Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
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.
Each of the 16 A-frame cabins in this inviting complex features a private porch and vintage touches like a record player and classic games. Most of the cabins look across the road to the French Broad River, while the three deluxe options back up to a shared green space. Founded by former raft guides, the outdoor ethos conveys to the homey lodge and Canteen bar and coffee shop that offers tasty grab-and-go sandwiches and salads.
This boutique downtown lodging occupies a former steel foundry and several other industrial buildings around a central courtyard. In a historic former African American neighborhood called "The Block," The Foundry is within walking distance of many top bars and eateries and is home to Benne on Eagle, a restaurant serving regional cuisine that has produced two James Beard Award nominees. Adjacent to the lobby, the Workshop Lounge Bar is spacious and welcoming, with brick walls and gas fireplaces setting the mood.
This massive resort has hosted 10 U.S. presidents, from Woodrow Wilson to Barack Obama, and with grand views of downtown and the Blue Ridge Mountains, a challenging golf course, and a variety of dining options, it's easy to see why. Its restaurants include Edison (Southern comfort food) and Vue 1913 (contemporary American and French). The inn's spa is built into the sloping mountainside, with glass ceilings filling the serene chambers with natural light. Rooms are furnished with oak antiques in the Arts and Crafts style, and the lobby fireplaces are as big as the restored Model T car that sits next to one of them.
This newer luxury hotel has an enviable central location overlooking Pritchard Park. The renovated bank building includes a rooftop bar, a coffee shop, and a restaurant, The Exchange, that draws from Appalachian farms and purveyors. A basement bar, the Draftsman, has two bowling lanes, Skee-Ball, and a stage for live music. Rooms vary from small to generous, and all feature design-forward touches like herringbone tine, marble vanities, and leather and brick accents. Eight rooms on the fourth floor feature balconies overlooking the park.
Built in 1907, the Windsor Hotel shook off any signs of age with a top-to-bottom renovation—each of its spacious suites is individually decorated, but look for nice details like reclaimed wood floors and exposed brick walls. The lobby is small but adjoins a fine-art photography gallery and wine bar.
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.
With a distinctively modern facade, this polished hotel has a prime central location just north of Pack Square, within walking distance of most downtown restaurants, bars, galleries, and shops. Guest rooms feature sleek decor accented with local art. There's tasty tapas-style dining at the rooftop bar Capella on 9.
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.
As close as you can get to the main gate of the Biltmore Estate and steps from all the best local shops and restaurants, this Tudor-style lodging is designed to blend in beautifully with the architecture of Biltmore Village. Its interior recalls a hunting lodge, with animal heads on the walls, sculptures of deer (the hotel's restaurant is called the
Location is the biggest draw of this all-suites downtown hotel within walking distance of many shops, restaurants, and galleries. Once the site of Bon Marché and Ivey's department stores, this hotel gives a nod to its history with mannequins and announcements on the elevator like "Fourth Floor, Women's Clothing." Spacious suites have large bathrooms of Spanish marble. There's a small shopping mall and café in the atrium and a restaurant, Isa's Bistro, with sidewalk seating.
With views of the Blue Ridge Mountains from many of the rooms in this 12-story tower (especially the 16 upper-floor suites with floor-to-ceiling windows), Hotel Indigo is done up in striking colors like teal and aubergine and features furnishings and artworks by local craftspeople. Some of the best accommodations have terraces and fireplaces.
Many visitors to the Biltmore Estate long to stay overnight; if you're one of them, your wish is granted at this posh property perched on a nearby hilltop. Although it's clearly a modern construction, the seven-story hotel echoes the look of the main house, with limestone and copper exteriors and a French-manor-house-inspired interior.
Replacing an office building at the most prominent corner in town, this gleaming hotel tower is downtown's new centerpiece. Two restaurants—Bargello and District 42—anchor the opulent art-filled ground floor, drawing guests and locals for wood-fired Mediterranean fare and tapas, respectively. Rooms on the upper floors feature views of the city and surrounding mountains.
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.
The Biltmore Estate's less pricey—though hardly inexpensive—lodging sits in a prime location at Antler Hill, putting you near the winery, restaurants, and shops. There's a restaurant and bar on the premises, along with well-appointed, but somewhat compact, guest rooms. The Bike Barn in the village rents mountain bikes to explore the estate's network of trails.
