Old Edwards Inn and Spa

This place… wow! Highly recommend it. Everything was first class, especially ally the service. Top notch and will definitely be back!

Entrees were delish! Even the liver, which is RARELY offered and even more rarely GOOD. Blackened trout was tasty, but not very much fish vs the beans/​rice. Worth ordering, but a small-​ish entrée. HOWEVER, the chardonnay was served warm, eek, warm. Had to order a glass of ice to compensate. Otherwise, all was great.

There’s a reason this place is consistently well rated. The room was total luxury. The employees eager to please. The spa was top notch and the town quaint though a bit sleepy since it’s off season. The main restaurant, Madison’s, was maybe the best food and service I have ever enjoyed and I am a true foodie. Eager to find an excuse to return.

Quite the adventure! My wife was 13 weeks pregnant and the drive in was not very fun for her. The narrow curvy roads made her very queazy. I would recommend driving in the daylight if it is your first time going there! We had a couple little mishaps at the spa but they made up for it with dinner at Madison’s that night. Very quaint romantic getaway, highly recommend it!

This place was amazing! I’m sure it’s great in the warmer months («in season»), but it was also perfect in December. My wife and I wanted a romantic, calm, quaint place to have our honeymoon and everything here was perfect. Their attention to details and making sure your every need is catered to was unforgettable. The room had everything from deep soaking tub to fireplace and everywhere we went they congratulated us on our recent marriage and gave us champagne. They also give free ice cream dove bars any time you want and have more amenities on site than you could ever want. It’s tucked into the quaint and kind, welcoming small town of Highlands, NC, which is worth it in and of itself. Everyone was so kind. We enjoyed every minute there. We stayed the first night at their Half Mile Farm property and the rest of the week at their main property in the cottages and lodges. We visited the ugly dog pub for trivia night, which had great food and great beer. We went to wineries, restaurants, hiking, sunsets looking over the town, hiking to waterfalls, and just laid in bed at some points too. We really just had the best honeymoon there. We highly recommend it!

Really can’t say enough good things about this place. The rooms are incredibly well appointed, beautiful, clean. The food and drink is exceptional: some of the best trout, cocktails, biscuits, grits, I’ve ever had (two separate meals :). And the service is exploratory; the staff is super attentive and it’s clear they really care about your care. We just visited — so it’s Fall — and the woods of Highlands, NC were glowing reds, orange, yellow, and green. It’s one of the most beautiful regions I’ve ever been. I’m still glowing from the experience — of the hotel and the region. Treat yourself to visit.

My honey and I came here for a quick get away, and a much needed vacation. My dad & stepmom had visited before and really had a gear experience so it was a must for us. Be forewarned, this place is pricey!!!
Let’s start with the good:
The customer service was excellent! From the pool-​side servers, to the guest room employees, to the check-​in experience, to the gym attendee, everybody was very friendly and nice. 5 stars alone for the customer service. They had a bottle of Champagne waiting for us in our room for our 1 year anniversary.
The views are breathtaking, from the rooms to the poolside lounge chairs (which are more comfortable than any I’ve sat in). The scenery alone was worth the trip.
The free waters and Klondike ice cream bars were a huge plus. We could not stop loading up on both of these. I think it’s a very classy move, based off what you’re paying for. We found an ice cream fridge right near the Hummingbird Lounge, and hit it many times. Also, the Hummingbird Lounge was perfect to relax in and order drinks. The service in their was top-​notch, and the drinks were perfect (my honey had an elderflower cosmo which she LOVED).
The free game room was really cool as well. It had a pool table, recliner seating for movies, game machine that had around 50 games on it (all free), computers, chess board, fussball table (missing the fussball), dartboard (missing the darts) and fridge.
The gym was very nice, and had cold bottled spring waters to use, along with weight equipment that actually gauged your range of motion and told you when you were going to fast and too far, or too slow and not far enough. Their was an upstairs yoga room as well. It wasn’t a large gym but much bigger than your typical hotel gym with more machines than most.
On to the bad:
The room, while nice, was very cramped. I felt like I was knocking things over every time I got out of bed, and there was not much luggage space. The bed was comfy and the balcony was nice, along with the shampoo/​conditioner, but to pay close to $ 300/​night for that small of a space was not my cup of tea. I also didn’t like how the bath tub side was so high up, as you basically had to sit your bottom down and slide over to get into the tub. Especially for my honey, with her hurt ankle, she could barely make it over.
The other part was the steps up to the room. Another inconvenience, as the elevator did not go all the way up to our floor. We had to get off at the hummingbird lounge, and then trek over to a flight of steps. I felt horrible for my honey having to climb all those steps on a hurt ankle.
Their onsite restaurant, Madison’s, was also another downer. That’ll be reviewed on it’s own, but the only thing good out of that was our wine
The pool was a letdown as well, as I was expecting it to be deeper, and it was more a wading pool. Ok, great for kids, but look at the clientele … mostly older and no kids to tote.
Last but certainly not least was the spa. We had facials done (we were 10 minutes late to our apt) and the cost for both of us was insane. I’m not even going to mention the price. I did enjoy it, but not worth the cost.
Overall, a good stay for relaxing. Based off price, though, I would spend my money elsewhere.

