chateau Lafayette is only one small part of the extraordinary resort that is Nemacolin Woodlands. Continue reading →