Asheville is one of our favorite mountain getaways in the Southeast and choosing where to stay can make a big difference in your trip. Whether you want to be within walking distance of downtown restaurants, close to Biltmore Estate, or tucked away somewhere with mountain views, there are plenty of great areas to choose from.
We used Asheville as our home base while exploring western North Carolina and loved being able to return to the city each evening. If you’re still planning your trip, check out our 3 Days in Asheville: Biltmore, Scenic Drives & Waterfalls itinerary for everything we did during our visit.
Below, we’re breaking down the best areas to stay in Asheville, the pros and cons of each, and our top hotel picks to help you find the right home base for your trip.
In a Hurry? Here Are Our Top Hotels in Asheville, North Carolina
⭐⭐⭐Best Luxury Stay: Omni Grove Park Inn
If you want your hotel to feel like part of the vacation, the Omni Grove Park Inn is hard to beat. The historic resort is known for its mountain views, massive stone architecture, restaurants, and spa.
⭐⭐Best Downtown Stay: Kimpton Hotel Arras
Located right in the heart of downtown Asheville, Hotel Arras is a great option if walkability is your priority. You’ll be surrounded by restaurants, shops, galleries, and Asheville’s well-known craft brewery scene.
⭐Where We Stayed: Element Asheville Downtown
We stayed at the Element during our Asheville trip and found it to be a convenient home base for an itinerary that involved a lot of driving. It gave us easy access to the surrounding area while keeping us just a short drive from downtown.
Best Areas to Stay in Asheville at a Glance
| Area | Best For |
|---|---|
| Downtown Asheville | Walkability, restaurants & nightlife |
| Montford | Historic charm & a quieter stay |
| Biltmore Area | Visiting Biltmore Estate |
| North Asheville / Grove Park | Luxury & a relaxing getaway |
| South Asheville | Value & convenient access |
| Black Mountain | Small-town mountain atmosphere |
Downtown Asheville: Best for Walkability
If being able to leave your car at the hotel and explore on foot is important to you, downtown Asheville is probably your best choice. You’ll have restaurants, shops, galleries, entertainment, and Asheville’s huge craft brewery scene right outside your door. We don’t personally drink, but if breweries are part of your trip, you’ll have plenty nearby.
We stayed just outside the heart of downtown and returned to the city center for dinner almost every night. The convenience is hard to beat, but you’ll generally pay more for it, and parking can be an additional expense depending on the hotel.
Best for: First-time visits, couples, foodies, nightlife & walkability
Pros: Walkable, plenty to do, largest hotel selection
Cons: Higher rates, parking fees, busier atmosphere
Where to Stay in Downtown Asheville
Kimpton Hotel Arras – Best for Staying in the Heart of Downtown
Hotel Arras puts you right in the heart of downtown Asheville, surrounded by restaurants, shops, galleries, and breweries. This would be my pick for anyone willing to spend a little more for the convenience of being directly downtown.
Cambria Hotel Downtown Asheville – Best for Mountain Views
Cambria combines a walkable downtown location with something you don’t necessarily expect from a city hotel: Blue Ridge Mountain views from its rooftop terrace. Parking is an additional charge, so make sure to factor that into the nightly price when comparing hotels.
Element Asheville Downtown – Where We Stayed
We stayed at the Element and found it to be a great home base for our driving-heavy itinerary. It’s technically just outside the main downtown core, but since we spent most of our days exploring western North Carolina anyway, being a few minutes from downtown wasn’t a problem. We’d stay here again for a similar trip.
Montford: Best for Historic Charm Near Downtown
If you want to stay close to downtown without being right in the middle of the action, Montford is a great alternative. This historic neighborhood is filled with beautiful homes, tree-lined streets, and charming inns and B&Bs instead of large hotels. It’s an especially good fit for a quieter or more romantic getaway.
While researching where to stay in Asheville, I have to admit Montford made me wish we’d stayed here during our trip. We’re typically chain hotel, budget, and points people since we don’t spend much time in our hotel, but these historic inns had me seriously reconsidering that.
You’ll still be close to downtown, but won’t have the same step-out-the-door walkability as staying directly in the city center.
Best for: Couples, historic inns, romantic getaways, and quieter stays.
Pros: Historic charm, unique accommodations, close to downtown.
Cons: Fewer traditional hotels, less walkable, can be more expensive.
Where to Stay in Montford
1899 Wright Inn and Carriage House
This historic B&B has plenty of old-school character, with breakfast and parking included. They also offer a three-bedroom cottage that sleeps up to six, which really stood out to me for families or groups who want more space without giving up the charm of staying in Montford.
For a more upscale stay, the 1900 Inn combines recently renovated accommodations with the character of a historic inn. Breakfast and parking are included. It’s definitely not a budget pick, but could be worth the splurge for a romantic getaway or special occasion.
Biltmore Village: Best for Visiting Biltmore Estate
If Biltmore Estate is one of the main reasons for your trip, Biltmore Village puts you right outside the estate entrance. Since Biltmore can easily take up most of a day, the location is especially convenient for an early house-tour reservation or if you plan to spend multiple days at the estate.
Biltmore Village also has restaurants, shops, and historic architecture of its own. The tradeoff is that you’ll need to drive or use a rideshare if you want to spend your evenings downtown.
The area was heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene in 2024, but recovery has come a long way. Biltmore Estate is fully open and Biltmore Village is welcoming visitors again, although a few businesses are still reopening in phases.
Best for: Biltmore-focused trips, couples, and travelers who don’t need to stay downtown.
Pros: Right outside Biltmore Estate, restaurants and shops nearby, multiple price points.
Cons: Not walkable to downtown Asheville and some businesses are still recovering from Hurricane Helene.
