Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I appreciate everyone's suggestions. And Asheville Native, don't get all bent out of shape, I think you took me the wrong way. I live in St. Louis...the city that is often called "The Most Dangerous City in the United States" (scary music plays). I know how stuff gets overblown and posted by people that freak out about any little thing. That's why I was asking for honest feedback.
I also travel regularly and stay in downtown Chicago, Milwaukee, Boston, Nashville, Cleveland, and Washington DC. I'm not a person who is scared to go out at night! My real point was to figure out if staying in Asheville would be a nice trip for an anniversary getaway with my wife. For example, Boston is an area my wife and I love and very much considered staying there for a getaway, because we loved walking around downtown and visiting the restaurants at night. I was thinking Asheville might have the same "vibe", but it seems like I might be wrong. From what I'm hearing, Asheville sounds like a neat place to see and visit during the day, but I would probably be better off renting a house or staying at a B&B outside Asheville. That's fair, and I appreciate everyone's suggestions/advice!
STL, this is an honest opinion, I would not stay downtown Asheville either because most of the hotels are old, not necessarily rundown, but older and the most famous The Grove Park Inn will require a 2nd mortgage on your house to stay there; and ha ha, the rooms are really small. yep. There is a new hotel right across from Biltmore Village and nearby the Biltmore Estate, a tad out of the actual city on Rt. 25, it is The Grand Bohemian, lovely. Stroll the Biltmore Village, lovely shops, dining outside at some places etc. You don't "have to" stay downtown to get the Asheville experience, you visit downtown for that, and probably dine downtown although awesome restaurants abound in the entire area. Rent a car and explore. You get outside the downtown area pretty quickly like a mile or so in any direction. Bed & Breakfast is the way to go for a special occasion. See what is playing at the Diana Wortham Theatre downtown, very nice evening out. Always a lot of entertainment in and around Asheville (depending on your age and tastes). For a nice anniversary dinner, I'd choose Vincenzo's downtown Asheville, 2nd floor dining room. ( check the websites ) and have fun.
STL, this is an honest opinion, I would not stay downtown Asheville either because most of the hotels are old, not necessarily rundown, but older and the most famous The Grove Park Inn will require a 2nd mortgage on your house to stay there; and ha ha, the rooms are really small. yep. There is a new hotel right across from Biltmore Village and nearby the Biltmore Estate, a tad out of the actual city on Rt. 25, it is The Grand Bohemian, lovely. Stroll the Biltmore Village, lovely shops, dining outside at some places etc. You don't "have to" stay downtown to get the Asheville experience, you visit downtown for that, and probably dine downtown although awesome restaurants abound in the entire area. Rent a car and explore. You get outside the downtown area pretty quickly like a mile or so in any direction. Bed & Breakfast is the way to go for a special occasion. See what is playing at the Diana Wortham Theatre downtown, very nice evening out. Always a lot of entertainment in and around Asheville (depending on your age and tastes). For a nice anniversary dinner, I'd choose Vincenzo's downtown Asheville, 2nd floor dining room. ( check the websites ) and have fun.
Appreciate the honest advice. What you described (Staying at Grand Bohemian, renting car, etc) was one of the scenarios I was considering. Are taxis readily available? It'd be great to be able to cab it the couple miles to downtown and back. We'll be coming midweek, so I'm guessing downtown won't be all that "hopping"?
Another option, if you don't like older hotels, is the brand new Aloft hotel. It opened this week, and is even more central downtown than the Indigo. Style is contemporary, rooms have mountain views, and there is (I believe) a rooftop deck with a pool with views of mountains. You can see some pics from before it opened here: Take a look inside the new Aloft Hotel before it opens | Mountain Xpress | Asheville, NC
If it were me, though, I'd probably stay at a B&B in Montford, spend some time at the spa at the Grove Park Inn, and spend the rest of the time driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway and/or checking out the great restaurants, galleries, and beer options downtown. I completely disagree that Boone would make a better trip. I do love Boone, but Asheville is awesome for all the reasons you mentioned in your original post. Whatever you end up deciding, I hope you have a wonderful anniversary!
Appreciate the honest advice. What you described (Staying at Grand Bohemian, renting car, etc) was one of the scenarios I was considering. Are taxis readily available? It'd be great to be able to cab it the couple miles to downtown and back. We'll be coming midweek, so I'm guessing downtown won't be all that "hopping"?
We've never needed a cab, so I cannot say about the availability of cabs from the Bohemian, why not give them a call and ask. It's a gorgeous place and well located, and you can walk around quite nicely there in the evening. Biltmore Village is a neat place, people really like to stroll there and "do the shops". There is public transportation around Asheville, not sure how that works either, but someone else could help with that. The Biltmore Estate itself, however, is more of a full day's excursion. So keep that in mind if you are enticed over there, you need a lot of time. Take in the New Morning Gallery over in Biltmore Village, excellent art, one of a kind items, beautiful; and the separate gift shop containing artisan items. If you get to the Grove Park Inn, there is a juried art gift shop and museum on the grounds of the Grove Park Inn (not the one inside the Inn).
If you are going this Fall in leaf peeping season, Oct/Nov, it will be very busy in the area -- be sure to make your reservations soon.
Many times folks don't get back to us after we've guided them through the intracies of visiting the mountains; y'all come back now y'hear and let us know how it went.
Last edited by QuilterChick; 08-25-2012 at 05:01 PM..
The Apple Inn in Hendersonville is pleasant, quiet and only a ten minute drive from A'ville.
By helicopter maybe 10 minutes is a good estimate, but from the west side of Hendersonville to downtown Asheville is 45 - 60 minutes depending on the time of day.
STL, this is an honest opinion, I would not stay downtown Asheville either because most of the hotels are old, not necessarily rundown, but older and the most famous The Grove Park Inn will require a 2nd mortgage on your house to stay there; and ha ha, the rooms are really small. yep. There is a new hotel right across from Biltmore Village and nearby the Biltmore Estate, a tad out of the actual city on Rt. 25, it is The Grand Bohemian, lovely. Stroll the Biltmore Village, lovely shops, dining outside at some places etc. You don't "have to" stay downtown to get the Asheville experience, you visit downtown for that, and probably dine downtown although awesome restaurants abound in the entire area. Rent a car and explore. You get outside the downtown area pretty quickly like a mile or so in any direction. Bed & Breakfast is the way to go for a special occasion. See what is playing at the Diana Wortham Theatre downtown, very nice evening out. Always a lot of entertainment in and around Asheville (depending on your age and tastes). For a nice anniversary dinner, I'd choose Vincenzo's downtown Asheville, 2nd floor dining room. ( check the websites ) and have fun.
Uh no there are 3 new downtown hotels, one opening just this week, nor is the Grove Park "downtown" but a couple of miles from downtown.
By helicopter maybe 10 minutes is a good estimate, but from the west side of Hendersonville to downtown Asheville is 45 - 60 minutes depending on the time of day.
If you say so, but we made the trip several times and it sure didn't seem like 45 minutes. Maybe we were enjoying ourselves too much.
But you failed to attack the suggestion about "open carry", why? Is this personal
It's personal, in that I wonder why the need to get your point across with a sledgehammer.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
there are 3 new downtown hotels, one opening just this week, nor is the Grove Park "downtown" but a couple of miles from downtown.
