By Bill Hensley
 Let's put it this way: it is just what you would expect from Vanderbilt heirs.
I'm speaking of the new Inn on Biltmore Estate which opened to rave reviews in Mid-March. Pull out all the adjectives for this one: elegant, dignified, classy, deluxe, stately, uptown. All are appropriate.
The late George Vanderbilt would have been proud of the luxurious (another fitting modifier) inn recently completed near the majestic 250 room mansion, the Biltmore House, which he built in 1895.
The state's latest resort is, indeed, a showplace. Handsomely situated on a picturesque hill that is surrounded by mountain vistas, the 213-room inn overlooks the sweeping, prestigious estate and its immense natural beauty. It's a leisurely drive across the estate to the famed Biltmore House, long regarded as one of America's best-known and most popular attractions.
"I expect the best, and I certainly was not disappointed," my wife Carol exclaimed after our stay. "They did it right, and I am very impressed." And I was impressed too at the overall excellence of this fine addition to our state's travel accommodations. "Did it right" pretty much tells the story of the inn, long a dream of the Vanderbilt heirs who have owned and managed the house and the 8000 acre estate in Asheville since he died in 1914.
The inn has all the qualities of a top-rated hostelry, including spacious, tastefully appointed guest and meeting rooms; excellent cuisine that is prepared by an all-star team of talented chefs; a friendly, hospitable staff of more than 200 that is dedicated to providing gracious service; an atmosphere of old-world charm that is relaxing, rather than stuffy; and a setting that is spectacular and dramatic. When the time comes, the Inn on Biltmore Estate is a sure bet to be highly rated by the various services that rank fine hotels. The inn, three years in the planning and construction stage, will be open all year.
 "We are delighted with this exciting new facility for Biltmore Estate," said William A. V. Cecil, Jr., president and chief executive officer of the Biltmore Company. "My great-grandfather enjoyed entertaining guests heard a century ago. Now we can offer many of the same amenities, including a place to stay the night."
"There was a strong market demand from visitors who wanted to stay on the estate," offered Stephen P. Miller, Executive Vice President, "so the inn will enable them to immerse themselves more in the total guest experience." Miller said annual attendance is approximately 900,000.
Built at a cost of $31 million, the inn's facilities include guest rooms and suites, a 150-seat restaurant, banquet rooms, meeting rooms, a lobby bar, library, gift shop, outside swimming pool and a fitness room. The structure contains 165,000 square feet on seven floors, including one floor below ground level. More than 5,000 square feet are dedicated for meeting rooms and conferences with state-of-the-art electronic technology. The inn was designed to blend with other estate structures and features a slate roof, fieldstone and stucco.
"It was essential to create a property with a sensitivity to the historic significance of the site and its surroundings," Cecil commented, "and to keep within the spirit of America's gracious resorts at the turn of the century."
 A multi-talented creative team was assembled to design and build the unique inn in the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Architects were Thompson, Venulett, Stainback and Associates, Inc. Of Atlanta; the landscape design was by Design Workshop of Aspen, CO; the interior design was by Hughes Design Associates of McLean, VA; and the general contractor was W.G. Yates of Philadelphia, MS.
In addition to visiting the famous Biltmore House, America's largest private home, the gardens and the winery, guests may hike the scenic trails, take carriage rides, and go horseback riding or biking. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a stones throw from the estate, and there are a variety of things to see and do in the beautiful mountain region.
"We want guests to experience the same type accommodations, hospitality and activities that my great-grandfather extended to his family and friends when they were here in the early days," explained Cecil.
Ironically, the new facility comes a hundred years after a small hotel or inn was considered at the turn of the century when the estate consisted of more than 12,000 acres of heavily forested terrain as well as open pastures, lush meadows and fertile hunting grounds. In a series of memos in the archives, Vanderbilt had discussed plans for a hotel on the grounds. In August of 1900, a memo mentions a possible 40 room with a construction budget of $17,509. It is not known why the proposed inn was not built.
Rates at the new inn are seasonal and range from $139 to $329 per day, European plan. Packages are available that include breakfast, afternoon tea, dinner, valet parking and gratuities.
Images provided by Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC
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