Asheville Bed and Breakfast Association Archives

Wildberry Lodge: A B & B With An Awe-inspiring View Outside Asheville, N.C.

06/25/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

Ken and Glenda Cahill had a dream — a log cabin home in the mountains. They started by searching far and wide for an expanse of land with a building site that could take advantage of the gorgeous seasons on display every year in the Great Smoky Mountains. They finally found 45 acres in the perfect spot. Then, they decided on a floor plan and had Maple Island Log Homes in Michigan craft it out of red pine logs. Meticulously, each log was notched and numbered, then the house was dismantled and loaded onto seven 18-wheelers and trucked to North Carolina. There it was reassembled, and Ken and Glenda began the back-breaking, tedious work of staining each log and chinking between every crevice. Next came the roof, windows, doors, plumbing and all the other million details that go into making a shell of a structure into a liveable home. During the 2-year process, Ken and Glenda kept their “day jobs” through the week, and then camped out on the property on weekends — in all seasons — to complete their labor of love. Along the way, they realized that the most practical way to be able to afford their large dream home was to share it and make it functional as a Bed and Breakfast.

View of the lodge from the road

The main lodge sits at an elevation of 2700 feet, a perfect vantage point for the sweeping vista below. As they explored their newly-acquired property, they discovered all kinds of berries growing on the hillside. The name Wildberry Lodge became the logical choice. The names for the five guest rooms follow the theme: Gooseberry, Strawberry, Blueberry, Raspberry and the larger Blackberry Suite. Steve and I stayed in the Blueberry Room, but, because it was vacant at the time, I was also able to get a good look at the Strawberry Room.

Strawberry Room

Blueberry room

Several years after the lodge opened in 2002, a guest cabin was added that is a perfect honeymoon suite because of its separate location and privacy, but it can also be opened up and rented for a whole family with both upstairs and downstairs rooms to enjoy.

Honeymoon cabin

Each room has its own private bath and balcony or deck. Highspeed wireless internet is provided, and fireplaces are in most rooms.

Private bath

There is a large great room downstairs by the kitchen with a huge stone fireplace, and an upstairs loft has a flatscreen TV and sitting area with snacks, drinks in a refrigerator and a large DVD collection.

Large great room with stone fireplace

Upstairs loft

The basement has a fully-equipped game room with a pool table, tabletop shuffleboard, and video games.

Game room in the basement.

Outdoors, guests will find a large deck (perfect for basking in the natural surroundings), hammock swings, a fire pit for Smores, and a hot tub.

Large deck overlooking the mountains

View from the deck

hot tub

Afternoon appetizers are prepared, which we enjoyed thoroughly, but almost every B & B guest I’ve ever met mentioned the anticipation of breakfast as being at the top of their reasons for staying in a Bed and Breakfast. Check out a fuller description here, but on the morning we were at Wildberry Lodge, the menu consisted of Wine-Poached Plum, Lemon Pecan Pancakes, Sausage Patties, Lemon Cream Roll with Strawberries. It was delicious, and the setting was superb.

Granola and juices on the sideboards

Wine-poached plum

The innkeepers don’t allow guest to bring pets, but they have cows, goats, 4 rescue dogs and a cat on the property. So, if you’re an animal lover, you’ll be in good company.

Goats on the property

Another couple who were guests when Steve and I stayed at Wildberry chose it specifically to decompress from very hectic jobs. They purposefully wanted to unplug, to avoid traffic, to unwind, relax and refocus. The lodge is rustic, natural and peaceful, and the innkeepers are very environmentally aware, implementing lots of “green” practices. They are hospitable and happy to give you recommendations about nearby restaurants and attractions. The lodge is 12 miles from Asheville, and you’ll need your GPS to find it off of some windy, country roads, but if natural beauty and a place to just “be” is on your want list, then Wildberry Lodge is a great choice.

LEARNING FROM PASSIONATE PEOPLE: Engineers Reinvented as Innkeepers in Asheville, N.C.

06/18/2018 By: CCPearson4 Comments

Dan and Diane Rogers earned degrees in engineering back during their college days, but he migrated into a sales position, and she became a stay-at-home mom and honed her skills in the kitchen. Eventually, she took a job as a Girl Friday/bookkeeper for a CPA friend. Little did they realize that they were being perfectly groomed to eventually reinvent themselves as owners of a B & B in Asheville, N.C. Dan’s sales job took an unexpected turn, and they found themselves trying to figure out what to do next — and were still young enough and healthy enough to pursue something completely different. Pinecrest B & B was for sale. They snatched it up, began the steep learning curve, and now have a very successful business that is a vibrant part of the Asheville Bed and Breakfast Association.

Pinecrest B & B, nestled in an Asheville neighborhood.