I have always loved Old Edwards Inn. It is without a doubt my favorite weekend getaway spot.
I’m not sure if you all read these reviews, but I have one recommendation for Old Edwards. I have found that your hotel is consistently attentive to detail. However, I have not been pleased with the music selections throughout the hotel and especially in Madison’s. I know to many people this may seem like a trivial matter, but I have found that music can really make or break an environment. Madison’s has such a simultaneously cozy but elegant feel and yet the music is often random and far too upbeat. Every now and then you’ll hear an old classic standard or a calming folk ballad but then next you’ll hear something beachy or fit for a party. I just don’t think most people expect that kind of vibe and it can really detract from the fireside, mountain retreat feel. I think many different types of music would work well (classical, spa, folk, jazz, etc.) but I just think it needs to be relatively soothing and it needs to fit the environment.
Again, I love Old Edwards. I just wanted to provide my feedback.

So torn on rating here. This inn sits atop the Southwest plateau of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge mountains. It definitely had a old heritage appeal to it. The room we had was really tiny, and nothing special. It was also located on the third floor, which was not exactly easy since the elevator didn’t go to the third floor, and I was in a boot with a broken ankle. My boyfriend told the front desk this, but they did not attempt to make a room change for us. The bathtub was unusually high, and it was very difficult to get in and out of the tub with my ankle. The pluses? The staff was very friendly, and the night service left little cookies and slippers by the bed. There was also a little fridge in the hotel with bottled water, and a supply of fruit and Dove ice cream bars in their freezer. Nice touch. The martinis at Hummingbird lounge were also very tasty.
The spa was good and awful. The actual facial for $ 180 a piece was seriously not even mentionable in a good way. I’ve had way better facials for $ 100. That was the biggest letdown of the trip. They don’t even do extractions as part of it. And later that day, there was a white pasty film over my face. Gross. The spa amenities were very nice. There was a 14 count shower head in a nice spacious shower, and there were toiletries, a dry sauna, mineral hot tub, and lounge. But would I come back here? Never.
The fitness center was great. They supplied towels, and had Purell wipes for the machines and mats. It was a very clean facility with state of the art equipment. They offered classes daily, and had headphones and a bottled water supply as well for the guests. Top notch.
The pool was nice, but it was so shallow. The whole pool was only three feet deep. The lounge chairs were my favorite. They were the most cushy chairs I’ve laid in at a pool. Service was good, but the drinks and food were just okay out there. Very mediocre. There was also a mineral hot tub that was small, but soothing.
Overall, I was quite disappointed in this hotel, and had expected a lot more. The Highlands was really nice, but I’d stay elsewhere next time. For the money, this place missed the mark.

First the place is amazingly beautiful. We stayed in the new wing and our room and outdoor sitting area were impeccable. Madison’s was one of the best meals we’ve had in any hotel. And highland provides many eating and shipping options. We loved hiking to waterfalls and a truly remarkable zip line park 10 miles away.
The issei was the service. Most of the staff we interacted with were literally brain dead. Many we’re international and perhaps it was beginning of season training but that’s no excuse.
Over 4 days they screwed up our lunch order significant. Because there’s one central kitchen for a large property that meant a 20 minute wait to get it fixed.
Dirty laundry left by housekeeping in drawers left by the prior guests.
Front desk and concierge who were incapable of answering the simplistic question. Organizing a reservation at the zip line park, a popular local attraction, was brain surgery requiring multiple phone calls.
My wife had to wander around the spa to find her masseuse and then couldn’t find anyone to track me down in the men’s locker room.
We asked for a newspaper to be delivered in the morning and they literally brought us a paper the first day and not again.
The last thing that was annoying was the tendency to charge for every single thing. It’s an expensive room folks I don’t expect to pay 5 bucks for two cups of black coffee in the hotel lobby in the morning! The Hampton Inn does a better job of that.
All in all it was still an enjoyable stay. It just seemed silly that there so many things wrong that could easily be fixed with better training. The staff was nice and wanted to do the right thing. They were just completely lost.

I planned a girls weekend getaway trip with my girlfriend at Old Edwards Inn and Spa. We got the comfort and joy package which included a three course meal at Madison’s and a 50 minute spa treatment. Boy… This place was spot on. Hands down the best spa I have ever been too. They thought of everything little detail. From the heated massage bed, to the warm slippers to slide your feet in, to the peppermint scented face towels. We ended up spending over five hours in the spa enjoying the amenities (hot tub, sauna, steam room, loungers with big warm comfy blankets). I’ve never been pampered and treated so well at any hotel. Kimberly, the spa attendant, was so sweet and kind to us. She brought us some champagne and spent some time talking to us and really made our spa day so special. Props to her and the entire staff!
*Tip* You can use the spa amenities while staying at the hotel for free!
Dinner at Madison’s was equally great. Though I’ve had better ribeye elsewhere, the attentive service made up for it. I forgot our waiters name, he was from London and super sweet. In fact, a majority of the staff was international. I was told that Old Edwards is a training hub for Hospitality interns all over the world. #1 spa in the South and #13 in the country… It was an absolute delight to come here and I can’t wait to return.

