When my husband and I spent four days last October on our honeymoon in Asheville, we stayed at a hotel near the Blue Ridge Parkway.
It cost us about $200 a night. It was clean, comfortable and convenient, but lacked a little something.
I didn’t realize its shortcomings until nine months later, when I was invited to stay for two nights at The Lion and the Rose Bed & Breakfast in Asheville’s historic Montford neighborhood this past July (side note, Asheville’s Montford is way different than Charlotte’s).
I had never stayed in a bed and breakfast before and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Was it going to be too fancy for me? What about the antique furniture and extreme floral wallpaper? Would there be a house cat to befriend?
Okay, so I got a lot of my ideas about bed and breakfasts from Gilmore Girls.
The beautiful, comfortable room. The delicious two-course breakfast. The surprising sense of community you get from sitting around a breakfast table with a group of strangers.
Little details like a soft robe, daily fresh baked cookies, and in room growler for guests to bring back beer from Asheville’s breweries.
The fact that this experience was the same price as (if not cheaper than) a hotel made me an immediate bed and breakfast convert.
So as you’re planning your next trip to Asheville (leaf peeping season is upon us, y’all), book a room at one of these 15 Asheville area bed and breakfasts.
If I hadn’t already sold you with the gourmet breakfast that’s included in the price of a room, I’ve included fun facts and local Asheville recommendations from the innkeepers.
1889 WhiteGate Inn and Cottage
Rate: Starting at $349/night
Fun fact: The inn is home to award-winning, romantic Asheville gardens that have an extensive collection of unusual plants including 14 varieties of Japanese maples and over 200 different varieties of perennials, hostas, roses, and herbs. The greenhouse houses a collection of over 350 orchids and tropicals.
Local recommendation: Enjoy sipping on wine, local beer or craft cocktails at Santé Wine Bar and Tap Room and The Montford Rooftop Bar (which also has mountain views and epic sunsets).
A Bed of Roses Bed & Breakfast
Rate: Starting at $150/night
Fun fact: The Victorian inn has a fireplace in every room.
Local recommendation: Explore the countless art galleries throughout Asheville; you can find them along Bilmore Avenue, in Grovewood Village near the Grove Park Inn and in the River Arts District (where artists converted industrial buildings along the French Broad River into lofts and galleries housing over 220 artists).
Asia Bed & Breakfast Spa
Rate: Starting at $259/night
Fun fact: The private spa (exclusively for guests) is a serene setting of elegant, meditative spaces with Zen-inspired detail, including a Japanese Strolling Garden, a Zen Meditation Garden, a cedar-lined Finnish Sauna and European steam shower to promote respiratory health and glowing, hydrated skin.
Local recommendation: For a great day in Asheville, head to Dupont State Forest and hike to High Falls, followed by lunch or dinner at Sierra Nevada Brewery.
Beaufort House Inn
Rate: Starting at $229/night
Fun fact: The inn was once the home to actor Charlton Heston (he played Moses in the “Ten Commandments”). Heston would walk to work at The Asheville Community Theatre, which is still active today.
Local recommendation: The Blue Ridge Parkway is the longest and most visited national park in the country. Stop by the Visitor Center is a great place to get trail maps and learn where to hike, eat, and treat yourself along the magnificent stretch of road and vistas.
Carolina Bed & Breakfast
Rate: Starting at $210/night
Fun Fact: Innkeeper Susan Murray has her own cookbook, “Recipes and Lessons from a Life Lived Abroad.”
Local recommendation: Pack a picnic and go to an outdoor performance of the Montford Park Players. Float on a tube down the French Broad River.
Chestnut Street Inn
Rate: Starting at $247/night.
Fun fact: The innkeepers Emilie and Arturo met working as sommeliers at The Ten Bells on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. They’ve developed their own self-guided Asheville beer tour that comes with walking instructions and their favorite eats along the way.
Local recommendation: Try the tasting menu at Cucina 24 and order the Iberico steak with sherry mushrooms, Spanish tortilla and pan con tomate at Cúrate.
Crooked Oak Mountain Inn
Rate: Starting at $190/night
Fun fact: You’ll wind up a mountain road to find this secluded bed and breakfast. Evoking feelings of a tree house, you can sit under 200-year-old oaks, relax on the porch or in a hammock, and enjoy gatherings at the fire pit.
Local recommendation: Visit the Western North Carolina Arboretum, which has 65 acres of cultivated gardens and 10 miles of hiking and biking trails. If you’re a food and beer lover, Crooked Oak Mountain Inn has a curated list of Asheville restaurants and they recommend that you go on a tour with Asheville Brewery Tours or Eating Asheville Walking Food Tours.
