For Immediate Release
October 6, 2002

Exciting Plans are Underway for a New Spa at The Martha Washington Inn!
Atlanta, GA
Recent discussions in Atlanta and Abingdon confirm that plans are now definitely underway to launch some improvements to the existing Martha Washington Inn.

General Manager of The Martha, Christopher Lowe, has held several meetings with local architects and designers to review plans for the addition of a spa and enclosed swimming pool facility that would offer services to both visitors and local customers. "The addition of a full service destination spa would significantly enhance the appeal of The Martha to year-round guests," says Lowe. He continues, "Time periods that will be particularly impacted are our slow winter months and our year-round weekday business travel sector".

The proposed spa will be designed to compliment the architecture of the existing building and will, of course, be subject to local approvals and permits. Says Lowe, "Although the addition will be relatively small in comparison to the existing Inn, somewhere in the region of 7000 - 8000 square feet, it is important to us that the building will reflect a similar architectural design as the existing facility".

Architect Daryl Johnson from Knoxville, TN, has been awarded the job based upon submissions and the fact that his most recent experience includes the addition of a spa to The Inn at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee. "We are very excited to be a part of these new plans for The Martha and are looking forward to designing and presenting a facility that will not only offer the wide range of services today's discriminating spa guest has come to expect, but will also give it the charm and sense of place that one associates with The Martha and Abingdon".

Initial plans will be submitted for permits and approvals before the end of this year with construction starting shortly after the first of the year and a scheduled completion in the summer of 2003. The facilities will include an indoor heated lap pool, Jacuzzi and steam baths, individual therapy treatment rooms, an exercise room with state of the art equipment as well as free weights and an aerobic room. A limited number of lockers and dressing facilities will be available for local memberships, which will at first be offered to President's Club members on a first come, first served basis.

Additional immediate improvements to The Martha will include the conversion of the former executive offices to a two bedroom suite, increasing the number of keys available, and improvements to all the guest rooms including new individually controlled heating and air conditioning ventilation units and new box springs and mattresses.

Ian Lloyd-Jones, President of Camberley, the owners of The Martha Washington, says "These capital expenditures demonstrate our continued commitment to the long-term positioning strategy that will keep The Martha competitive among those other facilities that are always increasing their appeal to the same customers." He continues, "The Martha enjoys a special place in the hearts and minds of the community, and it is equally special to us in our small collection. We remain determined to maintain the standards of excellence in service and quality of facilities."

When asked to comment on recent news about Barter Green, Lloyd-Jones said, "We remain supportive of any plan that addresses the needs and concerns of the entire community, and it is clear in the past that comments from overenthusiastic managers at the Inn may have been inadvertently misleading or misunderstood, or a combination of both." He continued, "We would welcome dialogue with all those members of the community with an interest in long-term strategic planning and the highest and best use of our somewhat limited resources to determine not only what might work in the future, but also to ensure that we preserve what we have now.

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