Omni Grove Park

Set on a hillside 10 minutes from downtown Asheville, with spectacular views over the city and the North Carolina landscape, the Grove Park was built in 1913 and is one of a select group of historic hotels of America. The idea was to create a place for people to come that felt like home and, despite its size, it’s managed that aim spectacularly well. A massive central hall with two huge fireplaces at either end provides the hearth, with panoramic views across the valley and city from a terrace beyond. The rooms are varied – often huge, many with great views, they feel old fashioned but comfortable, with seating areas and arts and craft furnishings. Many famous guests have passed through these rooms, from American presidents to film stars to writers, the most famous of whom was Scott Fitzgerald, who spent some months holed up here trying to get his creative juices flowing again, in room 441.