Experience the Biltmore Estate's Candlelight Extravaganza while staying at our Asheville Bed and Breakfast

One of the biggest tourist attractions in Asheville is of course, the Biltmore Estate. From now until January 3, 2010, the Biltmore offers candlelight tours in addition to their regular daytime house tours. The house by day is impressive and very beautiful; but by night, it's magical.

To help you enjoy a visit by day, we offer a Biltmore package that includes your room for two nights, breakfast daily, afternoon treats and two two-day passes to the Estate. If you wish to do a Candlelight tour also, let us know a date and time window and we will arrange it for you with Biltmore for an additional $10 per ticket charge.

So enjoy a stay at the 1899 Wright Inn, a three mile drive to the front gate (then about 3.5 miles back to the house) and we take care of your tickets for you so you don't have to go through the "will call" pick-up. While you're here, find out about the inn's connection to the Vanderbilts.

Whether by day or night, Christmas at the Biltmore is a wonderful Holiday experience.

Barbara & Bob Gilmore
Owners & Innkeepers

At our Asheville Bed and Breakfast, The 1899 Wright Inn, we were Home Again

You CAN go home again....

The 1899 Wright Inn and Carriage House is fortunate to have many returning guests. However, on Monday, we had an unusual and wonderful experience we wish to share with you.

Following the death of Mrs. Leva Wright in 1945, the house was purchased the following year from the bank handling her estate by Mr. and Mrs. James A. Banks. Mr. Banks was a plasterer who suffered from emphysema. Mrs. Banks ran the property as a boarding house.

In 1947-48 two young children, Larry and David, lived on the third floor of the house with their parents. On Monday, Larry and David came back to see where they had spent part of their childhood.

They walked around the third floor remembering where their bedroom was (now the Steven Van Winkle Room), their parent's room (now the Orr Room) the original bathroom up their is the one now used by the Orr Room. Their mother was a seamstress and had her sewing room in what is now the Hampton Room because of the light through those windows.

They can also remember an ice box at the top of the stairway. I can't help but think of that poor ice man carrying blocks of ice up those stairs every few days.

It's those small memories of the past that this wonderful house holds.

We're proud to maintain the house for those who can come back to remember or for those who want to step back into the past to a kinder, gentler time if only for a short while.

Life has taken David to California and Larry to homes in the southeastern United States. But relatives brought them here for a surprise visit back to their past. So maybe Thomas Wolfe....you can go home again, if only for a short visit.

Barbara & Bob Gilmore
Owners & Innkeepers

Halloween at the 1899 Wright Inn and Carriage House

What a fun Halloween we had here at the 1899 Wright Inn. We had a couple from the Netherlands, a lady from the UK and a gentleman from Ireland. It was interesting to learn of a similar custom celebrated in the Netherlands so we shared info on "International customs!" We also had two rooms of repeat guests, David and Dee from Raleigh, NC, and Winnie and Dean who are also from Raleigh, NC.

On Saturday evening, when the ghosts and goblins came out, Tina and Sam, our guests in the Celebration Suite sat on the porch with us visiting and watching all the children (and parents, some in costume) come to the door.

These kids were from hardy stock as they braved cool temperatures and a steady hard rain for most of the evening. We had about 175 children visit the Inn.

Maggie also sends her thoughts and Love to Cindy and Steven for her trick or treat surprise.

Barbara & Bob Gilmore
Owners & Innkeepers

Our Favorite Asheville Bed and Breakfast is The Wright Inn and Carriage House

The 1899 Wright Inn and Carriage House is very lucky to have a high percentage of loyal, repeat guests. So when I thought about this, I was determined to get the reasons from the next "returns" through our door.

It happened to be Carol and Tony from Louisville, KY who come to spend another few days with us.

They make frequent trips to Asheville because they love the area, the diversity of the people and the limitless things to do here. The scenery and mountains attract them.

Like many people, they found our website and like the look of the inn and the pricing. Tony and Carol find the inn beautiful, warm and inviting, love the decor and our attention to detail. Carol especially like finding her big "staff" mug waiting every morning.

They have stayed in four different rooms and we tease them about sleeping around. So far they have decided they like the Bosse-Bryan room best because it is cozy, bright and cheerful.

They are B&B folks and have run the gamut of being badgered by innkeepers or the opposite experience of "here's your room, here's your key." They feel we are friendly and helpful enough but also know when to bow out and leave them alone.

They look forward to our breakfast every morning and enjoy visiting with the wonderful people this inn attracts.

Tony and Carol will be back in April and we look forward to greeting them like the growing family they've become.

Barbara, Bob and "Maggie" Gilmore
Owners & Innkeepers