Located in Western North Carolina at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Engadine is a 12-acre retreat comprised of the historic luxury house, six spacious cabins and two beautiful outdoor wedding and event venues. We offer luxury accommodations in a country setting away from the world’s hustle and bustle. We are conveniently located 15 minutes west of the urban center of Asheville, NC and near the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Here, nature abounds and yet the area’s top amenities and attractions are just a short drive away.
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The Inn, originally named Engadine by its builder, Civil War Captain John Keais Hoyt, is an 1885 Queen Anne-style Victorian home. Engadine is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been restored and decorated to maintain its Victorian character and charm. It was converted to an inn in 1994 and has operated as one ever since.
The five guest rooms at our bed and breakfast near Asheville are spacious, comfortable and provide the elegance of a Victorian home along with such modern conveniences such as central heat and air conditioning, ceiling fans, free wi-fi and flat screen televisions with cable TV. All rooms have sitting areas, private baths, and gas fireplaces (operated seasonally). The Engadine Suite on the third floor features a separate sitting area and a large bathroom with a whirlpool tub for two. All rooms in the Inn are reserved for adult guests.
After arriving, feel free to relax in our spacious living room or on one of the Inn’s two wrap-around porches. Both are comfortable places to meet other guests or spend time with your travel companions. And if you enjoy the out-of-doors, feel free to stroll the grounds or to enjoy the view from “Honey Hill,” our west-facing outdoor event venue. Honey Hill is a great place to enjoy sunset each afternoon (we suggest that you arrive no later than one hour prior to actual sunset for the best sunset experience).
Engadine was built by Captain John Keais Hoyt, a former Confederate Officer in Company K, 3rd Alabama Infantry in Stonewall Jackson’s Brigade. When the Civil War ended, Captain Hoyt made his way to western North Carolina just outside of Asheville with his wife Mary Bensel Hoyt, and their four daughters. They lived in a cabin on the property while the mansion on the hill was being built. In 1895 they moved into the house, which the Captain named Engadine because the area reminded him of the Engadine Valley in Switzerland.
Engadine was built incorporating the most modern technology of its time. Although the house had fireplaces in every room, central heat was provided by a coal furnace in the basement. Electricity was supplied to the house by a water-powered generator built on the property. Running water was provided by servants, who pumped it to a storage tank in the attic. From there, the gravity-supplied system provided water to sinks contained in closets between each of the bedrooms on the second floor. One of these water closets are still in use today.
Captain Hoyt planted grapevines behind and next to the mansion and became a successful vintner. His winery, where he made his famous Engadine wine, originally stood in the location where the barn is currently located. Engadine Vineyards sold wine to the Vanderbilts (Biltmore Estate), the Battery Park Hotel in downtown Asheville, and other local customers. Engadine wine was also shipped by rail to customers all over the country. Early Prohibition brought a swift end to the Captain’s beloved wine business, but one of the his original grape vines still grows on the grounds.
After the Captain’s death in 1910, the house was sold to E. J. Willingham who was a land speculator from Georgia. He sold the house to Alden Betts who was from New Jersey and used Engadine as a summer home. In 1944, Glenn and Stella Howell bought the house and raised their family at Engadine. In the process of restoring the house, the Howells tore down the three-room addition that housed the original kitchen, and the kitchen was moved into what is now the Inn’s office.
Engadine began its transition to an Inn in 1988 when Bill Maddox and Linda Crawford purchased Engadine and restored and modernized the house. The plumbing, electrical and heating systems were replaced; central air conditioning and a new kitchen was added. In 1994 Linda Crawford converted the house to a bed and breakfast. In the years since then with several changes in ownership, Engadine has hosted visitors from around the world.
In November 2014, Tom Watson and Rick Bell, purchased the property to become the next stewards of the storied property. With a desire to return the property to its historic name, Rick and Tom once again changed its name to Engadine Inn And Cabins (at Honey Hill!) and have begun work to expand the property’s offerings, including as a facility for hosting weddings and special events. The entrance drive is being cleared and landscaped to open a view of the mansion from Smoky Park Highway and several sites on the property are being graded to create outdoor event spaces…spaces with dramatic views of the surrounding mountains. Future plans include the creation of an enclosed event facility and the addition of new cabins in the wooded sections of the property along Hominy Creek.
Engadine Inn and Cabins is conveniently located 15 minutes west of the urban center of Asheville and just one-half mile from Exit 37 (Wiggins Road) on Interstate 40 (NOT Interstate 26!).
If driving and using GPS, we suggest you to use the service until you Exit I-40 and then use these directions for the last half-mile of your journey (since many GPS services will take you past our driveway):
If traveling from the east (Asheville), take Exit 37. At the bottom of the ramp, turn left. Proceed to the traffic light.
If traveling from the west (Knoxville), take Exit 37. At the bottom of the ramp, turn right. Proceed to the traffic light.
At the traffic light, turn right onto Smoky Park Highways (also known as US 19 South and US 23 South). Proceed approximately one-half mile. Our driveway, marked with our “Engadine” sign will be on the left (across from Buck Haven Road). Turn in and come up the driveway to the left. Come up to the Inn, park on either side and come to the front door to check in.
If you are not driving, several options are available for getting around Asheville and Western North Carolina.
Car Service – Harry’s Car Service, 828-774-8172, hhbarnes51@gmail.com.
Taxi – Asheville Taxi Company, 828-333-1976 (telephone or text)
Rental Cars – All major companies are represented at the Asheville Regional Airport…see company websites for more information or to make reservations.
Uber – See the Uber app for more information.
NOTE: If you are staying in one of our cabins and planning to use Harry’s Car Service, Asheville Taxi or Uber, we suggest meeting your driver at the front of the Inn.
Our proximity to I-40 offers us the advantage of quick proximity (15 minutes) to downtown Asheville and such amenities as the Biltmore Estate, the North Carolina Arboretum, the Blue Ridge Parkway. It also provides quick access to the nearby mountain towns of Waynesville, Brevard, Hendersonville, Weaverville and Woodfin.
But, that same proximity comes one disadvantage for guests who have a sensitivity to road noise. In situations where this is the case, we suggest that prospective guests consider booking either one of the rooms on the back side of the inn (where the views are anyway!) or one of the cabins at the rear of the property (behind and below the ridge line) where the noise is somewhat mitigated. If one of these options will not satisfy your needs, however, please allow us the privilege of referring you to one of the fellow member inns of the Asheville Bed and Breakfast Association, where we are confident you’ll find a great place to stay and a good night’s sleep!!!
