In Ashville, North Carolina, one can find Inn on Montford, which is located in the Montford Area Historic District. The home was built in 1900 by Richard Sharp Smith, who also helped build the Biltmore Estate. Currently, the business is open year-round and offers a total of eight rooms to the public. Three of these rooms, which are located in the second building called the Carriage House, are pet-friendly. Social hour begins at 6:00 P.M. every day, and on Saturdays, the inn invites a local band to play music in the evening. Other events can be held on the property, including celebrations such as weddings. Breakfast is available each morning at 9:00 A.M., and the owners are capable of accommodating specific diets and food allergies. Snacks are put out in a few of the common areas for guests to eat at their leisure.
Inn on Montford has eight rooms that guests can choose from when they are making a reservation. Each room is uniquely decorated and varies in size. Some of them have a walk-in spa or a full, glass-door shower in the bathrooms. All of the units have a king-sized bed, except for the two-bedroom suite at the top of the main house, which has two bedrooms, each with a queen-sized bed. All of the units' general amenities include air-conditioning, a hair dryer, an iron and ironing board, a television, a mini refrigerator, access to Wi-Fi, and a parking space in the off-street lot. An invitation to breakfast is also extended to those staying at the property.
Breakfast typically consists of a three-course meal: Fruit, savory, and dessert. Everything is made from scratch and prepared by the owners. Two of the most popular dishes, according to the owner, include harvest hash Benedict and honey banana pudding. The owners frequently create a different meal each day to help ensure that their guests do not eat the same thing each morning. They can accommodate food allergies and dietary needs, including gluten-free and vegan diets. Patrons typically have the opportunity to mention if they have any dietary restrictions when they make their reservations. Breakfast is served in the main house's dining room, although the occupants staying at The Carriage House can request to have their food brought to them if they would prefer. Breakfast is usually served around 9:00 A.M.
Common areas throughout the house include the foyer, parlor, sunroom, and library. Outside, one can also find a covered porch where breakfast can be served if the weather permits. Activities that people do while they are at the property include listening to live music and relaxing. For those who would like to have a massage, aromatherapy, or other relaxation methods, patrons can add spa treatments during the reservation process. Memorabilia can be purchased, although the business does not have an official store. During the social hour, which begins at 6:00 P.M. each night, the owners usually have a band playing live music on the porch on Saturdays as well.
Visitors can find many different attractions in the vicinity. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located about an hour away by car to the west and offers many outdoor recreational activities. According to the owners, there are many hiking trails, some of which can take guests to natural waterfalls. Another attraction that can be found nearby is The Biltmore Estate, which is the home of the Vanderbilt family that was built in the late 1890s. The owner reports that it is the largest house in America. There are a number of restaurants that visitors can travel to if they would like to get a meal from a local eatery. The owners like to recommend some of their personal favorites to their guests. A few that they usually list off by name include Cúrate, Jargon, and ELDR. Cúrate is a restaurant located in what was formerly a bus depot and it has a renowned chef that cooks meals there.
The owners enjoy telling patrons about attractions that are available in the area, as well as restaurants nearby. One of the owners, Willy, mentions that they tend to meet and talk to nearly everybody who comes to stay at the inn, though they are happy to give them space if they would prefer to have more privacy. According to Willy, "We try to be hospitable without being too present." They try to have snacks in the common areas so patrons can eat a little at their leisure. Visitors also have access to two espresso machines, which allow them to have cappuccinos, flat whites, lattes, and espressos at their leisure. Shawnie can make eight different kinds of cookies, which are typically available throughout the day. According to Willy, one of the owners, Shawnie made roughly 15,000 cookies in 2021.
Inn on Montford has received many visitors over the years, and many of them have left reviews of their experience at the establishment. Willy notes that a few aspects of the property mentioned in these reviews include breakfast, live music, and the cookies provided daily. Someone who recently stayed at the inn wrote, "The Inn is cozy, clean, and upscale. We loved the fireplace and rainfall shower in our room. The owners obviously take great pride in their work - we loved the Saturday night music, fresh baked cookies daily, and three-course breakfast. They were also able to accommodate my gluten allergy safely."
Inn on Montford is capable of hosting events. The owners mention that it is not uncommon for people to rent out the entire building for more significant celebrations such as weddings. On many Saturdays throughout the year, live music may play during social hour, which is performed by local bands on the porch. About 40 different bands and musicians have played at the inn, many of which are folk musicians that play instruments such as violins, banjos, and acoustic guitars.
There are several policies that guests should be aware of when they make reservations for their stay. Smoking is prohibited inside the buildings, but it can be done outside in the gardens. The Carriage House is pet-friendly, while the main house is unable to accommodate pets. Children that are 13 years of age or older are allowed to stay at the inn.
The house was built in 1900 by a man named Richard Sharp Smith, who was the managing architect at the Biltmore Estate. For the last 28 years, the home has served as a bed and breakfast. Before it became an inn, it was a boarding house that a doctor initially owned.
The current owners of the business, Willy and Shawnie Gruber purchased Inn on Montford about five years ago. Willy explains that before they acquired the inn, they had spent about a year traveling around the area looking for a bed and breakfast to run. Their travels came to an end when they found Inn on Montford in Asheville.
Since they became the owners, Willy and Shawnie have made a few changes to the property. There have been various updates to the kitchen. Moreover, several mini-splits were put in around the main house, renovations in some of the bathrooms, the addition of the sunroom, and more. Willy mentions that they do not have many large-scale changes planned for the future and are currently focused on the general upkeep of what the inn already has.
296 Montford Avenue
Asheville, North Carolina 28801
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Willy and Shawnie Gruber
