Biltmore Estate

Description:

• A. V. Cecil, Jr., great-grandson of George W. Vanderbilt, poured $31 million into the creation of this elegant inn, set 2 miles from the French Renaissance country estate originally built by the tycoon himself, deep within the grounds of the Biltmore Estate. No one can drive up to it without proof of a reservation or a general pass to tour the compound. Most rooms are booked as part of packages that include admission to the grounds and mansion.

  Each season brings new pleasures here -- cozy fireside evenings in the library, tranquil Indian summer afternoons rocking on the big veranda, or spring brunches on the dining terrace as daffodils burst into bloom. The inn faces Mount Pisgah, with 270 degrees of uninterrupted wilderness on view from the windows.

  Guest rooms are spacious, comfortable, and elegantly furnished, with state-of-the-art bathrooms. Suites are sometimes named for friends of Vanderbilt, including the one honoring novelist Edith Wharton. The cuisine -- one of the reasons to stay here -- is among the finest in western North Carolina.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2010