Since the 1920s, Asheville has been known as a cozy mountain hideaway for the elite. Everyone from F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald to Harry Houdini went to Asheville to "take the air and heal" in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.
More than a century ago, George Vanderbilt even chose Asheville to create Biltmore Estate, a sprawling country retreat.
But with 7,000 hotel rooms and a 6,000-seat downtown arena, Asheville also opens its arms to business groups seeking refuge from their corporate confines. In the past year, the American Red Cross, Eastman Chemical and McDonalds all chose Asheville for a meeting site.
Why? Chalk it up to an irresistible combination of Southern hospitality, small-town charm and a healthy selection of outdoor activities.
Nature is KingAsheville's greatest appeal is its gorgeous setting, says Laura Chase, public relations manager for the Asheville CVB.
"We're plunked down in a valley at 2,000 feet, with the Smokies and the Blue Ridge Mountains all around us," she says. "You're in a city, but you feel like you could step a mile away and get in a good hike. The good feeling of always being near nature is what comes through."
This city of 70,000 people rests in the heart of Appalachia. An hour west by car is Great Smoky Mountains National Park, offering hiking and camping within 800 square miles of old-growth forests. Heading east from Asheville, visitors run into Chimney Rock Park, where
Last of the Mohicans was filmed. And 20 miles north of the city, Mount Mitchell, topping out at just under 6,700 feet, is the highest peak east of the Mississippi.
There are also plenty of diversions closer to town30 golf courses, eight ski resorts, four navigable white-water rivers, and a huge man-made lake. Groups can explore the local hiking trails on foot and mountain bike, or even rent a llama.
Chase says many companies use Asheville's rich range of outdoor activities for team-building exercises, noting the availability of kayaking courses for beginners and the presence of an Outward Bound wilderness school, which offers outdoor adventure activities.
Like many scenic towns, Asheville also enjoys a thriving arts and music community. The historic district is second only to Miami in its display of Art Deco architecture. The revival in old-time music unleashed by the movie
Oh Brother Where Art Thou? has made the area a hotbed for bluegrass and traditional mountain tunes, with annual festivals and free concerts held every summer weekend.
Staying InnAsheville boasts a civic center with 80,000 square feet of exhibit space, but its private meeting spaces may offer a better example of the area's unique brand of down-home elegance.
The area's biggest private facility, and possibly its most luxurious, is the Grove Park Inn. Built in 1913 and renovated in 2001, the 510-room hotel offers 40,000 square feet of meeting space, with two additional ballrooms of 18,000 and 9,000 square feet, respectively.
But it's the property's amenities that draw groups such as the North Carolina Bar Association year after year. The inn's new $42 million spa comes complete with grotto pools and waterfalls, and the Donald Ross-designed golf course was recently restored to its original 1923 layout. With an average annual room rate of around $200, Grove Park Inn offers elegance many can afford.
"Companies love the spa as a way to reward their sales people or pamper their customers," says Jay Boyd, the inn's marketing director. "But the key words here are, 'plan in advance.' It's extremely popular, so you'll need to book two to three months out."
Smaller but no less elegant is the Inn on Biltmore Estate. Completed last year, the 213-room property is tucked away on the 8,000-acre estate that houses the Biltmore House, the largest privately owned home in the U.S. The estate boasts a European-style winery and a gourmet restaurant.
"It's very upscaleperfect for small groups of executives, Chase notes, adding that guests can dine in the wine cellar, then explore the grounds on foot or by bike, horseback, horse-drawn carriage, or raft.
Chase advises planners seeking a more intimate setting to consider the Richmond Hill Inn, which features 36 rooms and cottages in the city's historic Montvale District. The Inn offers a four-star restaurant, elegant gardens, a croquet lawn, and afternoon tea.
For an out-of-the-ordinary event, Chase suggests renting a soundstage at Blue Ridge Motion Pictures, the town's newly built movie studio.
R&R&RAsheville developed its reputation as a place for rest, relaxation and renewal. That's what originally drew Edwin W. Grove (creator of the Grove Park Inn), who hoped the region's clear mountain air would cure his bronchitis, and writer F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda, a notable artist.
Likewise, the city offers companies a place for employees to meet and reenergize, or for small groups to enjoy a locale that nurtures both the body and the spirit. For today's business planners, Asheville is a breath of fresh air.