Carole

We are looking for a long weekend getaway, and are considering the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, The Homestead in Hot Springs, Va, or The Greenbrier in WV. We don't ski or golf - just looking for some peace and quiet, good food and nice scenery. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

zany

I knew that name - Grove Park Inn - but couldn't place it. I then noticed my spouse wearing a favorite winter sweatershirt -- dark grey with large black lettering GROVE PARK INN. It all came back to me. We visited there on a business conference a few years ago. The architecture is outstanding. The resort has a nice atmosphere - you feel relaxed yet you feel as though the staff is ever ready to pamper. Great food at the Inn, as I recall. Dining room is elegant with lots of windows for a beautiful view of mountains. They also have an outdoor cafe/lounge with an amazing view. If we lived close enough to go for a weekend getaway, we would choose to go here again.I knew that name - Grove Park Inn - but couldn't place it. I then noticed my spouse wearing a favorite winter sweatershirt -- dark grey with large black lettering GROVE PARK INN. It all came back to me. We visited there on a business conference a few years ago. The architecture is outstanding. The resort has a nice atmosphere - you feel relaxed yet you feel as though the staff is ever ready to pamper. Great food at the Inn, as I recall. Dining room is elegant with lots of windows for a beautiful view of mountains. They also have an outdoor cafe/lounge with an amazing view. If we lived close enough to go for a weekend getaway, we would choose to go here again.

Anne Beer

We were at the Grove Park last summer for a family reunion and it was enjoyed by all. Eating lunch on the terrace looking out toward the mountains is a wonderful experience. All of the first-class amenities are available, but I would describe the rooms as pleasantly rustic (we were in the historic part). The concierge has a wealth of information of what's available to do in the area: hiking, The Biltmore, shopping in downtown Asheville, etc. My husband even rented a bike from the hotel and toured around--had fun but had to climb many hills. I know the Greenbriar is more posh and there would be more activities on site such as extensive spa services, horseback riding, skeet shooting, etc. I also know it's a lot more expensive. Either place would be a success!

Roland Kent

We too stayed at Grove Park Inn and found it to be pleasant and worth the expense. Friends who go the the Greenbrier regularly (bankers, you know!) tell me the Greenbrier is outstanding, but we checked on the prices and find them prohibitive - especially if all the amenities are not used.
I would not hesitate to spend a a few days at Grove Park - maybe also check out the downtown "historic area" (nice antique shops and eateries), and, from what I hear the Biltmore is well worth visiting.
Nothing very precise but I hope our comments help.
Hope you have a good vacation wherever you go.
"Ron"

dave

We have been to the Grove Park Inn twice and found it great. The great hall and the fireplaces are "awsome" and we love mission furniture - used throughout. I would recommend staying in the old section with the real antique mission furniture - the bathrooms and rooms are modern.
Our FAVORITE place to stay and eat in Ashville is the Richmond Hill Inn just outside of town. The Croquet Cottages are wonderful with their own fireplaces, refrig with juices, rocking chairs on your own porch. If you prefer the original victorian inn - those rooms are beautiful also. The dining room is outstanding and Chris on the piano adds a very classy touch to your visit. The Biltmore is a must also - be sure and tour the winery also.
Have fun.

rennie

We paid a lot of money to stay at the Grove Park Inn
last summer and I was slightly disappointed. I did
not like the "rustic room" with its musty closets
and plain mission furniture. Although the view
from the Terrace Restaurant was wonderful, the food
was not. Food in the other restaurants was only
adequate. A friend of mine stayed at the Greenbrier
and cannot stop raving about it. Book well in ad-
vance if you want to stay at the Greenbrier.
Good Luck!

Neal Sanders

My wife and I have stayed twice at the Homestead (Hot Springs, VA), once on the summer and once in the winter. If you have one of the newer rooms (in the tower section), the accomodations can be very pleasant. There's also an older,unrenovated section where the heat is noisy and the pipes clang, and a new section built for conferences which are no better than your average Holiday Inn room. For non-skiers and golfers, there are dozens of hiking trails which offer attractive views and, in winter, a skating rink. Most guests take a package that includes breakfast and dinner. The food is ambitious for a hotel in the midle of nowhere and, when it succeeds, it is very good. You can also get a "saddle of boeuf carnivale aux herbes" that has all the charm of, well, Naugahyde. The chief benefit of the Homestead is that there is dancing every evening. Good, old fashioned slow dancing to a live band that plays for two or three hours. That, in my view, is a too-uncommon treat.

Sandy Lowe

I grew up in Asheville and Grove Park Inn is very dear to my heart. We ate there the day my husband asked me to marry him 8 years ago on Christmas Eve. Every Christmas since we try go eat at the Grove Park while visiting family. The Blue Ridge Room for their Saturday night Prime Rib Buffet is spectacular. More food and desserts than you could ever eat but it is "good" food. They also have a Sunday buffet breakfast. Grove Park also has a 4 star resturant called Horizons and Sunset Terrace, in the summer, is an outdoor resturant with a magnificant view of the mountains and the sunset. Grove Park also has a night club called Elaine's. One of the most notable features of the Grove Park is the two huge fireplaces in the Grand Hall and of course the boulders that the building is made of. This Christmas was the first time we have ever stayed at the Grove Park Inn. We loved it. The service was excellent and everything was first rate. Grove Park Inn has an old and new section. We stayed in old section. The old has more character but the rooms are smaller and not as updated. Next year we will be staying in the new section. Most people seem to like the new better. I should also mention the golf course, work out facilities, tennis courts, pool and so on. You can find out more from their web site at www.groveparkinn.com. Get on their mailing list because they have theme weekends throught the year and will send you brochures periodically. No visit to Asheville could be complete without visiting the Biltmore Estate, Gardens and Winery. It is the largest privately owned home in the US and is open to the public. The gardens are gorgeous in the spring and summer. If you go, the gazebo in the gardens is where my husband proposed to me. If this sounds like a sales pitch it is, but I don't work for Grove Park Inn. I just love it and the Biltmore Estate. I have pictures of both in my bedroom. You'll enjoy Grove Park Inn if you decide to go there.

Marianne

The Grove Park is a great place to stay for a weekend getaway. But if you're going to the Asheville area I would recommend the Richmond Hill Inn. It is a fabulous place to eat and stay.