8 of the Coolest Hotels in Asheville, Where Hippy Culture Meets Southern Charm

“Third Floor, Menswear,” chime the elevators at Haywood Park Hotel, giving a nod to the downtown hotel’s past as Ivey’s department store. Other historic relics include mannequins dressed in the fashions of yesteryear and retro, yet modern guest rooms. The boutique hotel meets the needs of travelers looking for spacious accommodations within walking distance to downtown’s top attractions like the Grove Arcade. Breakfast is complimentary and turndown service includes locally made Chocolate Fetish truffles.

Designed as an all-suites hotel, the Windsor Boutique Hotel is a great spot for families seeking room for everyone, business travelers wanting the comfort of home, or beer tourists looking for plenty of space to slumber off last night’s beer trails.

While the hotel falls on the no-frills side when it comes to amenities,  the room and public space are suavely decorated with a Paris-chic motif that won the Windsor Boutique Hotel the Griffin Award for Historical Preservation. Its central downtown location makes it convenient to get almost anywhere on foot.

Although it’s only located minutes from downtown Asheville, the Omni Grove Park Inn feels light years away. Arrivals will immediately notice camera-toting guests snapping selfies in front the of the impressive Arts and Crafts style building perched high on the mountain.

Watch the countryside come alive with breakfast at the Blue Ridge Dining Room or the sunset with handcrafted cocktails at Edison Craft Ales + Kitchen. Equally alluring for weekend visitors is the 43,000-square foot spa with one of the sexiest hotel pools in America as well as the 18-hole championship golf course.

Heading to Asheville to make good on the promise of a romantic weekend? Then 1900 Inn on Montford, one of the city’s many bed and breakfasts, is the spot for you. They boast a wicked collection of whirlpool bathtubs, all of which can accommodate two. The common areas of the Inn are intricately decorated with over three century’s worth of antiques and in contrast the guest rooms are handsomely finished in contemporary furnishings.

Breakfast is a three-course affair that might just fill you up until dinner time. For an added treat, book the Fitzgerald or the Thomas Wolfe suite, both of which have starlight bathrooms that are more befitting for Star Trek than a historic mansion.

Old-world charm and luxuries are alive and well at the AAA Four-Diamond The Inn on Biltmore Estate. Modern resort amenities include the luxurious spa and the infinity pool with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Guests also have access to the many activities available at the Biltmore Estate’s Antler Hill Village like fishing, skeet shooting, horseback riding, and the Land Experience Driving School. A stay at the Inn on Biltmore Estate turns a day trip into a luxurious weekend.

For those looking for a more budget-friendly overnight Biltmore experience or a place where your kids won’t bother the peace of those on a romantic getaway, the Biltmore Estate also offers the Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate. While the Village Hotel doesn’t experience the same sweeping views as the Inn, it is closer to the Antler Hill Activity Center, where the hub of activity–including the winery and creamery–takes place on the property. The Village Hotel boasts two restaurants that fall more towards the casual side, a pool, and a fitness center.

The Residences at Biltmore is a great option for those favoring Asheville’s slew outdoor activities rather than to experience the pulse of the city’s vibrant downtown. The self-service hotel offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites with full kitchens.

Don’t let the self-service aspect of the Residences at Biltmore scare you away, though. Each of the suites offers modern appointments like granite countertops and stainless steel appliances along with contemporary furnishings and hilltop views. While there is no restaurant or bar on site, there is a resort-like pool area complete with a jacuzzi and fire pits.

Guests at the Grand Bohemian experience more of a fantasy out of the Black Forest than mountain-chic Asheville. The lobby is finished with a roaring fire, a cuckoo clock collection, scattered examples of taxidermy, and 15th-century chain mail curtains. The Bavarian flair continues into the Red Stag Grill where the chef delights customers with entrees like Bison Hanger Steak and Mountain River Elk Loin.

The same luxury and penchant for fine art found in the rest of the Kessler branded properties can be found throughout the corridors and accommodations of the Grand Bohemian. The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of the Biltmore Village and offers an on-site spa.