My husband and I are planning to visit Asheville in September. Which would you choose- Inn on Biltmore Estate or Grove Park Inn. Can't decide

Grove Park is really a beautiful place (or was five years ago) and we loved it. We also truly loved the Biltmore Estate and I could be easily talked into stayed on the estate.

We had dinner on the estate and couldn't fault anything and the wines we brought back with us have been very good.

I would choose Richmond Hill, which has fabulous rooms (far, far better than Grove Park or the Inn at Biltmore). Then Grove Park Inn, which has the most stupendous setting of the three, and finally the Inn at Biltmore, which to me is just a gussied up Hampton Inn and not worthy of the Biltmore Estate.

--Lan Sluder <an Asheville native who also writes for Fodor's>

I loved Richmond Hill Inn, as the previous poster suggested. Really beautiful with the wonderful Gabrielle's restaurant.

I would prefer one of the historic rooms at the Grove Park. If one was not available, I think I would choose the Inn at Biltmore. Richmond Hill is very nice, but I do like staying at GP or on the Biltmore Estate.
Tea at Richmond Hill is a wonderful experience.

Being an Arts & Crafts fan, I would choose the GPI as long as I had an older room.

When do they serve tea at Gabrielle's? I would like to try that instead of full-blown dinner.

I gave my parents a gift-c to the Inn and their review of dinner was quite mixed. They felt G. was trying hard to be gourmet and follow the affectations of haute cuisine, but that the execution in the kitchen was not consistently up to the task. They did say it was the first night of a new menu, so perhaps the kinks were still being worked out. The parents said their breakfast was excellent.


anyhow: Arden, I would pick Grove Park for the views. Don't eat there.

LiteSpeed, I can only speak for the night I ate a multi-course dinner while staying there, but everything was perfection...... I'll never forget this onion soup with Granny Smith apples, and everything that followed was a WOW! And the breakfasts were delicious also. I haven't been back for awhile, but am looking forward to staying at the Inn again, and eating at Gabrielle's. Don't know about the tea......... sorry!

Tea was afternoon High Tea. We were there for a meeting and since we were all ladies, we adjourned for a wonderful tea experience. I assume they still offer it.

I've read posts about bad food at the Grove Park but I can't concur. The last time I ate dinner there the wait for the restaurants were very long (I had not made reservations). We decided to enjoy a drink in front of the HUGE log fire and then glanced at the menu. We had a great meal right in the lobby, ordering from the lobby bar. Soup, entree and dessert and it was great.

I guess everyone can experience a bad mean everywhere, but I've been lucky at the Grove Park and I've eaten there 3-4 times a year for the past few years.

Lunch on the terrace is great - good food and fabulous view! The spa is awesome. Pricey, but awesome!

Agree with Lan but my heart belongs to The Grove Park Inn. Spent my wedding night there.

The Richmond Hill Inn is spectacular.