The drive from Chapel Hill to Highlands, NC was long, but filled with beautiful mountain and forest views. Towards the end you even pass a series of pretty significant waterfalls, but, of course, that’s right when the road starts to get narrow and twisty, so make sure you’re in the passenger seat if you want to sight see!
SWS Honey List
Resorts
Old Edwards Inn & Spa
Emily Ayer
From a hike downtown to the world-renowned spa and golf course there's enough fun activities to fill a week long honeymoon!
Freshly-baked peanut butter cookies, Molton Brown toiletries, heated tile floors in the bathroom, fine Italian linens, a remote-controlled fireplace and a balcony.
Voted as a top hotel for relaxation and spa retreats, this meandering mountain resort is hidden within the rolling hills in the heart of scenic Highlands.
Old Edwards Inn
Highlands, North Carolina http://www.oldedwardsinn.com/The Old Edwards Inn and Spa is the perfect mountain getaway for the engaged couples looking for a weekend away from wedding planning, honeymooners looking for a luxurious, romantic vacation, and married couples celebrating a special anniversary. Emily had the pleasure of visiting the OEI in February 2011, and would love to tell you a little more about it!
The front entrance to the Inn is right on the adorable main street of Highlands. Though we would eventually come to find that it’s a fairly large property, it fits right in to the quaint town, and all its nooks and crannies and passageways make the property feel more intimate than it actually is.
We started off with lunch at Madison’s, the main restaurant on the property. Like so many of the restaurants in the western half of North Carolina, Madison’s puts a priority on fresh, local, organic ingredients, and you can absolutely taste the difference. That focus on farm-to-table dining is one of my favorite parts about the mountains!
After lunch we set off on our tour of the property. Melissa, the Director of Sales, started off by showing us around the main inn and spa, which has a delightful Old World European charm. Almost more impressive than the beautiful rooms we passed through, however, was the excellent customer service. Melissa knew everyone we came in contact with, and everyone, from the maid carrying laundry to the masseuse in the spa, was professional, courteous, and friendly. If true luxury is unsurpassed customer service, then the Old Edwards Inn has it in spades.
After our tour of the main inn, we checked out the pool area (gorgeous), the fitness club (also gorgeous), and the Lodge (a cozy place for wedding guests to stay).
After our tour we headed back to our room, which was a spa suite in the main inn. “Luxurious” would be the key word here: freshly-baked peanut butter cookies, Molton Brown toiletries, heated tile floors in the bathroom, fine Italian linens, a remote-controlled fireplace, a balcony, and a very convenient touch-screen device that controlled the lights, temperature and TV.
That all sounds great, right? Just wait: I’ve saved possibly the best part about the Old Edwards Inn for the end. As if things couldn’t get any better, there were free Dove bars everywhere! Sheer bliss for this chocolate lover.
No matter what season you visit the Old Edwards Inn, there’s plenty to do. We went on a hike and explored the adorable downtown, but didn’t even touch the world-renowned spa and golf course. There’s also antiquing, fine dining, horseback riding, fly fishing, whitewater rafting, canoeing, and river tubing to enjoyed — MORE than enough to fill a week’s long honeymoon!
allison December 5, 2011 5:39 amDid y'all go see their wedding/event property, the Farm at Old Edwards Inn?? It is the most breathtakingly beautiful place, and absolutely PERFECT for a dreamy Blue Ridge Mountains wedding. I go see it every time I visit Highlands!!
Marissa May 9, 2012 4:46 pmHi Allison! The Farm was still under construction when we visited, but even the plans were gorgeous!! I've seen seen photos of the finished space, and it definitely lives up to the hype :)