why?

Maybe they got the idea from Biltmore, where a marketing guru figured out how to make the place into a cash cow. I guess the hotels figure folks who are willing to pay too much to visit Biltmore will also cough up too much to stay in Asheville.

HTtY

I should have mentioned that it costs $20 to visit Versallies vs. $50 to visit Biltmore.

"There's a sucker born every minute."-- Attributed to B.T. Barnum

HTtY

What is your "expensive"--$35/night?

When -- dates make a big difference. But what do you consider 'expensive'. Hotels charge what they can get. Its supply and demand. If the room rates are too high to fill rooms -- they'd reduce them . . .

Because it's a popular tourist destination, I imagine that's why you are going there.

I suspect you have unrealistic ideas about a town that is popular with tourists. I just checked first weekend in May, a time I expected would be fairly high rates, and you can get a typical chain hotel downtown like Hampton or HI or Crowne Plaza for around $150-$200 a night. that's hardly excessive for a town like that. Some podunk place in the middle of nowhere with zero tourism (like my hometown in the Midwest) has rates for chain hotels between $125-150 at times.

I visited Ashville a few years ago just overnight in order to visit the Biltmore. It was a huge disappointment in every way. I don't understand what people think (especially the Biltmore people) is so great about the place. Whatever you do, don't do their "wine tasting."

I find Hearst Castle in California much more beautiful, unique, and interesting.

When I got my first glimpse of the Biltmore, my first thought was, oh, they copied Chambord in France. Huh.

I can't say if I would have liked the city more if I stayed longer. Maybe, but I have no interest in returning. Yes, when I was looking for lodging I was amazed at the prices. I chose a B&B instead which turned out to be lovely, comfortable and convenient.

Check a few of the B&B's. I found them to be a little less pricy that the downtown hotels. I ultimately decided to wait for a trip to Ashville. By the time I got there and stayed a week, I could have almost gone to Europe for a week.