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The Asheville area has a nice mix of B&Bs, motels, and small, owner-operated inns. There are nearly 50 B&Bs in the Asheville area, one of the largest concentrations in the South. Most are in the Montford area near downtown and the Grove Park area. At least a dozen B&Bs in the area promote themselves as gay-owned and actively seek gay and lesbian guests, and others advertise that they are gay-friendly. With the opening of the Aloft, Indigo, Hyatt Place, AC Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn, and Windsor hotels, and the renovation of Haywood Park and some other older properties, the selection of lodging downtown has grown tremendously. Several other major hotels are under construction and due to open in late 2017 or 2018, including Cambria Suites across from the Grove Arcade, the luxury Foundry Inn (a Hilton Curio affiliate) on "The Block," a historically African American business district off Biltmore Avenue, and the conversion of the region's tallest bank building to its tallest hotel, Hotel Arras on West Pack Square.
The boom has spurred a "no more downtown hotels" movement in Asheville, with some proposed properties being rejected by the Asheville City Council. On in-season weekends, downtown hotels and many nearby B&Bs run at more than 90% occupancy, and many of the rooms go for $300 and up. For cheaper options, look at the chain motels in the suburbs. More than 100 chain motel properties are dotted around the metropolitan area, with large clusters on Tunnel Road near the Asheville Mall, on U.S. 25 and Biltmore Avenue near the Biltmore Estate, and southwest near the new Asheville Outlets mall. A few lodges and cabin colonies are found in rural areas around the city. Airbnb is huge here, with some 500 listings.
Guests are pampered at this Arts and Crafts–style B&B, where all rooms have huge beds and most have whirlpool tubs and handsome fireplaces. There are lots of nooks and corners in the expansive public spaces for snuggling up with a book, or you can grab a seat in the wicker furniture on the expansive front porch. The inn hosts a social hour every evening and bakes cookies daily.
This 1909 Greek Revival home in the upscale Grove Park residential area was home to Hungarian composer Béla Bartók when he wrote his famous "The Asheville Concerto." You can stay in his room on the third floor, although other rooms with private balconies overlooking lovely gardens or working fireplaces may appeal more to modern Romeos and Juliets.
Even in a city with no shortage of excellent B&Bs, this 1905 Colonial Revival–style inn stands out for its location—walking distance of downtown, yet tucked away in the quiet charming Chestnut Hill Historic District. The multilingual innkeepers, Emilie and Arturo, are knowledgeable and enthusiastic boosters of their adopted city. Breakfast draws from local ingredients and includes eggs cooked to order. Port is offered in the afternoon, along with local beers, tea, and fresh-made cookies. A two-bedroom suite is available for families in the adjacent carriage house.
In a beautifully restored Colonial Revival mansion, this inn dating from the 1840s has two levels of wraparound porches and a dozen fireplaces. It sits on four acres on Reynolds Mountain, just north of Asheville. A three-course breakfast is included.
