Where to Stay in Asheville, North Carolina, for a Local Experience

Within walking distance of downtown, the Black Walnut was designed by the same architect who helped craft the Biltmore Estate. Original diamond-paned windows are among the many century-old details that you’ll spy in your restored guest room at this B&B. After dropping your bags in your room, join other guests in the parlor for afternoon tea and treats before setting out to explore the many breweries in the city. No matter how late your night runs, fresh coffee and a full made-from-scratch breakfast await you every morning in the dining room or on the covered front porch.

Get to know Asheville’s Montford Area Historic District with a stay at the Abbington Green. This charming B&B blends history, style and romance, with each suite featuring a king bed, fireplace and whirlpool tub. Extra perks include discounted tickets to the Biltmore Estate, a complimentary wine tasting at the Saint Paul Mountain Farms and a guests-only spa to make your first time in Asheville especially memorable. Also, be sure to stroll over to Montford Park to play pickleball or check out the annual arts and music festivals hosted there.

Why visit the Biltmore Estate when you can spend the night surrounded by such glamour? Treat yourself to your very own summer home in the mountains and freely access the Biltmore’s gardens, grounds, winery and village on a whim. All meals, including alcoholic beverages, can be delivered straight to your terrace room if you’d rather not saunter down to the Dining Room or Library Lounge. From the spa to the hot tub, you can take in the luxurious amenities at your leisure.

There’s no doubt that the historic hotels in Asheville add a sense of grandeur to the city, but for those seeking out a more modern affair, the boutique Haywood Park Hotel and Atrium delivers luxury in spades. Grand king suites pamper you with wide city views, large jacuzzi tubs and separate living spaces. At Isa’s Bistro, you can savor baked eggs, North Carolina chicken and french toast for breakfast, though grab your early-afternoon drink at Hemingway’s Cuba next door, with its roof terrace overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Sneak away from downtown and treat your partner to a romantic stay at 1889 WhiteGate Inn and Cottage. The WhiteGate signature treatment in the spa and the private two-person jacuzzi tubs and steam showers in most rooms offer plenty of space to relax, but the inn’s award-winning gardens are where you’ll find supreme tranquility. Visit one of the coffee shops in the area, and bring a latte back to the gardens while enjoying a crisp afternoon in peace.

With each suite containing a private bathroom, separate living area and fully equipped kitchen, you’ll have no trouble feeling right at home in the Windsor Boutique Hotel. Mixing rustic vibes with Parisienne style, the hotel’s adorned with unique artwork and decor from local and French designers. Whether you have a taste for fine art, chocolate or wine, the Benjamin Walls Art Gallery and Wine Bar in the lobby will indulge you for hours.

To state the obvious, the sweet-potato biscuits and other made-from-scratch breakfast items – such as vegetable hash and black-pepper grits – served at the Sweet Biscuit Inn each morning are simply delightful. This three-course meal is best followed by a long sip of fresh coffee on the front porch. End your day by sipping craft beer around the cozy firepit, but if you choose to retire early, the wood-burning fire in your room should do the trick.

Though not on the Biltmore Estate, the Biltmore Village Inn exudes the same elegance and luxury that the Vanderbilts’ private attorney embraced when he called this bed and breakfast home. Sleep in Mr Reed’s master bedroom and enjoy dual Victorian fireplaces, mountain views and a 300-year-old antique armoire. If you want to get a sense of how Mr Vanderbilt himself used to open his eyes, you should stay in the Vanderbilt room, modeled after the patriarch’s bedroom at his estate.