A Royal Getaway

Visiting Biltmore – an American Castle

By Lyn Mettler

Guests may stay in the original home – known as the "Mansion" – in one of nine rooms in the Croquet Cottages surrounding a croquet court or in the Garden Pavilion surrounded by a lovely garden and waterfall. The current owners added the cottages and pavilion to the grounds to provide more guest rooms.

We stayed in the charming Garden Pavilion, where romance was the theme down to the smallest detail. Our room featured a separate shower and one-person bath (some have two-person Jacuzzi tubs), a fireplace with gas coals (instant romance with the flick of a switch!), a CD-player/alarm clock with a classical piano music CD at hand and a patio overlooking the gardens. Guests can also check out a variety of romantic movies like Gone With the Wind to watch in the privacy of their room for free.

Also with your stay comes a refrigerator stocked with all sorts of drinks (non-alcoholic) and a full, delicious, sit-down breakfast every morning. You can also saunter up to the Mansion for afternoon tea and hors d'oeuvres, play a game of croquet or take a walk around the forest trail just behind the inn.

No matter where you stay when visiting the Biltmore, it's hard to escape romance with the mountains always within view. Trust me, once you return from this royal, romantic escape, you'll feel refreshed, relaxed and maybe even ready to take on the real world. But, if you're like me, it won't be long before you're pining for that beautiful mountain vista. Oh well, there's always next year...