The Grove Park Inn is depicted in a rare snowy scene on a post card which was mailed in 1914.
(Note: I've switched back from new Blogger because my Mac won't open the page I've used for years to edit all my blogs. Didn't help. So I have a new bookmark for opening the editing page. Secondly the Labels place is waaay too slow to type into on the new Blogger. I hope they fix that, since they're saying that will be the only format soon. Maybe it's time to check out WordPress again. I've got a blog registered there, but it had some difficulties which I will have to go through again.)
And back to the Inn, which has red/orange shingles on its roof.
I've never stayed there! But I've gone visiting for several touristy things...it's such a beautiful place, and open to the public, mostly. There used to be free parking, but I've heard that's changed (a garage on the far side was built several years ago, to add to the parking lot that goes up the hill to the right behind this photographer.
Some more old photos of Asheville were on my blog More vintage photos of Asheville
One of the things tourists (and I) like to visit at the Grove Park Inn, is an area of arts and crafts cottages, including an antique car museum. I posted about them Antique cars anyone?
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| Eckerd College buddies from the early 2000s (Tai [on the left] graduated in 2001) |
A weekend with my youngest son, before he moved on to new places, new friends, new activities, and did I mention, much further away? Well, he could be going further I guess, but Colorado seems pretty far from North Carolina, to me at least! (This visit was in 2018)
A couple three or four (or five) Thanksgivings ago, my son, Russ and his family came down from OH to give me a family Thanksgiving, and I took them to see the Gingerbread Contest which is held at the Grove Park Inn. I thought I posted a blog about it, but I'll see if I still have any of those photos in the cloud. Nope, they are probably on the external hard drive, and I wanted to just share the building, not my family. The girls enjoyed the Christmas decorations and some fancy glass mugs of hot chocolate.
Today there's a little waterfall below all the terraces where you can enjoy a cocktail while watching the sun set over the golf course. There are many restaurants, very posh, all needing reservations. We had appetizers for lunch at one.
And did I mention there's a spa? It was also added recently, and its skylight is right by the waterfall outside. It is a bit pricey, but I did pick up a brochure when I walked through, thinking of how much I'd saved!
I'm sharing again with Sepia Saturday this week. I've shared about a hillside Inn, though I don't have any Tramways here. I hope you all have a great weekend. Come over to see what old photos might have been shared.
Today's Quote:
That's the terrible hypnotism of war, the brute mass-impulse, the pride and national spirit, the instinctive simplicity of men that makes them worship what is their own above everything else. I've thrilled and shouted with patriotic pride, like everyone else. Music and flags and men marching in step have bewitched me, as they do all of us. And then I've gone home and sworn to root this evil instinct out of my soul. God help -- let's love the world, love humanity -- not just our own country! -Christopher Morley, writer (5 May 1890-1957)
Hello The Grove Park Inn looks like a beautiful place. Now, you will need to go and visit your son in Colorado, it is a lovely state. I do not like the new blogger, just trying to edit a post is awful. Take care!
ReplyDeletehave a great weekend!
You're right, and I did go visit my son in CO last year. It was great fun. I wish we could continue to use the old blogger if we wanted to.
DeleteLooks like a grand place and the arts and crafts cottages so nteresting.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is grand! Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Delete...it's amazing what money can buy!
ReplyDeleteAnd over the years, those who could afford to have stayed here.
DeleteWhat a beautiful inn! The stone front in gorgeous and appears to have held up well. True, no tram -- but that horse drawn cart is quite spectacular.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very lovely old building. I'm glad any renovations didn't disturb that stone facade.
DeleteI love the inn with the snow on the roof the most. Thanks for introducing me to this inn. What a great place to stay.
ReplyDeleteSince we're in the western Carolina mountains, we do get a couple of snows each winter usually. If we were a bit further north there might be more.
DeleteI stayed there once in the old part before all the additions. It was charming. Yes, and pricey. The last time I went there (10 years ago?) it was to meet friends for a drink in the Great Hall and it was PACKED--mainly with people taking selfies or talking on their phones to tell friends they were at the GPI. Too much of a good thing, alas.
ReplyDeleteYou would not have enjoyed the Gingerbread Contest time. Millions of families it seemed, and we waited to sit on one bench after traipsing all over. I have taken guests through when it wasn't so crowded, and peaked into see some of the restaurants.
DeleteThat's quite a remarkable place.I love stone work like that.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is a beautiful building. Asheville's main tourist site is the Biltmore Mansion and grounds...but that requires an admission fee. At least once you pay parking at the Grove Park Inn, there are plenty of places to enjoy without more fees.
DeleteQuite a place! It reminds me a bit of the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite. The Ahwahnee is not as big, but has a lot of stone work and is quite grand. I've never stayed there, but have attended weddings there and have dined in their gorgeous dining room - both for dinner, and their famous weekend buffet brunches offering everything from pancakes to lobster! :)
ReplyDeleteSo many of the "grand hotels" were built of wood, and have burned down at some point. I'm glad there's another grand old hotel at Yosemite.
DeleteMy wife and I have dined at the Grove Park Inn a couple times. It deserves its 3 star rating with beautiful views and amenities, but we've enjoyed many smaller but beautiful bed & breakfast inns with much more charm and friendly service at a fraction of the price of the Grove Park. Still it makes a nice diversion to take visitors since its free to walk in. Mostly.
ReplyDeleteAs for the new blogger, I found the first version released in May impossible to use with photos. I complained as did a lot of other bloggers and the current version has fixed the problems. I've used it for three posts now and after I complained about weird behavior on placing images into the food on the "leave feedback" under Help, the problem disappeared this week. Today I discovered that there's a button on each post on my post list that lets me add\change labels easily without opening up the editor. So I think I can work with it after some more practice.
Good to know you've enjoyed the Grove Park Inn...I agree, personalized service and beautiful surroundings are certainly available elsewhere in our wonderful mountain towns. Blogger, new version, was stumping me trying to add labels to my posts. Maybe it will work with the button you mentioned. Thanks.
DeleteLove the old pictures of the inn! The new Blogger interface is very frustrating. I have left feedback a couple of times.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda...we'll keep on trying I guess, since it seems to be one of those inevitable changes in our lives.
DeleteWow just Wow - I'm adding this to my bucket list.
ReplyDelete