Courtesy Asheville CVB
Modest hotel has Biltmore ties
For those who seek a more moderate stay near the Biltmore, the 197-room Doubletree by Hilton Asheville-Biltmore sits near the front gate of the Biltmore Estate. It is owned by a Vanderbilt descendant, who has preserved his family’s history by using rich Vanderbilt red in the hotel’s newly done decor and hanging old photos from the estate in the hallways. There’s also a life-size model of a Jersey cow in a meeting area corridor — a nod to the old Biltmore Dairy.
The pride extends to a $3 million renovation, which spruced up 160 rooms and the lobby. Among the property’s surprises is a landscaped courtyard for receptions.
Like the Biltmore and the Grove Park Inn, the Crowne Plaza Tennis and Golf Resort is secluded without being far from town. The 125-acre resort is across the French Broad River from downtown.
The resort is known for its sports complex, which includes 16 outdoor and four indoor tennis courts that draw tennis competitions, a lap pool, two outdoor pools, a large workout center and a spa.
Three years ago, the 274-room property added a 16,600-square-foot expo center. A covered veranda on one side can handle dinners of up to 200; there, guests can enjoy the action on the resort’s zip line (See sidebar, page 20).
A half mile away in downtown Asheville, the 275-room Renaissance Asheville is well located a block from the start of Asheville’s bustling storefronts and a block off I-240. In parking-starved downtown, the Renaissance’s roomy surface parking lots, free to guests, are a popular perk.
A mod new lobby makes the Renaissance feel more like New York than North Carolina, and like the Grove Park Inn, the hotel has used local artists’ work in its decorating.
Most of the 21,000 square feet of meeting space is on the lobby level, and the ballroom benefits from an adjacent covered patio, soon to have an upgrade. Demand for meeting space is so strong that the hotel turned its outdoor pool into a second ballroom. The outdoor pool was replaced with an indoor saline pool.
Uptick in attendance
Because Asheville is such a desirable destination, most associations and other organizations see an uptick in attendance when they meet there.
“Ninety percent of the discussions that we are having with clients are ‘we need overflow,’” said Pola Laughlin, sales manager for the Renaissance.
Late spring through fall is a busy time; rates and availability are better in the winter, when weather is usually temperate, although access through the mountains can sometimes pose challenges.
Still, most find it a worthwhile challenge to face, because, as the Crowne Plaza’s Angela Beattie said, “Everyone wants to come to Asheville.”
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