My family and I spent a week at Christmastime vacationing at the historic Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina. The property tops my personal list for scenic resorts in the U.S. We came for the mountain views and will return for the warm, festive atmosphere.
The Vibe
After a long road trip from Ohio, we finally pulled up to the hotel’s grand entrance. We valeted our car and then walked into the lodge’s Great Hall with soaring ceilings, stone walls and roaring fireplaces. It felt like we stepped back in time to when the hotel originally opened in 1913 and were welcomed into a cozy, authentic mountain lodge. The Great Hall reminded me of what more modern, themed “lodges” targeting families try to replicate – but this was 100% the real deal.
How I Felt
Visiting the Grove Park Inn during the holidays can be a little overwhelming because of the number of guests (100% occupancy) and the sites to see. We enjoyed exploring the property’s gardens and paths, as well as taking in the sunsets over the mountains. There are many historic displays throughout the hotel, and when they’re combined with the Annual National Gingerbread House Competition displays, it almost feels like you’re staying at a museum.
The Digs
At the last minute, I was able to snag a Premium Mountain View Room – the only category available at the time. Our family of four enjoyed having the view but when we return, we will try to book in advance to secure a more spacious room. The hallways leading to all the rooms are filled with photos of celebrities who have stayed at the inn over the years and we enjoyed viewing them every time we went to or from our room.
The Agenda
Our time at the Grove Park Inn was mostly spent exploring the holiday and historic displays plus family days at the indoor swimming pool, board games and pizza nights. We also spent a day at the nearby Biltmore Estate and between both properties, I think we probably were able to enjoy nearly 500 professionally-decorated Christmas trees! Asheville is a great destination if you really want to get into the holiday spirit.
The Eats
The Omni Grove Park Inn has about 10 different restaurants; we didn’t get to try all of them, but we did enjoy those that we were able to visit. We added a daily breakfast to our package in advance at Blue Ridge, which was one of the most impressive breakfast buffets I’ve ever been to. As the name implies, the restaurant has panoramic views of the mountains which acted as a beautiful backdrop for a bounty of biscuits & gravy, waffles, omelets, blueberry muffins and more. We enjoyed the breakfast, but it was so much food that next time, I will probably only want to have breakfast there once or twice and opt for a quick coffee and sandwich from the coffee shop instead.
Each November the Great Hall includes a life-size gingerbread house where you can enjoy a signature salted caramel hot chocolate in a souvenir mug. They are delicious but so rich that neither of my bottomless pit kids could finish them!
Why I Would Go Back
They Omni was a great option for a family vacation, but the next time I visit I’d like to go with my girlfriends for a long weekend at the spa. I was able to visit the spa one afternoon during my previous visit, but that wasn’t enough for me. I absolutely adore a great hydrotherapy experience and this one did not disappoint. The indoor hydrotherapy area is very spacious, and its high ceilings and stone walls echo the Great Hall atmosphere. Outdoors, a large Jacuzzi area is surrounded by a patio with wait service and a view of the mountains and sunset. I could easily spend three days soaking it all in.
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