Beaufort House Inn

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Featured in National Geograpic Traveler's Magazine, Southern Living, Vegetarian Times and chosen for our gardens to appear on the front cover of a nationally published TIME/LIFE book "Designing and Planting Backyards" by Kathy Sheldon.

Welcome to The Beaufort House, an Asheville bed and breakfast!   Where Innkeeping is not our hobby...it is our profession!

Experience the warmth!

Enjoy the warmth and friendly atmosphere of this one-of-a-kind historic property. Built in 1894, this historic home has been meticulously restored as a romantic bed and breakfast, with an air of casual luxury and elegance - the perfect environment for an exceptional getaway experience.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this beautiful Queen Anne Victorian is situated on 1 ½ acres in the quiet, residential Chestnut Historic District. It provides an oasis of beautifully landscaped grounds, gardens, and waterfalls just a half mile stroll from the vibrant activities of downtown Asheville, NC.

The Inn was once the home to actor Charlton Heston and his wife, Lydia, who would walk downtown to their work at The Asheville Community Theatre, which is still putting on great plays throughout the year.

Enjoy the Value and Warmth of the "Authentic Asheville Experience"

This grand home is "the place to stay" for a romantic honeymoon, anniversary, or special getaway weekend. Experience all Asheville has to offer as you delight in the mountain sunsets from our wraparound Victorian porch, walk the beautiful gardens, or enjoy the nearby excitement of the arts, culture, food, and music of downtown, just a half-mile away. Christina is a Master Gardner who will help you connect with the natural beauty of our gardens, or you can venture out to enjoy the surrounding mountain areas with hiking, biking, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, and an endless variety of outdoor activities. GQ Magazine (May 2011) describes us as "stately not stuffy" ....we like that description!

Enjoy a candlelit, two-course gourmet breakfasts featuring fresh, seasonal, and organic ingredients. Our commitment to support local growers enables us to respond to your dietary requirements - vegetarian, vegan, gluten free or other dietary requests with advance notice.

Authentic Asheville ~ It's More than you Expect!

Have fun and experience all Asheville has to offer!  We take our hospitality seriously, so let us help you see the town and all it has to offer.  Select from our special packages and take advantage of our personal concierge service for recommendation and reservations to the best places in town. You will get the most from your stay with help from our  "Guest Best" restaurant list and menus... recommendations for Art and Music....Hiking, Biking & Running maps... access to "The RUSH Fitness Complex" nearby....its all of Asheville, anyway you like it !

We think you will find that the casual setting and warm ambiance of the Inn is enhanced by our 11 guestrooms, each of which offers unique amenities.... private baths, two-person Jacuzzis, Gas-Log burning fireplaces, LCD TVs, DVD Library, WiFi throughout the Inn and much, much more.....

~  The "Beaufort Experience"....more that you expect!  ~

~  Historic setting & casual charm...with the luxuries of today  ~

The Beaufort House Inn is a historic North Carolina bed and breakfast, that stands apart with many distinctive features and amenities for our guests to enjoy. Here are a few of them....

The Inn
Our property is one of the largest and most peaceful in Asheville. Our one and a half acres of beautifully landscaped gardens feature a variety of native and historical species. The garden includes a developing herb garden and a large wisteria arbor, complete with antique brick patio for reading and relaxing.

You can savor the soft sounds of our water fountains and three-tiered waterfall and enjoy the mountain breezes in the swings and hammocks around the property. Experience the grandeur of mountain sunsets on our Queen Anne wraparound porch and gazebo. Rocking chairs and ceiling fans await you!

Our comfortable and charming guest rooms reflect the elegant character of this historic home while incorporating all of the modern amenities a discerning guest would expect. Each room is unique and has a private bath with a variety of amenities listed below.

The Location
We are nestled in a quiet, historic residential neighborhood just a short half mile stroll from downtown and an easy two mile drive to the Biltmore Estate and Village Shops. Asheville’s downtown features an eclectic mix of shopping, great restaurants, sidewalk cafés, art and music venues...a great place to relax and people watch!

The Service
The Beaufort House experience revolves around you. The Inn is owner-operated by Jim & Christina Muth, whose years of business travel experience have taught them how to make your stay an exceptional one. Jim & Christina and their friendly, professional staff are committed to helping you enjoy all that Asheville has to offer. Just Ask. We’ll make it happen!

Special Touches
Because the little things matter...we want you to enjoy...

• Two-course gourmet breakfast planned and prepared by Christina and her staff, rotating savory/sweet menus that take advantage of local and seasonal produce. Most dietary requirements can be met, upon request, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and other food allergies.
• In-room amenities include private baths in each room with a combination of showers, Jacuzzis and antique claw soaking tubs.
• Aveda bath products
• Luxurious white hotel bed linens and 630 thread count sheets
• Godiva chocolates
• Two-person Jacuzzis
• Fireplaces and ceiling fans
• Hair dryers, alarm clocks, DVD players
• Luxurious robes
• Cable with LCD flat screen TVs
• Air conditioning
• Wireless Internet throughout the house and cottages
• Private, off-street parking

We also offer many special packages including in-room massage; flowers, chocolate truffles; and sparkling beverages...just ask and we'll make it happen!

