This NC hotel ranks among world’s best new places to stay. Why it’s ‘game changing’
A North Carolina hotel recently opened — and is already making its presence known in a big way.
So much so, it now ranks among the world’s best new places to stay. The destination — The Restoration Asheville — was one of 100 to make it onto the global list of “most game-changing hotel openings,” according to results published Tuesday, April 16.
Travel + Leisure magazine said it created the rankings after studying more than 200 hotels that launched during the year leading up to February 2024. Its team visited roughly 130 of the accommodations to determine the “can’t miss openings (and re-openings).”
“Over the past year, the editors reviewed hundreds of new and renovated properties across the globe, which were then narrowed to just 100 in total,” the magazine wrote in a news release.
What makes The Restoration Asheville special?
The highest-ranked hotels earned spots on the It List, which editor in chief Jacqui Gifford called “a celebration of transformation and discovery, spotlighting hidden gems and reborn icons across the globe.” The Restoration Asheville was the only place in North Carolina to make the list, which wasn’t organized in ranking order, according to the release and details shared with McClatchy News via email.
The magazine gave the hotel a nod for offering an upscale downtown experience while being close to outdoor activities in the mountains. It also was praised for its access to top-notch restaurants and breweries, which might not come as a surprise given Asheville’s dining and beer scenes have ranked among the nation’s best.
Inside the hotel, the magazine said visitors can find decor with “Appalachian touches,” a restaurant serving Southern dishes and a bar that offers bowling. Rates start at approximately $225 per night.
While The Restoration also has a presence in the popular vacation spot of Charleston, South Carolina, the North Carolina location was the only one to receive an honor. The Asheville hotel opened in April 2023 and said it was “inspired by the free-spirited culture of the local community.”
“We decided to bring The Restoration to Asheville because Asheville is a dynamic town that has a vibrant local food and beverage scene along with unrivaled outdoor experiences,” founder J.R. Anderson wrote in a July 2022 Instagram post.
Of the top 100 hotels on Travel + Leisure’s list, 36 were in North America, results show.
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