This place commands a superb site on the shore of exceptionally clean Lake Toxaway, 45 miles south of Asheville's airport. This is a splendid inn and a perfect romantic hideaway. The three-story main building, dating from 1915, is recorded on the National Register of Historic Places. Guests at the mansion have included John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford and Thomas Edison.
A road hems in the 3,000 acres surrounding this low-key inn. The small lobby has a large stone fireplace, a grand piano, an intimate enclosed veranda and a gift shop, all with homey charm. In fact, the residential appearance is intentional, following the exact specifications that original owner Lucy Mintz had.
Picture windows in the restaurant afford stunning lake vistas during breakfast and dinner (included in the rates). The latter is a formal affair with reservations suggested and jackets required from May through October. Live entertainment often accompanies the culinary fanfare. Tea is taken in the sunroom in the afternoon (an experience not to miss), hors d'oeuvres are in the library in the evening, and soft drinks are available throughout the day. Meals (including a seven-course dinner) are prepared with great attention to detail here, even though they
are already included in the rates. Favorites include Charleston crab cakes and elaborate desserts and pastries produced by the resort's award-winning chef.
Recreation is also included in the rates, from the daily champagne cruise, waterskiing, tubing, kayaking, volleyball, croquet and tennis to complimentary golf November through April. Additional pastimes are fishing, swimming and hiking, but true calm spirits simply spend time on the porch's rocking chairs. Don't miss the hotel's boat launch, one of the best ways to build a reservoir of peace. The spa with lockers, showers and sauna proffers a variety of health and beauty treatments and massages, and fitness buffs can work out at the nearby country club. A lake-view meeting room can seat 30, but few would want to remain indoors at this natural oasis.
Though guest rooms differ in layout and decor, all have a distinct period feel with hardwood floors, rugs and ceiling fans, antique and reproduction furniture, lace, leather, and colorful mint, pine and sunflower palettes. Most have sitting areas, and many boast fireplaces, balconies, private entrances, vaulted ceilings or skylights. Of note are the Firestone room at the edge of the lake, the Ford with wraparound windows and serene views, and the second-floor Moltz with wraparound windows. An outstanding accommodation is the former library and book-lined presidential suite, with 14-ft bay windows, a wide balcony, chandeliers hanging from 25-ft beamed ceilings, floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, a king bed downstairs and paired double beds in the loft.
Rooms in the favored Hillmont building directly across from the main inn are more contemporary, with minibars, VCRs, lake-view balconies, and baths with dual basins and whirlpool tubs. Lakeside suites add whirlpools, screened porches and sitting rooms with fireplaces. Accommodations here, though full of charm, lack sophistication, and soundproofing seems unheard of. Turndown and free daily newspapers are customary, and meticulous housekeeping and maintenance are the norm.
Visitors seeking a bed-and-breakfast-style vacation with lots of guest interaction will be pleased here. Reserve well in advance, as this property is often booked up with groups who read about this highly regarded resort in the nation's top travel publications. Children and families may prefer a livelier place, but couples will enjoy themselves. Note that the Greystone requires two-night stays on popular weekends and is closed weekdays December through March.