Dry Ridge Inn Asheville Bed & Breakfast
Rate: Starting at $145/night
Fun Fact: The Inn is located a short walk from Weaverville’s main street, which is home to many artists who open their studios to visitors. Second-generation potter Rob Mangum and his wife Beth create vases, platters and custom dinnerware at Mangum Pottery on Main Street. Next door is Miya Gallery Fine Art and Fine Crafts, where many local and regional artists display their work.
Local recommendation: Weaverville’s renowned Art Safari is a self-guided, free tour that gives visitors a unique glimpse into several artists’ work, including artists who special in handmade pottery, glass, photography, sculpture, jewelry, furniture, painting, drawing, fiber art, and wood art. The tour takes visitors across scenic back roads in and around Weaverville and the areas surrounding it.
Engandine Inn & Cabins
Rate: Starting at $239/night for inn room, $259/night for cabin
Fun fact: When Engadine was built in 1885, Captain and Mrs. Hoyt created one of the area’s leading wineries at the property. They grew the grapes and made the wine until 1909 when the North Carolina General Assembly passed a prohibition law. One last remaining grape vine continues to grow on the property today.
Local recommendation: Visit one of Asheville’s local restaurants; the innkeepers’ favorite is The Market Place. Besides eating, Asheville is full of a variety of fun, all day experiences like hiking, zip lining, rafting, and enjoying local, seasonal festivals.
The Inn Around the Corner
Rate: Starting at $165/night
Fun Fact: The inn is just blocks away from downtown Black Mountain, where you can easily spend an afternoon shopping at the local businesses.
Local recommendation: Black Mountain is home to two live music venues, The Town Pump and White Horse Black Mountain. Historic Montreat is just two miles up the road with the Chapel of the Prodigal, Montreat College, and hiking trails.
The Lion and The Rose Bed & Breakfast
Rate: Starting at $185/night
Fun fact: A mother-daughter team runs this intimate, five-room inn.
Local recommendation: Two of the innkeepers’ favorite Asheville activities are a visit to the Salt Cave for relaxation and hiking to Looking Glass Falls in Pisgah National Forest.
Pinecrest Bed & Breakfast
Rate: Starting at $225/night
Fun fact: Winifred Cowley, original owner of Pinecrest, also owned most of the land on Cumberland Circle. Today, the inn still sits on 1.3 acres, making the backyard gardens an oasis in the city.
Local recommendation: Craggy Gardens Hiking Trails is one of the innkeepers’ favorite hikes. Head to Montford Rooftop bar for a cocktail and to take in unobstructed, sunset views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Reynolds Mansion Bed & Breakfast Inn
Rate: Starting at $225/night
Fun fact: Fewer than ten brick houses still survive in western North Carolina from before the Civil War and The Reynolds Mansion is one of them. Innkeeper Billy Sanders is also a beekeeper and tends hives that supply the inn with its honey.
Local recommendation: Play pinball and classic video games at the Asheville Pinball Museum (admission is $15 for all you can play).
Sweet Biscuit Inn
Rate: Starting at $149/night
Fun Fact: Savor the flavor of French hospitality at this inn owned and operated by world travelers who chose to settle in Asheville. Innkeeper Claudia was a fashion designer and her eye for detail is evident throughout the inn.
Local recommendation: Order the oxtail at Calypso, a casual downtown eatery featuring authentic St. Lucian Caribbean cuisine. Shop at local store Royal Peasantry, where you can find women’s wear and jewelry made by local designers. The ride from Asheville via Rte. 74-A (Alt. 74) to Bat Cave and Lake Lure is innkeeper Christian’s favorite escape; a drive along that twisty, scenic and very little frequented route is also a feast for all senses.
Wildberry Lodge
Rate: Starting at $259/night
Fun Fact: The innkeepers say this lodge is where Yellowstone meets the Smokies with gorgeous scenic views through a lodge made of handcrafted logs, a beautiful, massive stone fireplace.
Local recommendation: Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway and visit the Folk Art Center. Visit Noble Cider for a pint and a bite to eat from a local food truck.
Thank you to the Asheville Bed and Breakfast Association for providing photos and resources for this story. All starting rates were based on a search for availability in mid-October for two nights and two guests. Actual rates and availability may vary, and some inns have minimum stay requirements (I feel like this is disclaimer speak for you should book soon because Fall is filling up fast, and rates may be different depending on the season). Connect with the Asheville Bed and Breakfast Association: Website, Facebook, Instagram.
