Asheville

Asheville sits high in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, surrounded by forests that have shaped both its architecture and its independent character. The city contains an unexpectedly rich collection of Art Deco buildings alongside Arts and Crafts architecture, historic brick warehouses and grand landmarks from the early 20th century. The legacy of the nearby Biltmore Estate adds another architectural layer, but Asheville’s real creative energy is often found on a smaller scale—in converted industrial buildings, artists’ studios and the workshops of craftspeople continuing the Appalachian traditions of woodworking, ceramics and textiles.

Food and drink are closely connected to the mountains around the city. Southern and Appalachian traditions meet a strong farm-to-table culture, with local growers, foragers and producers supplying an unusually ambitious collection of independent restaurants. Barbecue, biscuits and traditional comfort food coexist with contemporary kitchens, bakeries, specialty coffee and natural wine. Asheville is particularly famous for its craft breweries, which have become part of the city’s social culture rather than simply another tourist attraction.

Asheville’s most interesting hotels reflect this combination of mountain heritage and creative independence. Historic buildings, Arts and Crafts landmarks, reinvented motels and intimate contemporary retreats offer alternatives to conventional mountain-resort luxury, often using local materials, art and craftsmanship to create a stronger connection with place. At DNA Hotels, we curate the places where architecture, food, craft and the Blue Ridge landscape come together—hotels that capture Asheville’s particular mix of Southern character, artistic eccentricity and mountain escape.