The Grove Park Inn first opened in 1913. During its opening dinner, the resort has been described as “built for the ages” by William Jennings Bryan because it was built from hewn granite boulders from the Sunset Mountain. Since then, it has remained as one of the most famous and admired resorts in the South.

The hotel was the product of E.W. Grove’s vision of an establishment that has all the modern conveniences of a big home while still having genuine old-fashioned qualities that are not trite or cheesy. The entrepreneur who hailed from St. Louis became famous for his elixir known as Grove’s Tasteless Chill Tonic.

The railway hotels found in the West served as the inspiration for Fred Seely’s sketch of the Inn. Fred Seely, who was also Grove’s son-in-law, became the first general manager of the hotel. It took only 12 months for 400 men to build this stunning historical site, utilizing old-fashioned techniques of having mules, ropes, pulleys, wagons, and a single steam shovel to drag boulders that weigh hundreds of tons into the mountainside.

One of the Seely’s ideas was to have an intellectual and artistic ambience for the Inn’s huge lobby. Thus, the guest will find quotes by famous authors such as Ralph Waldo Emerson carved on stones throughout the whole lobby. The inn’s style and architecture can be compared to those of Asheville bed and breakfasts and Asheville inns of today.

The hotel’s lobby is called the Great Hall as homage to its size and prestige. It measures 120 feet across, with ceilings at a distance of 24 feet from the ground, and two stone fireplaces that measure 14 feet. The Great Hall contains as one of its features its cleverly hidden elevators, which are located inside the chimneys of the fireplaces. It was put there to cloak the noise of the elevators in the past, but today, with modern technology that silenced the hums and creaks of old-fashioned elevators, the location just added to the Great Hall’s charm.

The hotel has also played host to the elite and the famous. In 1935 and 1936, F. Scott Fitzgerald spent many a summer day there in room 441. Many other luminaries graced its halls, including eight USA presidents, Harry Houdini, George Gershwin, Will Rogers, Eleanor Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford.

In the years that followed, The Grove Park Inn had suffered its own share of rough patches. After World War II, business was so slow that the managers have considered tearing it down, but the costs of such demolition was what hindered them. Perhaps it was the way fate would have it, because soon after, in 1955, Dallas businessman Charles Sammons took an interest in the hotel. Together with his wife Elaine, they restored the Inn to its former glory, thus earning its spot on the list of historic places in 1973. Aside from it, though, there have also been other Asheville inns and Asheville bed and breakfasts that have been considered historic for their story and beauty.

With its renovation came further improvements to tailor it for the modern world. It now boasts of contemporary wings with modern conveniences to delight traveling tourists and businessmen. In 1998, the hotel underwent intensive expansion and renovation. After the dust has settled, The Grove Park Inn can boast of a new way to entertain guests: a spa that reportedly costs $42 million to build.

Today, if you are planning on going to North Carolina, specifically in the Asheville area, try searching for the many Asheville bed and breakfast inns that offer amazing accommodations and amenities.

The Lion and The Rose Bed & Breakfast ( http://lion-rose.com/ ) is a beautiful Georgian mansion within walking distance of downtown and minutes from the Biltmore Estate and the Grove Park Inn. The Lion and The Rose Bed & Breakfast ( http://lion-rose.com/history.htm ) is an exceptional value in Asheville’s first Historic District. Each guest room includes: queen bed, private bath, gorgeous antiques, sumptuous gourmet breakfast, TV/DVD, wireless internet access, luxury linens & soaps, and custom robes. The Lion and The Rose Bed & Breakfast is the Asheville inn where you can indulge romantic fantasies and relish in the comfort of luxury. With only five guest rooms, The Lion and The Rose Bed & Breakfast guarantees privacy & intimacy.