The dazzling mountain vistas that surround Old Edwards Inn are unchanged since the summer of 1878, when John Norton opened Highlands’ first boarding house for visitors.
Railroads were being built throughout the expanding United States, and Norton knew the mountains would be a magnet for tourists seeking its healing climate.
Today the splashing waterfalls and wooded forests are unchanged; however, no one in past centuries would recognize the elegant European-style resort in Highlands, NC today. It cascades along several blocks filled with wellness amenities, music, and dining and shopping venues. Guests enjoy unparalleled luxury in the Inn’s guest rooms, suites and cottages, surrounded by abundant opportunities for golf, biking, hiking, and horseback riding on spectacular mountain trails. The surrounding lakes and rivers offer tubing, canoeing, fly fishing, and whitewater rafting.
Listed on the National Register of Historic places, the Inn is at the top of national ratings as the accolades keep tumbling in. There were nearly a dozen last year… from Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers Choice, Travel and Leisure’s Best Resorts and Forbes Travel Guide, all proclaiming Old Edwards Inn the crowning jewel on the southern plateau of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The reason? It’s the perfect destination for families, couples, and adventurers.
Families plan the ultimate reunion in a multi-bedroom cottage or guest estate.
Couples enjoy champagne before a fireplace or in a hot tub after a massage at The Spa, followed by a romantic dinner at Madison’s and cocktails at the Hummingbird Lounge.
Adventurers choose from whitewater rafting, zip lining, canoeing, and rock climbing.
Members play bocce ball or croquet, watch movies in the theatre, splash around in one of the pools, or find a treasure at one of the area’s gem mining attractions.
A Culinary Experience
Chef Johann Klapdohr, is twice winner of the King of the Mountain Chef’s Challenge. Whether choosing to dine in the casually elegant Madison’s Restaurant and Wine Garden or in the Spa Café, the Rooftop Terrace, Arts at the Lodge, or in a pool cabana, the menu is farm-fresh, grown organically in the Old Edwards Inn gardens and greenhouse. Even the cocktails feature fresh herbs, often plucked from clay pots on the bar.
Breathtaking Golf
The Old Edwards Club cascades along a stunning crest of the Eastern Continental Divide, offering breathtaking views and interesting golf experiences. Not part of the original Inn, the Highlands Cove Golf Club was purchased in 2009, reopening as the private “Old Edwards Club at Highlands Cove,” accessible to members, as well as guests of Inn and Spa.
The Wine Garden
Lunch and dinner are served in the alfresco Wine Garden and also at the bar. Snack on truffle-seasoned popcorn and beverages from the full bar, or choose from the new NC Craft Beer list. In summer months there is live music on Friday and Saturday afternoons from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The Farm & the Barn
The Farm and The Barn host weddings (black tie or bluegrass) in a breathtaking 33-acre pastoral setting, surrounded by lush landscaping and pristine mountain forests. The Farm features indoor and outdoor venues for up to 275 guests, while the broad doors of the 1,230 square-foot Barn may be utilized as the pre-reception area or for the wedding ceremony.