Summer’s not as lazy as it used to be. Maybe that’s why even the oldest (and youngest) among us begins to crave the nostalgia and innocent bliss of summer camp. Clearly, we don’t want to sleep on cots anymore or eat burnt hot dogs cooked on a stick over an open fire. We want that frozen-in-time, slow travel-steeped -in-beautiful-simplicity experience that summer camp can give—but we want it done with the lashings of luxury. Enter Old Edwards Inn & Spa, a Relais & Chateaux property woven into Highlands North Carolina on the southwest plateau of the quixotic Blue Ridge Mountains.
Not only will a getaway to this mountain resort town ensure cooler days and nights, its storybook Main Street —as characteristic as a Hallmark movie set—transports visitors to a wholesome otherworld of heyday charm. Woven into Highland’s footprint, Old Edwards Inn & Spa’s set-up seems conjured from that old school summer camp playbook, albeit opulently and with exceptional food. Undulating stone pathways lead to various cottage “neighborhoods,” with activity centers, from a pool to a spa, planted amongst the leafy greenery in between.
Old Edwards manages to give us that feeling of deep soul contentment. Though the area offers scores of natural wonders, there’s no real need to leave the resort. On the sprawling property you can play golf, tennis, sip cocktails, listen to live music, shop and play. This is a realm where the rest of the world can—thankfully—disappear for a spell.
Choose from a variety of accommodations at Old Edwards. Each of the 93 rooms spread across the property is artfully outfitted to be elegantly understated, up market, but snug. Whether a room in the Historic Inn, a stand-alone Residence or a wellness suite built atop the spa, the rooms at the hotel offer a cosseting space for every type of traveler.
Some ten dining and sipping venues tempt. We’re fans of Madison’s Restaurant, where Southern-infused dishes make use of the hotel’s organic garden, reimagining your grandma’s recipes for modern tastebuds. Don’t miss the Shrimp and Grits or Smoked Trout Dip. Hummingbird Lounge is the place for a craft cocktail beside a roaring fire.
