Tar Heel Travels

Favorite Places to Stay
Our well-traveled writer ponders the state's finest hotels, inns and b&bs

Photo at right: The main lobby of the historic Grover Park Inn in Asheville

By Bill F. Hensley

One distinct advantage of being a travel writer is the many delicious meals and comfortable nights I spend at North Carolina's fine hotels, country inns and bed and breakfasts. Although I haven't figured out a surefire way to categorize the accommodations I find myself in during my many nights on the road, I do know the difference between a large convention hotel or resort and a small, less pretentious facility, be it an inn or a b&b.

I am often asked what is my favorite hotel or inn. That's a question that can't be answered with a word or two because, fortunately, I have a rather lengthy list of in-state accommodations that I like very much and visit as often as possible.

Recently, I have thought about putting together a panel of well-traveled North Carolinians to rate our accommodations the way this magazine rates golf courses, which we do each March. And we might include restaurants, too. I plan to give that idea more thought in coming weeks and hope to have some news on that subject soon. Remember, you read it here first.

But back to the subject. I do have favorite places to stay in all sections of the state and make a bee-line for them when my travels call for an overnight stay.

In the mountains, I head for the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, the Greystone Inn in Lake Toxaway, Hound Ears in Blowing Rock, the Millstone Inn in Cashiers, the Yellow House in Waynesville, the Pinecrest Inn in Tryon, and Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley.

I have been a devoted Cataloochee lover since 1965, and it remains a family gathering spot for great food, fun and fellowship. Unlike the other places I will mention, this is a laid back spot whose mile-high locale between mountain peaks is as good as it gets.

In the Piedmont, the Fearrington near Pittsboro, the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, the William Thomas House and the Oakwood Inn in Raleigh top my list.

A Charlotte resident, I don't camp out much here, but if I did it would be at the Park Hotel in the South Park area. It's a gem.

Because golf is a big part of my life, I am in the Pinehurst/Southern Pines area frequently. The Carolina Hotel, Holly Inn, Pine Needles and Mid Pines just can't be beat for outstanding rooms, food and service. And the golf isn't bad either.

I have never stayed there but the Pinecrest Inn in the heart of the Village is special to many golfers and offers fine dining and a swinging lounge where it's mandatory to have fun.

Going east, the Lords Proprietors in Edenton, the Sanderling Inn in Duck, the First Colony Inn at Nags Head, and the White Doe in Manteo are places I enjoy immensely.

Unfortunately, I have never stayed at several North Carolina inns with sparkling reputations, such as Richmond Hill in Asheville, the Siena in Chapel Hill, or the recently rebuilt Esmerelda in Chimney Rock. Some day soon I hope to visit them all.

Because I like the aforementioned hostelries so much it has always galled me to pick up national travel publications that select "the best hotels in the world" and find that seldom are there any North Carolina properties mentioned.

A recent Conde Nast Traveler picked its choices of the top 25 small hotels in North America, and I was delighted to see that the Fearrington House was rated 14th and the Greystone Inn was 20th, a breakthrough for proud Carolinians. The Fearrington is North Carolina's only Five-Diamond facility as selected by AAA.

I once asked R.B. Fitch, owner of the Fearrington House, what it took to achieve such a high rating. "One of the most important features," he replied, "is the overall attitude of everyone involved in serving guests. That makes a tremendous impact."

Before opening the Fearrington, Fitch and his late wife, Jenny, traveled all over Europe and New England inspecting fine inns to incorporate some of the notable features into their carefully planned property.

"We stayed at only the finest places, enjoying outstanding cuisine and superb facilities," he explained. "We took copious notes as to why we liked or didn't like a place. When we opened our own place, we hired only the best people available and trained them diligently to be attuned to our clients needs.

"And then we stressed the five C's," he continued. "That's charm, courtesy, calm, cuisine and character. Our goal is to make all our guests have memorable experiences."

So what's your favorite North Carolina hotel, inn or bed and breakfast? If you would like to be on a panel to make annual selections, drop us a line with your name and address and a note about why you would like to be involved. Write to me here at the magazine, P.O. Box 2508, Raleigh, N.C. 27602.

In the meantime, I hope your overnight stay will be pleasant, enjoyable and memorable.

TRAVEL NOTES

The state's new publication, Heritage Gardens of North Carolina, is a full-color 38-page brochure that features 54 gardens or horticultural displays around the state. The 11 "signature gardens" include the Biltmore Estate, North Carolina Arboretum, Daniel Stowe botanical garden, the J. C. Raulston Arboretum at N.C. State, the Botanical Garden and Coker Arboretum at UNC, Old Salem, Reynolds Gardens at Wake Forest University, Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Orton Plantation and Tryon Palace. For a free copy call 1-800-VISITNC.

The state soon will have an interesting and intriguing museum called the Graveyard of the Atlantic on the historic Outer Banks. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held recently at the site near the ferry docks in Hatteras Village. The museum will showcase the history and heritage of the Outer Banks and its people. More than a thousand ships wrecked on the treacherous coast in the past 400 years.

Get ready for the biggest country music jamboree in the nation April 27-30 in Wilkesboro when the 13th annual Merlefest will be held. Each year the festival brings together the nation's top country and bluegrass performers to pay tribute to the late Merle Watson whose father, Doc, plays a key role in the three-day event. The Willie Nelson family, Bela Fleck, Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys and hundreds of other stars will participate. Call 1-800-343-7857 for more information.