Our Experience Staying at The Inn On Biltmore Estate, Asheville [Review]

Ever fancied staying in a stately home? Staying at the Inn on Biltmore Estate is certainly a way to indulge on a vacation. The Biltmore Estate is where you’ll find America’s largest home, and certainly the most opulent. This was George and Edith Vanderbilt’s luxurious family home and is now owned and managed by their great-grandson. It’s the epitome of luxury.

It boasts lavish interiors on the inside, with priceless objects and iconic works of art throughout, and is surrounded by sprawling manicured gardens and woodland forest. Sitting on an 8,000 acre estate, Biltmore Estate offers more than just a fancy place to stay.

Nestled in the foothills of the Western North Carolina mountains of Asheville, it’s surrounded by nature trails and outdoor activities, and it’s also fairly close to the Smoky Mountains National Park, making it one of my favorite getaways from Raleigh.

We’ve visited Biltmore Estate several times, but the last time we were lucky enough to stay on site at The Inn on Biltmore Estate. Here’s how it went…

About the Inn on Biltmore Estate

While you stay on the grounds of The Biltmore Estate, you don’t actually stay in the french-Renaissance style Chateaux that Biltmore is famous for.

Inn on Biltmore is one of two hotels on the historic grounds. It boasts four-star luxury, with a lavish dining room, on-site spa offering massages, facials and more, and classically-designed rooms.

It has Forbes Four-Star recognition for more than 23 years, and has four-diamond rating by AAA, as well as four stars from the Mobil Travel Guide. Its accolades speak volumes to the bespoke and exquisite offerings at Inn at Biltmore.

Facilities at Inn at Biltmore

As well as luxurious hospitality and beautiful objets d’art featured throughout the hotel, you will also find a plethora of luxurious amenities.

Guests staying at Inn at Biltmore have access to:

• The heated outdoor pool
• Indoor pool with a whirlpool
• Conservatory and Gardens
• On-site spa
• Two on-site estate restaurants. Library Lounge, a casual restaurant with a seasonal menu, and The Dining Room, a fine dining restaurant with regional cuisine
• Free Wi-Fi throughout the property
• A flat-screen TV with cable channels in every room
• 24-hour concierge service
• Fitness center
• Convenient laundry and dry-cleaning services
• Unlimited visits to Biltmore House for the length of stay

The Inn on Biltmore Rooms

The rooms were decorated in a modern version of the elegant Biltmore 19th-century French-and English-manor style era, and are more than comfortable.

Rooms have four-poster mahogany wooden double beds with pillows bearing the “V” monogram of the Vanderbilt family. All rooms come with a king bed.

Each luxurious suite is named for a friend or relative of George Vanderbilt’s in reference to Biltmore’s grand history. Each room comes with a private bathroom. Some rooms come with a shower and a separate tub with a whirlpool.

Benefits of Staying at the Biltmore Estate

There is just so much to enjoy on the Biltmore Estate you’ll want to make your visit longer than a day.

I wish we had the time to linger longer as I’d love to experience the gardens and grounds more, the 20+ miles of hiking trails, explore by bike, segway tours, paddle boarding, horse riding, spa services and many other activities on offer on the estate grounds.

Some of the key benefits of staying at Inn at Biltmore are:

Our Experience Staying at the Inn on Biltmore

“I don’t think you can beat the Inn on Biltmore”, my parents agreed when I asked them what their favorite hotel was on our road trip. “That was truly magnificent.”

They have never stayed in a place quite like it and were almost breathless when they walked into the grandeur of the hotel’s marbled foyer and the magnificent mountain and valley views that stretched out in front of them.

There is no better way to appreciate the views than with a welcome complimentary glass of champagne from the winery upon arrival. Biltmore elegance continues to live on at The Inn on Biltmore.

When you stay on Biltmore Estate you can wake up to 8,000 acres of Blue Ridge Mountain beauty at your fingertips. We checked in mid-afternoon and headed to Antler Hill Village and the Biltmore Winery as it was close to the Biltmore Inn.

You can catch the estate transportation or drive yourself, as it’s about 3 miles to the Village. Unless you walk or ride a bike – which I think would be a wonderful way to experience the property.

Going to the winery on the afternoon of check-in saved us from spending a full-day at the Biltmore mansion and still allowed us to see everything. It was also the perfect way to get into the luxurious spirit of Biltmore!

If I was to plan our road trip over again, I’d drop a night somewhere else to have one more night at the Inn on Biltmore Estate. One night was simply not enough to enjoy the experience of this four star luxury hotel.

And of course, our kids were in heaven. Both of my little travel babies prefer the four and five star life and get disappointed when we book the three-star hotel.

I felt like part of the Biltmore family enjoying a glass of tea in the library lounge watching the sunset over the valley with views of the Estate’s twinkling lights in the distance.

The service and hospitality at the Inn on Biltmore Estate is exceptional with nightly turn-down service, itinerary planning, horseback riding, and private winery visits are all within the staff’s capable hands. George and Edith Vanderbilt would be very proud.

If you’re looking for getaways from Raleigh, it offers the perfect break for any kind of traveler from couples on a romantic getaway to families enjoying all the incredible Biltmore activities on offer. Spring is our favorite time to visit Biltmore because of their stunning blooming gardens.

Tips for Visiting Biltmore Estate

• Get there early. You will beat the queues and the crowds.
• Plan in advance so you can visit for special events. Christmas at the Biltmore is spectacular with the lights, and Spring with their incredible floral displays in the gardens are not to be missed.
• If you don’t stay at the Inn on Biltmore, book your tickets in advance. With seven or more days advance purchase, you’ll save $10 per ticket.

• Reservations are required for your self-guided visit of Biltmore House on these high volume days. Reserve your entry time online at the same time you purchase your tickets. Speak to reception about booking your time slot.
• Visit during the week to avoid weekend crowds.
• Plan to spend half a day exploring the house. It’s a big house with many beautiful furnishings, tapestries, art work, and precious artifacts to see.
• Kids 16 and younger admitted free all summer (through Labor Day)! The rest of the year, kids ages 9 and younger are admitted free when accompanied by a paying parent or guardian.

• Arrive at least 45-minutes prior to your Biltmore House entry to allow time to park and catch a shuttle to Biltmore House.
• A car is required for travel between locations on the estate. The estate is huge and distances between some places can be close to 5 miles. The Inn on Biltmore Estate is located three miles from the Biltmore House. Click here for car rentals.
• If you live in the area or visit a couple of times each year, it may be worth getting an annual pass. Passholders get savings on food, outdoor activities, shopping, guided tours, and wine experiences — including up to 25 percent off bottles of wine. You’d also receive two free tickets each winter to give away and buy discounted admission tickets for family.

Final Thoughts

We know that staying at Inn on Biltmore Estate isn’t the cheapest accommodation option, but for a special occasion, it’s definitely worth it. Being so close to the house made it the perfect base for discover Biltmore and the grounds.

With entrance to the house and grounds included in your booking, it’s a no-brainer that this is where you should stay if you plan to spend a day or two on the grounds.

What do you think? Have you stayed at Inn on Biltmore? Let us know what you think in the comments.