Think bed and breakfast, and a few locations come to mind: Cape May, Cape Cod, Charleston, Key West, Sedona, Santa Barbara. Add Asheville to the list! The area surrounding this mountain city of about 80,000 is home to an astounding 80 bed and breakfasts, making it the biggest B&B destination in the Southeast.
About half of Asheville bed and breakfasts are located in the Montford or Chestnut Hill neighborhoods near downtown Asheville. The rest are mostly in quaint nearby villages. Most are historic buildings of either Victorian or craftsman style.
Typically, a guest will check in and be shown his room by the hosts, who likely are also the owners. Many B&Bs offer a glass of wine or other beverage to welcome guests and help them make plans for dinner and weekend activities.
“One of the most valuable things we offer is a full concierge service,” said Nancy Ward of Inn on Main Street in Weaverville. “Our knowledge of the area, and feedback we’ve gotten from other guests, can help us suggest places to go and things to do that will make this a memorable stay for our guests.”
After an excellent night’s sleep in a room with luxurious furnishings, guests awake to the smell of an elaborate homemade breakfast. Whether your hosts prepare a delicate soufflé or country ham biscuits, you can be assured it will be done with finesse. Talk around the table can become animated as guests share their knowledge of the area and forge new friendships.
“One of our guests, a busy executive, thanked me one of those mornings when the conversation lasted long after the plates were cleared,” said Ward.. “He told me, ‘I don’t know when the last time was that I spent two hours at the breakfast table.’”
With a complimentary map and list of suggested places to visit, guests head out for the day. For many, it includes six hours or so exploring the Biltmore Estate. For others, it may include whitewater rafting, hiking one of the hundreds of trails in the area, exploring Asheville’s Urban Trail, taking a driving tour of waterfalls, playing golf, searching for antiques or crafts, enjoying a local spa, driving the Blue Ridge Parkway, taking a day trip to Cherokee or Chimney Rock, or just enjoying the mountain views over a picnic lunch. As dusk arrives and the evening cools, most change for dinner and music at one of dozens of night spots in Asheville’s vibrant downtown.
Another great night, another great breakfast, and another day of exploring this delicious mix of the urban and outdoors. Most guests find that two days are not enough. So, like family members, they come back again and again to their home in the mountains.
Here are our Top 10 reasons to stay in an Asheville bed and breakfast:
1. The Innkeepers: Most bed and breakfasts are owned by the B&B operators themselves, who usually live on the premises. It's natural to expect that B&B operators who live in their own B&B's will bring a different perspective to the job than someone who works a shift behind a hotel reception desk and then goes home and forgets about the customers left behind. Innkeepers are part tour guide, part historian, part chef, part housekeeper. You are not anonymous, but a guest with a name. A hotel has efficiency of scale and lower costs. A bed and breakfast has a few select guests who prefer style and distinction tailored for them.
2. Helpful Expert Advice: At B&Bs, "customers" are truly guests, and it shows. Our B&B owners will gladly help you find the best restaurant in town, the best pubs, point you to the best tourist attractions and local amenities and much much more.
3. Reputation: Many B&Bs depend on word-of-mouth recommendations. So they always work hard to make each stay the best possible.
4. Food: Breakfast is always a special occasion. Bed and Breakfasts take pride in serving you a gourmet breakfast. It's a great time to visit with other friendly guests to find out how they liked a restaurant or activity. Plus, most B&Bs have afternoon snacks and some even offer wine tastings.
5. Originality: No bed and breakfasts have the same theme, decor, amenities or features. Each is one of a kind. Since there is such a big variety of inns in and around Asheville, you can pick one that fits your interests and needs.
6. Historic Significance: If you enjoy history and grand old homes, many of the B&Bs are located in historic houses with plenty of history and character.
7. House guest. In a bed and breakfast, you are one of a few invited guests in someone's home, not a building constructed to lodge 100 people or more. Innkeepers take great pride in their home and enjoy sharing it with people who appreciate its unique aspects. When you say, "I want to come see and stay at your house," you make an innkeeper's proud little heart skip a beat.
8. Memories: Do you remember the motel room that you stayed in 5 years ago? People who stay in bed and breakfasts remember, because the rooms are unique and special.
9. Peaceful: You are staying in a home (at least in most B&B's) rather than a big box hotel, so there is less chance of noise from other guests and generally a quieter environment.
10. Great Locations: Often, a bed and breakfast is in a residential neighborhood, giving a sense of being at your home away from home. You won't find them along the highway. And they are close to plenty of things to do.
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