"Just 90 minutes southwest of Asheville, the Old Edwards Inn and Spa isn't just another musty mountain hideaway. Converted from Highlands’s first boardinghouse, the Historic Inn along Main Street, it mixes something nostalgically English with the woodsy, worn out comfort of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where long, winsome shutters frame overflowing flower boxes on the heavy stone exterior and oaky sitting rooms are outfitted with oriental rugs, distinguished and care-worn from a heavy summer footfall. Guest rooms are equally tasteful, and have been individually decorated with brassy antique lamps and subdued oil paintings—not just at the Inn proper, but at the host of charming cottages they’ve accrued over the years. The rustic elegance carries through to Madison’s Restaurant, where locally sourced dining reigns—how could it not, when the produce hails from the hotel’s own gardens and greenhouse? Dishes like the creamy white asparagus and new potato soup, paired with a soft-poached egg and salty sunburst trout caviar, showcase the fruit of the land at the Old Edwards, as do the robust cheese and charcuterie plates. And be sure to check out the mineral pool and spa, where you can choose from a lengthy list of services."
