The Black Walnut Inn rests in the residential district of Asheville, North Carolina. There are six guest accommodations in the main house on the property and two additional suites in the carriage house. A unique thing about the property is that it is over 120 years old and resides in the Montford Area Historic District of Ashville. It has only been operating as an inn for around 20 years and can be described as having a bed and breakfast style of lodging in an old, European feel home. There are many activities and attractions nearby the inn that include hiking, biking, fishing, dining, and wining. Because of the abundance of historical sites, the area is also known for its tours of museums and historic homes. Most notable among these is the famous Biltmore Estate.
The Black Walnut Inn is located in Asheville, North Carolina, not far from the city's downtown district. The property is in the heart of the residential territory, and many of the buildings surrounding Black Walnut are over a century old. The Black Walnut Inn was constructed in the late 1800s, giving it an aged, European feel. The specific region of Asheville where the Black Walnut Inn resides is called the Montford Area Historic District. This area is known for its abundance of colonial and Victorian revival homes.
The premises consists of the main house, a small parking lot, and a carriage house. The carriage house is a newer, more modern addition to the property and has two private bedrooms. Six more bedrooms are spread out within the main home—two on the main floor and four on the second story—bringing the total number of rooms at Black Walnut Inn to eight.
The surrounding grounds of the property are filled with flowers, ferns, and trees. Stone bricks line the front porch's foundation. This spacious front porch is a sitting area where guests may choose to eat their breakfasts or participate in daily afternoon tea. Typical breakfasts at the Black Walnut Inn include crème Brule french toast and eggs benedict, though the menu changes on a daily basis. Almost all of the breakfasts are made by Alicia, who owns the inn. When needed, she caters to specific dietary needs or preferences, and the inn is in the process of transitioning to completely fresh, local ingredients.
The Black Walnut Inn is open year-round, and there isn't a significant difference in occupancy rates throughout the year. Still, occasionally a slight upward trend in visitors is seen in the fall months due to the changing of the colors in nearby greenery. The Asheville area is full of outdoor activities, such as skeet shooting, fly fishing, zipline adventures, and paddle boarding. Nearby and bordering the Montford District is the French Broad River, a popular attraction for guests to participate in various maritime activities.
The desired culture at the Black Walnut Inn is "relaxing." Mark, one of the property's managers, states that if they could make the word "relaxing" be in "all caps," they would do it. The inn also tries to emphasize its old, European-style charm, playing on the fact that the building is located in the town's historic district. The idea is for people to feel the authentic atmosphere of the building take them to a different "world." Mark explains that they frequently hear stories of guests arriving at the property in a grumpy or anxious mood but having those negative emotions fade away as they step through the door of their room.
The stories are probably quite close to the truth; most guest reviews of the property—of which there are many—are generally positive. One guest stated, "My husband and I had a lovely time relaxing on the porch for breakfast and happy hour and chatting with the incredibly nice owners and staff. Our room and bathroom were beautiful. We loved the complimentary cookies and beverages throughout the day, too." Some common themes mentioned among this and other reviews are the friendly hosts, the available service, the convenience of the location, the quality of the food, and the cleanliness of the rooms.
Asheville as a city is known for being a "foody" area. The culture of the region promotes the idea of "farm to table" ingredients and food. Restaurants and wineries are prevalent in the area, attracting "foodies" to the area and the inn specifically. In fact, North Carolina has the highest brewery count, per capita, per person of any state in the United States. There is also a prominent culture of outdoor activities and attractions in Asheville. Visitors will find multiple opportunities to hike, go biking, or rock climb. That outdoor culture causes many people to move to the area after visiting it a time or two.
Black Walnut Inn was first built in the late 1800s. A nearby famous building called the Biltmore Estate—a large, castle-like structure—shared the same overseeing architect that worked on the Black Walnut Inn. For the first century of its existence, it served as a private home to various families.
Then, in 2000, the property was converted into a bed and breakfast by Lori and Peter White. They managed the building for around 19 years, finally selling it to Alicia in 2019. She had previously been working in the corporate scene and developed desires to seek an "old world" style of profession. Since that time, Alicia has been the owner of the Black Walnut Inn.
288 Montford Ave
Ashville, North Carolina 28801
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Alicia
Lori & Peter White
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