Where to Stay in Biltmore Village
Grand Bohemian Lodge Asheville, Autograph Collection
We actually remember driving past this hotel during our trip and thinking, WOW, what is that place? Its distinctive lodge-style design immediately stands out, and the location is incredibly convenient for Biltmore. It’s definitely a splurge, but one I’d consider for a romantic getaway or when you want the hotel to be part of the experience.
Courtyard by Marriott Asheville Biltmore Village
The Courtyard is much more our normal travel style. We stay at Marriott properties pretty frequently and usually find Courtyards comfortable and straightforward. For a trip like ours, I’d much rather save some money here and put more of the travel budget toward experiences.
North Asheville & Grove Park: Best for a Relaxing Getaway
North Asheville gives you a quieter place to stay without putting you too far from the city. It’s also home to one of Asheville’s most iconic hotels, the Omni Grove Park Inn. Every time I see photos of this resort, the mountain views practically leave my jaw on the floor. We’re usually way too practical with our hotel budget to justify a stay like this, but man does this place tempt me.
Best for: Luxury trips, romantic getaways, relaxation, and travelers who don’t mind driving downtown.
Pros: Quieter atmosphere, mountain views, easy access to Asheville.
Cons: Less walkable, fewer hotel options, luxury stays can get expensive.
Where to Stay in North Asheville
Omni Grove Park Inn
If you want your hotel to feel like part of the vacation, the Omni Grove Park Inn is hard to beat. The historic resort has sweeping Blue Ridge Mountain views, restaurants, golf, and its well-known spa. It’s definitely a splurge, but for a slower couples getaway where we’d actually spend time enjoying the resort, I’d consider paying more.
South Asheville: Best for Value & Convenience
For travelers more concerned with price and convenience than staying downtown, South Asheville makes a lot of sense. Hotels farther from the city center can often give you more for your money, and the area is convenient for Asheville Regional Airport and travelers planning lots of day trips.
It’s also a good option for families, with hotels offering practical perks like free breakfast, free parking, and indoor pools. If your itinerary looks more like ours and you’ll already have a car, the savings may be worth giving up downtown walkability.
Best for: Budget-conscious travelers, families, road trips, and airport convenience.
Pros: More budget-friendly options, easy parking, convenient road access.
Cons: Requires driving downtown and has less Asheville atmosphere.
Where to Stay in South Asheville
Brookstone Lodge near Biltmore Village, an Ascend Collection Hotel
Brookstone Lodge is a practical home base with free breakfast, free parking, and an indoor pool. Those included extras can help keep costs down and make it especially appealing for families. If you’ll spend most of your days out exploring anyway, there’s really no need to pay downtown prices just to sleep there.
Hampton Inn & Suites Asheville Biltmore Area
With free breakfast, free parking, and an indoor pool, the Hampton is another easy pick for families or budget-conscious travelers. Sometimes you don’t need your hotel to be an experience. You just want somewhere comfortable to sleep, an easy breakfast before heading out, and somewhere to park without another $30 showing up on your bill.
Black Mountain: Best for a Small-Town Mountain Getaway
You don’t necessarily have to stay in Asheville to explore Asheville. About 20 minutes east of the city, Black Mountain offers a charming downtown with local restaurants, shops, galleries, and breweries surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Black Mountain makes the most sense to me if exploring the mountains is a bigger priority than spending lots of time in Asheville itself. You’ll give up Asheville’s walkability in exchange for a quieter small-town mountain atmosphere.
Best for: Mountain getaways, couples, repeat visitors, and travelers who prefer small towns.
Pros: Mountain setting, charming downtown, quieter atmosphere.
Cons: Requires driving into Asheville and isn’t ideal for downtown-focused trips.
Where to Stay in Black Mountain
Peri Social House immediately caught my attention with its cute, modern mountain-retreat feel and walkable location near downtown Black Mountain. With coffee and a lounge/bar on site, it’s a fun option for a couples getaway where you actually want to spend some time enjoying the town.
Rustic 1940s Appalachian Summer Cabin
If you’re choosing Black Mountain for the mountain getaway, why not fully commit? This restored 1940s cabin sleeps four and comes with mountain views and a private hot tub. I’d pick this one for more space, privacy, and somewhere you’d actually want to spend some downtime.
How to Choose Where to Stay in Asheville
Still can’t decide?
Stay in Downtown Asheville if you want to park the car and walk to restaurants, shops, galleries, and nightlife.
Stay in Montford if you want historic charm and a quieter atmosphere while remaining close to downtown.
Stay near Biltmore if spending time at Biltmore Estate is one of the main reasons for your trip.
Stay in North Asheville/Grove Park if you’re looking for a quieter or more luxurious getaway.
Stay in South Asheville if price, parking, airport access, and driving convenience matter more than walkability.
Stay in Black Mountain if you’d rather experience a small mountain town and visit Asheville as part of your trip.
Where Would We Stay in Asheville?
For the type of Asheville trip we took, we’d still prioritize staying close to downtown. We spent most of our days driving around western North Carolina, so we didn’t need to pay a premium to stay directly in the city center.
That said, after looking at all these options, Montford is really calling our name for our next trip to Asheville. We’re usually pretty practical about hotels, but the historic inns have so much character while still keeping you close to downtown.
If we were planning a slower couples getaway and actually wanted to spend some time at the hotel, I’d also be very tempted to splurge on a night or two at the Grove Park Inn.
Ultimately, the best area comes down to what you prioritize: walkability, budget, Biltmore access, or a quieter mountain escape.
Planning the rest of your trip? Check out our 3 Days in Asheville: Biltmore, Scenic Drives & Waterfalls itinerary.