Balsam Mountain Inn
About the Balsam Mountain Inn
Rooms and Rates
Our Restuarant
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About The Inn

Story book about the INN, found in each room.

Picture of how one guest saw us this February 2010

Balsam Mountain Inn Facts:

  • The inn is among the oldest in North Carolina's mountains. Construction began in 1905 and was completed in 1908.Pic of original construction crew
  • Modeled after the Saratoga Inn in New York, the Balsam Mountain Inn features neo-classical architecture.
  • The three-story building has 46,000+ square feet and 225 windows.
  • A hallmark is our 100-foot, two-tier porch offering splendid views of the Balsams.
  • The inn was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in July 1982.
  • Several native woods were used in construction, including poplar, hemlock and chestnut.
  • The 10-foot wide hallways, designed to accommodate huge steamer trunks of guests arriving by rail, are now filled with art and crafts of more than 75 local artists.
  • Period furnishings are used throughout the inn, including wicker in the lobby and guest rooms, antique iron beds and original dining room furniture.
  • Victorian trim accents the inn's interior. Almost 900 gallons of paint were used during the inn's restoration, which began in October 1990.
  • A modern sprinkler system was installed as part of the inn's restoration.
  • The 23 acres on which the inn is situated is marked by seven springs, sparking it's former name, Balsam Mountain Springs Hotel.
  • The land's elevation exceeds 3,500 feet. Several short trails fan out into the surrounding forest. A wide variety of wildflowers grow aong the trails.
  • The inn's 157 hot-water radiators were a gift from Western Carolina University, contingent upon the inn removing more than 200 from a dormitory under renovation.
  • The inn's library contains more than 2,000 titles, including fiction, non-fiction and regional works
  • Currently there are 50 guest rooms & suites, each with private bath and each very different.
  • The inn and it's restaurant - both accessible to the handicapped - are open year round. The restaurant serves dinner seven days a week for both guests and outside customers. Lunch is served on Sundays.
  • A variety of songwriters and musicians now perform on a monthly basis.

Pic of early 1900's Inn Staff

Early pic of the Inn

Inn-teresting Facts
- Elevation is 3,500 feet above sea level
- Listed on National Register of Historic Places
- Three stories, 46,000 square feet, 225 windows
- All 50 guestrooms & suites have private baths
- 10-foot-wide hallways filled with local artwork
  - Sit down breakfast included with tariff
- Songwriters in the Round sessions monthly
- Available for weddings, receptions and retreats
- The inn was built before Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Hawaii or Alaska were states