Last weekend we traveled up to Asheville, NC to visit our family and celebrate the newest addition to the family. It was a gorgeous summer weekend and all the major hotels downtown were booked for one of the festivals going on. Lucky for us, we were forced to look outside of the traditional hotel chain options and found this gem: the Albemarle Inn,  nestled in the back of a quaint Asheville neighborhood. The Property

The Albemarle Inn is all my southern plantation home dreams realized. It is a stunning old South home with balcony, wrap around front porch / terrace and the most magnificent white columns. I don’t think I have ever told y’all this but I LOVE tall white columns. They are iconic to traditional Southern homes and estates and it will be my biggest dream come true to have them on the house we build one day. I say all that to say, that I was immediately in love with this place the minute I pulled in. If all that Southern charm isn’t enough for you, the gardens and the courtyard will surely put you in your happy place.

The entire place is full of original architecture, details and decor which made me love it even more. Although the common areas were a little darker than I typically gravitate to, it’s hard not to admire the craftsmanship of the staircase and wood trim- but mostly that staircase!!

The Food

The food options at the Albemarle Inn were pretty great. Breakfast was a full spread of pastries and fruit, yogurt etc to choose from and you could also place an order for something hot. The sun room is the breakfast room and the natural light and cozy setting creates the most peaceful place to have coffee and breakfast. You also have the option of taking it out on the front porch and eating while gazing out into the beautiful garden. One thing to keep in mind is that it is really cozy. If you’re looking for a little extra elbow room then you may consider eating outside or in the common area.

The front was hands down my fave spot in the whole place. Like I said, it’s cozy, but I mostly loved the shade of the trees and the beautiful fresh mountain air. July is the perfect time for a mountain trip and the morning temps were cool and easy I just couldn’t resist having my coffee outside.

The Room

What I loved about the Albemarle Inn when I was doing my research was the character of each room. There aren’t many as is true for most Inns, but they all have their own theme. We stayed in the Garden Room and it was so dreamy. It was light and fresh and had the most beautiful floral wallpaper. (I love wallpaper everywhere except my house. Once you’ve had to take it down, you never want it again!) Like the rest of the place, it was cozy and probably a little small for our needs. Since it had two beds, we thought we could share with another couple and looking back, that wasn’t the best idea. I recommend doing 1 couple per room and you’ll have plenty of space. We had a maid service every day come in and tidy up for us and bring fresh linens. She was very kind, even when we startled her by coming back in the middle of the day.

All in all we had a great time and had a great time at the Albemarle Inn. I would do things differently next time but feel confident in saying that there will be a next time! Where are your favorite places to stay in Asheville? Leave your recommendations in the comments!