Steve and I met Dan and Diane the afternoon after spending hours at the Biltmore Home and Gardens. The Biltmore was amazing, especially with the displays of Chihuly glass, but we were worn completely out. I rang the bell and was greeted by their smiling faces. What a relief! They showed Steve and me to our beautiful room, gave us a quick tour of the common areas, offered to answer any questions we had, and then left us to rest and recuperate.

Welcoming foyer/entranceway.

Dining room for breakfast.

Sitting area in the sunroom.

A welcome bag was in the room with some of the most delicious popcorn I’ve ever eaten. Diane could go into the popcorn business and be a huge success, but there was more. Fresh peanut butter cookies with chocolate ganache were waiting on a sideboard. Oh. My. Goodness. The recipe is embedded in the inn’s website under their blog. Here’s a link. They are somewhat labor-intensive, but I can guarantee they will become a cookie you dream about. And, can you believe it? The cookies are gluten free!!

Delectable popcorn created by Diane Rogers.

Afternoon treat – peanut butter cookies with chocolate ganache.

The beds are equipped with sheets and bedding by Comphy. The rooms are filled with delightful amenities. You’ll enjoy a truly comfortable night’s sleep. THEN COMES BREAKFAST!.

Guest room – Grace Suite.

Dan is the congenial host, serving the guests — ladies first, of course — and being sure everyone has what they want. In the meantime, Diane works her magic in the kitchen. Breakfast is served at 9:00 a.m., but for guests who have to leave earlier, a to-go breakfast is provided. Listen to the menu when we were there: Deviled eggs, Asparagus and Proscuitto, Stuffed French Toast with fresh peaches and maple syrup, and Breakfast Sausage with coffee, tea or juice. It was outstanding and served so attractively. There were 10 of us at the table, including a couple from Ireland, so the conversation was stimulating and fun.

Deviled eggs, asparagus wrapped in proscuitto.

Stuffed French Toast with fruit and sausage.

I so regret that I didn’t get a photo of Dan and Diane, but there’s a great one on the Pinecrest website. The moral of this whole story is that it is entirely possible for people to put their whole life experience to use in very unexpected ways and be highly successful. The possibilities are almost endless.

If you plan a trip to Asheville, I urge you to consider staying at Pinecrest B & B. Meet Dan and Diane. Enjoy their hospitality and be inspired by them.

The Biltmore House and Gardens + Chihuly = A Stunning Combination

06/04/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

Between now and October 7, 2018, the Biltmore House and Gardens will be enhanced by installations of glass creations created by Dale Chihuly and his talented team of glass blowers. This exhibit has taken four years of intense planning and preparation, and the results are spectacular. The garden staff carefully chose plants that would complement the glass pieces and showcase them in the best context. As you might imagine, the spring and summer plants will be replaced by fall varieties before the show ends in October. That’s just another area where the meticulous plans have taken shape and will come to fruition.

Biltmore House in Asheville, N.C.

It took weeks for eight engineers and artists to assemble the thousands of pieces of packed glass that arrived in six 53-foot-long tractor-trailer trucks. In October, they will return and start the tedious process of deconstructing each of the creations.

Here are just a few photos from our recent visit:

Chihuly orbs in the Italian Garden.

Cattails and Copper Birch Reeds in front of the Conservatory.

In the gardens near the Conservatory.

Chihuly in the atrium.

Daytime tickets to the house and gardens include viewing the Chihuly exhibits, but to see them at night a separate ticket is required. Regular admission price for adults is $67.00. You will want to add an audio device when you are taking the 90-minute tour of the house. The charge is $10.98. The device has a neckloop and is similar to listening on a cellphone. There are no earbuds. You just press the tour number and hold it to your ear.

IF YOU GO:

Dining options on the grounds include the Stable Cafe, The Bake Shop, The Conservatory Cafe and The Courtyard Market. I would suggest getting out of the crowd and driving over to Antler Hill Village. Steve and I enjoyed a delicious, relaxing lunch at Bistro, but other choices are Cedric’s Tavern and Village Social.

There are also several lodging options associated with the Biltmore, but I would like to highly recommend Pinecrest B & B, about 20-25 minutes away near downtown Asheville. The rooms are comfortable and beautifully decorated. The breakfast is out-of-this-world, and the hosts, Dan and Diane Rogers are delightful.

Pinecrest B & B in Asheville, N.C.

The Grace Suite, Pinecrest B & B, Asheville, N.C.

If you want “the mountain experience” and don’t mind driving a little farther, Wildberry Lodge is a large log cabin structure in a gorgeous setting. Here, too, you will find welcoming hosts and a delicious breakfast.

Large outdoor deck of Wildberry Lodge overlooking the mountains.

Porch where breakfast is served at Wildberry Lodge when the weather permits.

Stay tuned for more posts about Asheville and the surrounding area, but in the meantime, start making your plans to visit.

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