Tar Heel Travels

Grove Park Inn
Many changes have improved the stately old inn, 
but the views still are awesome

By Bill F. Hensley

I was born and raised in the shadow of the Grove Park Inn in Asheville and have watched proudly over the years as the property achieved success, fame and a colorful history as one of America’s best known and most popular resorts.

On a recent visit, my umpteenth during a 60-year period, I made note of the many changes that have occurred since my first childhood visit for a Sunday lunch with my parents in the mid-1930s. Those were the days of Thomas Wolfe, a frequent visitor to the inn whenever he was in town, and I rejoiced at seeing this giant of a man and his many friends.

The stately inn was built in 1913 on the slopes of Sunset Mountain, overlooking what was a modest Asheville skyline in those days. It had the Blue Ridge and Black mountains in its backyard, and the Asheville valley, Mount Pisgah and the Great Smokies in its front, offering panoramic views of the beautiful surroundings.

The classic 142-room hostelry, built of native stone and boulders, was completed in one year by a hard-working crew of more than 400 mountain men and Italian stonemasons. The lobby, or Great Hall, measured 120 feet by 80 feet and featured two large fireplaces — big enough to stand in — and had small elevators tucked away in the stonework. A long porch with rocking chairs stretched across the front and was a relaxing gathering place, especially at sunset.

From the beginning, the inn was a showplace of elegance and gracious living, and folks from hundreds of miles away dropped by in their autos to see what E.W. Grove had created in this mountain paradise.

A St. Louis native, Grove had made a fortune selling a popular elixir named Tasteless Chill. He invested his earnings in a place where folks could rest, relax and find comfort, and his dream came true when the inn met with instant acclaim. Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan, a famed orator, was the principal speaker at the grand opening, and he declared that the inn was “built for the ages.”

In the early years, celebrity guests included John D. Rockefeller, Eleanor Roosevelt, writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone and Henry Ford. A top-quality golf course, designed by the famed Donald Ross, was built in 1924, and would challenge the skills of Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and the big names of golf over the years. By now, tennis, swimming and horseback riding were part of the recreational amenities, and large rooms and dining facilities were available for meetings and conventions.

World War II resulted in the closing of the inn from 1942 to 1945 when the government took over the facility to house foreign diplomats who were interned by the war. Later it was a rest center for Navy personnel. But Grove Park bounced back quickly when the war ended and regained its role as one of America’s favorite travel destinations.

A succession of owners operated the inn from 1945 to 1955 before it was purchased by Charles and Elaine Sammons of Dallas, Texas. An improvement program began immediately. A 50-room Fairway Lodge was added in 1958, and a seven-story North wing with 47 rooms and a ballroom was completed in 1964. The hostelry was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

The demand for more guest rooms and larger meeting space resulted in the demolition of the Fairway Lodge and the North wing by 1982. The 202-room Sammons wing was added in 1984, and the 166-room Vanderbilt wing four years later. Currently, the historic property has 510 rooms, four restaurants and more than 50,000 square feet of meeting rooms.

The next addition was a handsome sports complex with indoor and outdoor tennis courts, a racquetball court, swimming pool, cardio workout center, and a variety of fitness equipment, whirlpools and saunas.

Probably the most talked about addition is the unique 40,000-square-foot spa — it’s mostly underground — that was built in 2001 at a cost of $42 million. There are 24 treatment rooms, Jacuzzis, lap pools, whirlpools and saunas, and a staff of 100 trained professionals.

One of the most popular services is the 80-minute “fire, rock, water and light” session that includes full body exfoliation, a buttermilk and honey whirlpool bath, cream body wrap, and a waterfall massage. “Surprisingly,” offers public relations director Phil Werz, “the spa has been well received by men who account for about 30 percent of our business. Men like to be pampered, too.”

Golfers will be pleased to know that the Ross course, one of the famed Scotsman’s proudest creations, just underwent a year-long restoration that returned the course to its original design. “We think Ross would like what was done to make the course more playable while preserving his design integrity,” says Werz. “The course is like it was in the beginning — beautifully restored — but meets today’s standards for high-tech equipment. It now ranks with the best in the state.”

For information on events and reservations, go to www.groveparkinn.com or call 800-438-5800.

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