Asheville is ready to welcome events in 2025 and beyond, with renovated historic venues, world-class dining and immersive group experiences. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, booking a meeting in Asheville takes on new meaning this year, as it helps sustain the local economy and preserve the community’s creative culture. With downtown thriving, iconic attractions like Biltmore Estate fully open and new flavors, sights, and experiences enriching the city’s creative scene, there’s never been a better time to meet in Asheville.
What’s New in Hotels with Space to Gather
This spring marks the completion of a two-year redesign of all guest rooms and corridors at The Inn on Biltmore Estate. Drawing inspiration from Biltmore House’s rich history, the redesign blends classical European style with modern luxury. Biltmore’s two lodging properties, The Inn on Biltmore Estate and Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate, offer special corporate lodging rates. Meeting planners have a variety of unique venues to choose from, including the Walled Garden (Capacity: 42-120) and the South Terrace (750 guests), just steps away from the historic Biltmore Estate.
The Omni Grove Park Inn and Spa completed a full restoration of its historic Main Inn, honoring its 1913 legacy while redefining luxury for the future. The reimagined interiors draw from the Arts and Crafts movement, blending craftsmanship with the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Groups can now have after-hours private parties at the Omni Grove Park Inn’s subterranean spa.
The Grand Bohemian Asheville in Biltmore Village is set to reopen this May, following significant flood renovations. Renovation projects include a remodel and redesign of the lobby, guest rooms and the property’s restaurant, Red Stag Grill, which features a private dining room — ideal for a breakout session, lunch meeting, or intimate business dinner (capacity:131). The 2,100-square-foot Kessler Ballroom is the luxury lodge’s largest venue. The renovation included two enhanced venues: The Grand Bohemian Gallery, now with a redesigned layout for art displays and nearly double the space for private events (capacity: 20), and The Manor House, featuring a new event space ideal for C-suite retreats or intimate wedding buyouts, offering exclusive use of the entire building (capacity: 40).
The Radical, a “rebel glam” boutique hotel, is now accepting bookings for its new event space, Radical Underground. The modern 1,283-square-foot venue offers top-tier AV capabilities and pairs effortlessly with the hotel’s additional event spaces, Golden Hour and The Roof. The hotel also has a hidden, private bar inside for room blocks.
The Foundry Hotel, in Asheville’s historic Black business district, is adding The Refinery to its selection of meeting and event spaces. The Refinery (capacity: 65-85) offers a sophisticated setting for corporate and social gatherings.
New Venues Inspire Connection and Creativity
The James Beard Award-winning restaurant Cúrate is reopening La Bodega as a premier private venue. The upstairs dining room, located just behind Cúrate, offers an elegant setting for corporate gatherings, rehearsal dinners, and speaking engagements (capacity: 90 seated, 125 cocktails). La Bodega will also offer its sidewalk-level café for private events, with full-building buyouts accommodating up to 175 guests for standing receptions.
Hell Or High Water is an upscale dining venue in Black Mountain, featuring a private dining room for 50 guests. Hell or High Water’s dining room is located in a historic brick ice house and also features a rooftop patio with views of the Seven Sisters’ peaks.
In collaboration with Cultivate Climbing, the coworking space Hatch Coworking just added a bouldering gym to its amenities. The Board Room offers training boards, weights, cardio, yoga and a sauna/cold plunge. Hatch’s meeting facilities include two board rooms (the traditional, non-climbing variety) that comfortably seat 10 and a private event space (capacity: 100) with floor-to-ceiling windows, coffee service and AV/PA support.
Situated in the rolling hills of Leicester, the family-owned boutique winery Addison Farms Vineyard offers a backdrop for receptions and group experiences. Addison Farms provides private tours, tastings and personalized event planning. Venues include an elegant tasting room with vaulted ceilings, a rustic open-air barn or and a private deck.
For groups looking to break out of the ordinary, Third Room is a new immersive art gallery and venue downtown that integrates 3D projection mapping – resulting in events that feel awash in art. The venue can host groups of 400 and features a full bar for private events.
Construction is underway for The Beacon Bike Park and Events Lawn in Swannanoa, one of the areas hardest hit by the hurricane. The Beacon Bike Park and Events Lawn will feature a public walking trail, pike park and the largest Velosolutions pump track in North America, as well as an outdoor music and events venue for up to 4,000 people. The Beacon is slated to open in late summer or early fall 2025.
Group Experiences
The North Carolina Glass Center just opened the gallery portion of its new, state-of-the-art facility in Black Mountain. While the gallery and boutique are welcoming visitors, the glass-blowing studios remain under construction as the nonprofit works toward full opening, anticipated by mid-March.
The NC Glass Center’s “Glass on the Go” live, mobile glassblowing experience brings the art of glassblowing on-site. Skilled artists will wow guests with demonstrations that are as educational as they are entertaining.
Asheville Wellness Tours also offers on-site experiences, including yoga sessions, tarot readings, sound bathing and tea ceremonies. New this year, groups can venture out into the woods for a guided Blue Ghost Firefly Hike to witness the captivating natural light show.
For more information, visit exploreasheville.com.
