The Grove Park Inn, the grand dame of mountain hotels in Asheville, is in the midst of a $25 million makeover that aims to turn the clock back on her look. “The new owners are on the right track toward walking that thin, delicate line between historic preservation and providing guests with modern conveniences that all dovetail neatly together,” said Bruce Johnson, director of the annual National Arts and Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn. “They’re sensitive to the historic nature of the inn and practical in recognizing the Arts and Crafts heritage is now as much of an attraction as Asheville and the Blue Ridge Mountains are.”
Over the years, the Grove Park Inn has been a destination for presidents, artists, celebrities and other well-heeled visitors seeking a mountain retreat. The inn, which opened on July 12, 1913, has planned a series of centennial events, but its big bash is scheduled for July Fourth weekend. Some of the biggest changes are being made to the inn’s spacious Great Hall, the massive room visitors and guests often first enter. One of its two giant fireplaces recently received $200,000 worth of construction to return it to a working fireplace. Its six big columns have been stripped to their core and re-covered with handcrafted wooden panels, all done by a local woodworker in the inn’s well-known Arts and Crafts style. The hall’s main desk has been removed and a small coffee shop and bakery is taking shape in its place. A much smaller check-in desk sits on the opposite side of the room. The hall’s original Stickley furniture is being refurbished. And the Great Hall will be air conditioned for the first time. The inn’s restaurants are also a major focus. There’s a renewed emphasis on local food, and Grove Park will have a centennial beer made by a local craft brewer.