Room at the Inn

“How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news…”

Isaiah 52:7

As I mentioned on Monday’s blog, we were in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina just last week! Although we had visited the Historic Grove Park Inn, we had never stayed there–so this time, we made reservations for our one night in Asheville! The inn is a AAA Four-Diamond hotel and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  On it’s opening day in 1913, Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan delivered the keynote address and he could not have had any idea how true his words would become when he proclaimed that The Grove Park Inn “was built for the ages.” Ten presidents have stayed at the hotel along with many famous people!  There is so much history wrapped up in this timeless, beautiful place!  You can read more interesting facts about the Grove Park Inn here.

Butch and I enjoyed our short stay and we are happy to share our experience with you all!

As we were nearing Asheville, the trees were showing signs of their autumn splendor!

Entrance to the one-hundred-year-old historic Grove Park Inn

Unusual light through the clouds made this landscape so ethereal

A close-up of the fall display

A view from the back of the hotel with its Arts and Crafts style architecture

The world class 40,000 square foot subterranean spa which has placed on Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Hotel Spas!

I loved the bright orange of the maple against the green trees and glorious clouds!

I was attempting to take a “selfie” of us when a gorgeous bride came down the steps and said “let me take your picture!!”  I said, “we would be honored, we’ve never had a bride take a picture of us!”  She laughed and took several photos and we found out she was there for her bridal shoot, not the actual ceremony!  So, this photo was taken by a lovely bride-to-be!

We stayed in the original 1913 main lodge.  The room was very comfortable with a great view of the mountains and furnished appropriately in Arts and Crafts style furniture!

The Grand Lobby is known for its two enormous granite fireplaces at opposite sides

A view of the golf course through a window

On Monday evening, we dined in the hotel’s Vue 1913 restaurant.  Shameless plug: the food was outstanding and the service impeccable!!

Butch raved over his appetizer of seared scallops with grilled vegetable salad, sweet pea, and roasted pepper vinaigrette!

Crab and corn soup with lime creme fraiche & bacon was perfect for a cool and rainy evening!

My entree was the lobster pasta consisting of a grilled lobster tail, fresh corn, kale, ricotta, pecorino, harissa cream, and green beans which hit all the right notes!

Dinner is never complete without dessert!! This classic rum raisin bread pudding with vanilla anglaise and Ceylon cinnamon ice cream was the perfect ending to a perfect meal for this foodie and husband who simply loves food!

We awakened on Tuesday to rain–and lots of it!  Our outdoor plans were cancelled.

“This is day The Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it”

Psalm 118:24

So what do you do when the weather is nasty outside?  You shop, of course!! There were several enticing shops in the hotel–but I could not resist this one that was all decked out for Christmas!!

Since I collect nutcrackers, this display grabbed my attention.  Much to my credit, however, I only purchased a lovely blown glass ornament of the hotel!

A vignette to celebrate F. Scott Fitzgerald’s visits to Grove Park Inn.  He sought refuge here in rooms 441 and 443 while his wife, Zelda was a patient at an Asheville hospital suffering from mental illness.  His visit lasted two years as he tried to refocus on his writing and attempted to recreate the success of his most famous novel, “The Great Gatsby”.  While residing in the hotel, he wrote a piece for Esquire magazine revealing his tormenting battles with alcohol and depression.

Just after the inn opened in 1913, a ragtag group of notable individuals calling themselves The Vagabonds began a summer tradition of stopping off at the Grove Park Inn on their way to the Great Smoky Mountains.  Among the members of this group were inventors Thomas A. Edison, Henry Ford, and Harvey Firestone. The Vagabonds took to the mountains in a vehicle much like this one, a Tin Lizzie or Ford – Model “T”.

The rain began to taper off about check out time!

Hand-picked, the Southern Living Hotel Collection is a carefully selected series of the most delightful hotel experiences the South has to offer.

As always, thank you so much for joining us in our everyday living and for your nice comments! We read them all!

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“May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,
that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations”

Psalm 67:1