Asheville Getaway and Hotel Guide

Ahh. . .Asheville. Often touted as the darling of the Blue Ridge and as home to the largest residence in the U.S. (George Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estate), Western North Carolina’s sweet spot is more than the things it’s known for.

Fittingly dubbed the “Paris of the South,” Asheville is a diverse, cultural hub for art and nature lovers, rooted in traditional Southern hospitality.

Boasting more original Art Deco than Miami’s South Beach, Asheville is a city where grungy entrepreneur meets young professional. Travelers will find a blend of Bohemian artists and writers who’ve opened record stores, coffee shops and vegetarian cafes amid downtown law offices and the seat of Asheville’s government.

It is for this and countless other reasons that Asheville is consistently ranked one of the best places to live - and visit - in America.

Asheville’s year-round moderate climate is hailed by all types of travelers. Even winter doesn’t stop avid outdoors aficionados from hiking the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains - they simply throw on their warmest layers. Average temperatures, which rarely fall below 45 degrees on a January day, are tempered by the surrounding mountains.

Road warriors flock to Asheville in the fall, much like birds flying south for the winter. Fall’s grand colorful show is the hottest ticket in town. As leaves come down, though, prices go up - a B&B that averages $100 in the winter can skyrocket to $300 from late September through early December.

There’s a reason aspiring artists make Asheville their home. Not only does the city exude a progressive open-mindedness to creativity, but it also glorifies the arts.

Asheville celebrates all forms of artistic ingenuity. Don’t be surprised by the panhandler selling his sketches or the self-proclaimed poet revealing her latest lyrics to passersby downtown.

Of course the usual suspects abound - from the symphony to professional theater productions. There’s also the Asheville Art Museum, Folk Art Center, Asheville Arts League and the Asheville Arts Council.

No matter what time of year it is, Asheville and surrounding communities are celebrating something. Among the city’s most prestigious artistic events are the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, the fairs of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, and Bele Chere, Asheville’s popular street festival.

The city is a cornucopia of country inns, lodges and bed and breakfast accommodations. B&Bs are tucked away in residential communities, scattered throughout downtown and perched atop mountainous streets. Like most of the city, nearly all of the 62 B&Bs are steeped in history. Following the Depression, Asheville was known as “the city that suffered most” because officials voted to repay city debts instead of refurbish the town. Many refugees to Asheville have used this to their advantage by turning old Victorian-era mansions into the B&Bs seen today.

All the major hotel chains are represented here as well. Tunnel Road, one of Asheville’s main thoroughfares, is the site for popular brands such as Days Inn, Best Western and Hampton Inn. Tunnel Road is also dotted with several budget-style motels, including the Intown Motor Lodge. As for higher-end lodging, Grove Park Inn is a favorite among returning visitors as well as Albemarle Inn, a Mediterranean-style B&B on the outskirts of downtown.

Then, of course, there’s the Biltmore. Need we say more?

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