Built in 1894, and now in its fifteen year as an Inn, The Beaufort House is an exceptional North Carolina vacation destination for guests from all over North America and the world. We take pride in providing a comfortable environment which wins over first-time B&B visitors, and creates friendships and loyalty from guests who return year after year.

Hospitality is the hallmark of both the past and present of this lovely property. Today the hospitality of The Beaufort House Inn is second to none. As our guest, you will personally experience the warmth and spirit of this hospitality whether engaged with our innkeepers, staff, or other guests. This spirit permeates the privacy of your own suite, private decks, our outdoor gardens and the serenity of our library in the main house. Our two-course gourmet breakfasts and wine socials also offer opportunities for you to enjoy the experiences and camraderie of other guests, all part of the "Beaufort Experience".

When you stay with us, you are likely to make new friends and reconnect with the things that bring joy to your life. Our goal is to provide you with the perfect respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life as you relax and delight in the cozy elegance of this historic home.

Each morning at our North Carolina inn, you will look forward to our elegantly prepared, candlelit breakfasts - as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate. Our lavish, two-course gourmet breakfast is prepared using the freshest ingredients that take advantage of local and seasonal produce gathered from local farmers and using organic ingredients whenever possible.

The menu at our bed and breakfast alternates between sweet and savory and is designed to please the palate and expand your breakfast experience.

We use fresh juices, the finest locally roasted coffees, and organic whole-grain flours. Our menu varies day to day and may include Belgian Waffles, pear dumplings, French phyllo eggs, quiches and crepes. We always complement our main entrée with fresh fruit, baked fruit dishes, delicious muffins, or organic yogurt parfaits. We take simple and traditional recipes and apply a 'modern, updated' flair to our continually expanding menus.

We also cater to vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, macrobiotics, and most dietary requests. Advance notice is appreciated for these menu changes.

Our two dining rooms seat 24 people comfortably for breakfast each morning, at both group and individual tables. The ambiance is complemented with flowers, candles, our elegant antique woodwork, stained glass windows with views of the gardens and birds just outside . . . and engaging conversation with other guests.

The Beaufort House is an Asheville landmark, and one of the finest examples of a late 1800s home. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places this exquisite property has received many awards over the years. It has been rated the #1 Bed and Breakfast in Asheville. In 2007, it was featured in the NY Times as one of the top 5 places to stay in Asheville. (add link – what word do you want linked, and to what link?). It also has been featured in a variety of publications including National Geographic 'Traveler', Southern Living, and Vegetarian Times publications.

The Heritage of the Inn

Historically named Beaufort Lodge, this beautiful Queen Anne Victorian style house was built by Theodore Fulton Davidson,designed by architect A.L Melton, and completed in 1895. The tiger oak woodworking and moldings (now an extinct species) and the distinctively colored tile fireplaces in the Main House are all original appointments to the Beaufort Lodge.

Theodore Davidson was an Asheville lawyer who was both the Attorney General of North Carolina, and later the Mayor of Asheville. The Beaufort Lodge was built for his wife Sarah Lindsey Carter Davidson, and was the scene of many gala social events and political deliberations. Today the Beaufort House Inn stands as a testament to the style and workmanship prevalent during the Biltmore Estate era at the turn of the century in Asheville.

Early History or the Area

In the late 1800s, Asheville society was in the process of shifting from that of a remote county seat, to a more cosmopolitan center of culture. This change was inspired by the vision of George Washington Vanderbilt, who was building what is now the elegant Biltmore Estate (completed around this same time in 1894).

Theodore Davidson’s career in politics and as mayor of Asheville spanned a key time in that history. After a long and successful career, Theodore F. Davidson died at the age of 86 on June 11, 1931. The property would remain in his family until 1942

In 1947, actor Charlton Heston and his wife Lydia moved into Beaufort Lodge where they would take up residence for 6 months. Mr. Heston accepted an invitation as the Director of the Asheville Community Theater, where he would save up a “nest egg” which he would use to travel to California to pursue his larger dreams. Charlton and Lydia rented a room from Laura Schnorrenberg, who then owned the house. Charlton and Lydia occupied what is known today as the Rose Room on the second floor of the main house.

Late in 1947, Laura sold the home to Mr. Hubert A. Haseltine and his wife to operate as the Haseltine School until 1949. The school merged with some others to become the Asheville Country Day School. Today, those schools have become Carolina Day School a prestigious private school in the Asheville area.

Recent History of the Inn

In 1977, Dr. and Mrs. Lon McAnally bought the home and restored it to its Victorian elegance. In 1985, Lemac and Marjorie Hopkins purchased the property as a personal home after his retirement as Vice President of Chevron Oil Company. Mr. Hopkins worked diligently to get Beaufort Lodge on the National Register of Historic Places. The house was featured in National Geographic Traveler Magazine.

In 1993, Robert and Jacqueline Glasgow purchased the home, and over a three year period, turned it into a thriving Bed and Breakfast Inn. Robert is credited with the upgrades to the house, and the expansion of the original Carriage House into three Guest Cottages and an Innkeepers Quarters. The Beaufort House Inn continued to thrive for another 14 years under the Glasgow’s ownership

In August 2007, Jim and Christina Muth of Ellicott City, Maryland, fulfilled a desire to relocate to Asheville by purchasing the Inn and assuming the role of Owners/Innkeepers. Today they continue the work of restoration, maintenance, and stewardship of this beautiful historic property.