New luxury hotel in Asheville will have an underground speakeasy and rooftop bar

One of North Carolina’s most flourishing cities lies in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Voted as one of Travel & Leisure’s top places to visit in 2023, Asheville, NC has something for everyone.

As the largest city in western North Carolina, Asheville’s thriving art, food and craft beer scenes bring people from all over. Add that to its beautiful mountain scenery and endless tulip fields, and Asheville makes for the perfect spring and summer getaway. Now the city will be adding a new luxury hotel to its offerings. The Restoration Hotel will welcome its first guests in Asheville on April 20.

Located on Patton Avenue in downtown Asheville, the hotel will be a welcome addition to the chic area. The new Asheville location will be the second addition to The Restoration Hotel Collection. The hospitality group’s flagship hotel is about four hours away in Charleston, SC.

The new construction will have 60 guest rooms and several food and beverage options. Noted concepts are an underground speakeasy and a rooftop cocktail bar. Travel & Leisure gave a sneak peek of the new luxury accommodations. The hotel will feature four room sizes ranging from 375 to 600 square feet.

Room styles include a “studio king, premier king, queen studio, and signature king suites boasting floor-to-ceiling windows, city views, bar carts, local artisanal snacks, and chic sitting areas.”

JR Anderson, the hotel’s owner, brought in the Atlanta-based design team Pixel Design Collaborative to carry out the new location’s aesthetic.The outlet states the team was inspired by “Asheville’s European heritage and the city’s most notable residence: the Biltmore Estate.”

Throughout the boutique hotel, floors and structures are accented with dark wood accents, traditional French bistro chairs line up at the bars and restaurant tables and elegant suede furniture is a staple in each room. The group also pays homage to Asheville’s natural beauty with greenery throughout the lobby and dining areas.

The Restoration Hotel will also be a new hub for dining and entertainment in the area. The farm-to-table restaurant, The Exchange, “will champion Appalachian cuisine and local brews.”

For a more swanky feel, guests can venture upstairs to The Observatory, the hotel’s rooftop bar, or take the fun below to the property’s underground lounge and bar, The Draftsman, which will boast a “vintage bowling alley and a performance stage.”

Spa services include in-room massages and bodywork. The hotel will also offer services synonymous with Asheville’s holistic wellness community, such as yoga, sound healing, and forest bathing.

Martie Bowser is a journalist and public relations professional in Charlotte, NC. She enjoys amplifying the voices of POC and women that fill a void within their community. Her bylines include “person of interest” interviews, small business highlights, pop culture commentary, entertainment features, and everything Beyonce.

This story was originally published April 12, 2023 at 1:04 PM with the headline "New luxury hotel in Asheville will have an underground speakeasy and rooftop bar."