The Grove Park Inn and Spa, in Asheville, North Carolina is Heavenly

The Grove Park Inn and Spa in Asheville, North Carolina is a great vacation escape. Situated just outside of the city center the historical inn opened in 1913. It has much history and grandeur that is not found in newer hotels. This hotel has hosted such notable guest as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Eleanor Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, and eight presidents including George Bush. In 1988 the inn underwent a great renovation by adding two new wings of guest rooms and the fabulous spa.

Even better, deals can be found on the inns website that allow staying at the inn for under $200 a night in the offseason.
Asheville itself is a whimsy artful town filled with galleries and many eateries that specialize in organic and vegetarian entrees and many that don't. A day is well spent walking through the shops and galleries taking in an atmosphere unlike any other. The city is located in a valley between mountains and affords it fabulous weather for a good portion of the year. The surrounding mountains shield the city from most snow and bitter winter breezes yet the elevation affords a comfortable summer temperature. One of the most popular Asheville attractions in the Biltmore Estates.

There is a reason it is so popular, it is worth your time. Hiking, kayaking, and horseback riding are also popular here for good reason. The inn is located at 2100 feet giving it a great view of Asheville below. Upon arrival at the inn you walk into the Great Hall and it is great indeed. This room is 120 feet wide with 24 foot ceilings flanked by stone fireplaces on either side that are large enough to fit the entire Kennedy family in front of for a holiday picture. The Great Hall has abundant seating including highly sought after rocking chairs in front of the wood burning fire. In the back left corner you will find the Great Hall bar which serves a house Cabernet that is better than most I have had. Live music plays all day during the holiday season and at night year round.

The holiday season is probably the most notable time of year at the Grove Park. Every year the inn host the gingerbread house completion that is featured on HGTV. It is truly amazing what people do with dough. They also feature their Christmas tree festival. With over 50 trees decorated around the inn it's easy to spend an entire afternoon just looking at them. The holidays are of course the busiest time too. Starting in September the fall colors in the region start to change and this is a magnificent site. The elevation of Grove Park allows you to take in fall colors in all their splendor. However, the summer months in Asheville are quite tolerable and it is at this time you will get the inn to yourself and that is an awesome treat.

A trip to Grove Park Inn is not complete without checking out the spa. Build underground with stone the spa has a cavernous feel. The treatments are pricey but well worth the splurge. One of the best deals may be the manicure and pedicure at around $70. All spa treatments include a day pass to the spa facilities. If you can't book a treatment then you can buy a day pass. As a guest of the inn you can come and go at your leisure for the day. It cost around $60 to obtain the pass and it is money well spent. You can easily visit the spa all day without a treatment and leave so relaxed that a treatment wasn't necessary. Get there early though, they only sell a limited number of passes in order to keep the spa tranquil.

When you sign into the spa you are escorted back to the women's or men's lounge area . You are given a locker and a plush robe. Here you will find changing rooms and showers with decadently refreshing toiletries, beyond that is a lounging area complete with a mountain view and fireplace. Snacks are offered as well as magazines and hammocks on the private veranda. Down the stairs is the rosemary sauna, eucalyptus steam room, and hot tub with cold plunge pool. A bowl of peppermint ice towels are always on hand to refresh yourself. Both the men's and women's sides of the spa are identical but gender specific. If you are enjoying the spa with your honey don't fret! Walk down the stone walled hallway and emerge into the pool areas. Tucked in the corners are waterfall pools that deliver a deep tissue massage better than Helga herself. There are three other pools. A mineral pool, a lap pool, and a heated outdoor current pool. Float in the pools and be serenaded by the music played under water. The outdoor pool is a great place to be served lunch from the spa café. The experience of the Grove Park spa is hard to describe in words; it is a sensory experience, the surroundings are stunning, and the smells are soothing, and the sounds are relaxing.

A trip to the Grove Park Inn and Spa can relax and invigorate at the same time. It transports you into a another era full of elegance and opulence. The city of Asheville is fun and hip. This is a trip that you will want to repeat again and again.