This hotel. Where do I even begin? I never wanted to leave, and I really want to go back! I was here for a friend’s wedding on 11/​1, and we were lucky enough to get a dusting of snow to go along with the already beautiful fall foliage! The entire town of Highlands is like something out of a magazine – very picturesque and many traditional-​style buildings.
We had a room at the Lodge – very cute place. It sort of had its own tiny yard and iron gate as you entered, and this looked gorgeous in the snow. The bathroom floors are heated, and trust me when I say that during our wintry weather they were a Godsend. The complimentary robes they provide in the rooms were super cozy if a little static-​prone. We received complimentary champagne on arrival as well as complimentary cookies for each evening turn-​down service. While here, we opted to take advantage of as many amenities as possible. We ordered room service our first night and loved it!
The next morning we grabbed breakfast at Madison’s (will be writing a separate review for them – highly recommend!) before heading to the spa for our appointments. Y’all. I mean it when I say book whatever you can at this spa because on a super chilly and snowy day this is the coziest place on earth. Complimentary tea, coffee, and champagne, several fireplaces, chaise lounges to laze around in, and incredibly friendly people working there.
This place has exceptional service and the people working here are phenomenal and incredibly sweet. It just so happened ¹¹⁄₁ was also my birthday, and I had staff members wishing me a Happy Birthday left and right. It made me feel even more special than their already-​impeccable service did! I would recommend this place to anyone and will definitely be back one day!

One of the nicest places I’ve been to in a while. We stay at some pretty high end places and Old Edwards was really a pleasant surprise. It’s well managed, the service is courteous, and the grounds and buildings are impeccable. We stayed in the Falls Cottages and loved our private balcony over looking the lawn to the pool. We will be back.

This is genuinely one of the nicest hotels in which I’ve ever stayed.
Many five-​star resorts fall down in some subtle but noticeable fashion, be it customer service, impersonal ambience, or some lack of attention to detail somewhere along the line.
But the Old Edwards Inn is truly firing on all cylinders.
From the turn-​down service to the spectacular rooms and grounds, you’d truly be hard pressed to find a better hotel in this country, or any other.
I can’t comment on the spa services, as we never used them. But if the sheer professionalism the rest of the staff demonstrated is anything to go by, I’d wager the massages, facials and other services are likely to be equally top-​notch.
Were I pressed for a critique, I might suggest they add a couple more ice-​makers to the grounds; simply to obviate the slightly long walk for ice cubes.
But really, the Old Edwards Inn could completely eliminate all ice from the grounds entirely, and force its guests to drink nothing but room-​temperature liquids… and it would still be one of the finest hotels around.

Fantastic facilities and staff! Good for long weekend with someone special or for a corporate function.

Awesome from top to bottom! The patio bar outside, the roof deck, and the library bar are all really fun. The staff are top notch and treat you like royalty! Great place.

Had a great lunch with our daughter and future son. I had the soup of the day and a spring salad. The apple cider vingerette and blue (Mayfield) cheese dressing. It had some interesting ingredients on it that we’re very good.
Returned for wedding Oct. 3.
We stayed in the cottage and had the wedding here. I don’t think we could have had a better place. I have only one area they need to work on. We had to use paper coffee cups. The ones that were in the cabinets were too small for the Keurig coffee maker. We also only had a light roast, no strong or flavored coffee. A large coffee pot might be needed for larger groups.
Otherwise our service, food and even the weather were perfect.

Lived like royalty for a few days here.
1. I’d move into their spa if I could.
2. The food is top-​notch (definitely try the porkchop w/​the apply bacon vinaigrette).
3. Immaculate, well-​appointed gym.
4. Their pool is just… man… it’s great.
5. Beautiful landscape. Nothing seems overdone.
Perfect headquarters for a quiet, relaxing vacation (mini or otherwise).

So, I had a lunch with a friend from Greenville and this place was about in the middle.
Classy, top notch staff, the Wine Bar outside is the place to be on a Saturday afternoon. Nice menu, albeit simple… and slightly expensive. Alcohol is even more.
All and all a great place to eat… and with the right person, I’d guess a nice place to stay as well.

I had such a great stay here… beautiful grounds, flora, and foilage… great and warm Southern service… and wonderful little amenities throughout (e.g., a butlers fridge, pecan shortbread on the pillow at night, comfy slippers and warm rugs by the bed when we went to the room at night, etc.) The heated saltwater pool is fab. The rooms are really spacious and nice — love the gas-​powered fireplace even though it was too hot to use it. We got a little rain when we were there, which wasn’t a problem with the big wraparound porch and rocking chairs to watch the storm :) I didn’t try the spa, unfortunately, but I will on my next visit.
The restaurant — Madison’s — is just mediocre in my opinion. Great wine; average food.
Oh and the Farm at Old Edwards is GORGEOUS. Service there was impeccable and the catered food (which was more delicious than Madison’s itself) was superb.
Can’t wait to make it back to the quaint Highlands for another trip to Old Edwards.