Hotels

Around the mountains, at least in the larger cities and towns, such as Asheville, Hendersonville, and Boone, you can find the usual chain motels and hotels. A building boom has brought more than a half dozen new hotels to downtown Asheville. For more of a local flavor, look at the many mountain lodges and country inns, some with just a few rooms with simple comforts, others with upmarket amenities like tennis courts, golf courses, and spas. Bed-and-breakfasts bloom in the mountains like wildflowers, and there are scores of them in the region; Asheville alone has more than 50. The mountains also have a few large resorts, including the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville. Visiting in the off-season can save you a third or more on hotel rates. Rates are highest during summer weekends and in October and early November, when the leaves change.