Story by Jennifer Primrose.
Just steps from the gates of the Biltmore Estate, the Grand Bohemian Lodge Asheville draws you in and invites you to stay awhile. On my first visit, I realized almost immediately that this isn’t just another place to spend the night—it’s an experience shaped by local art, rich details, and the kind of welcome that makes you forget the world beyond its doors.
A well-appointed spa and fitness center complement the amenities, providing guests with every opportunity to relax or stay active during their stay. The atmosphere strikes a balance between old-world charm and contemporary luxury, inviting visitors to slow down and savor each moment.
Like much of western North Carolina, the Grand Bohemian faced unimaginable damage when Hurricane Helene struck in the fall of 2024. Torrential rains swelled the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, sending water rushing straight into Biltmore Village—and through the hotel’s front doors.
Director of Rooms Andy Brown remembers it clearly. “We hung out on the second floor and watched it,” Brown says. “We were putting towels at the base of the doors, thinking it couldn’t get worse … and then we got the alert they were going to release the levee. That’s when it came in fast. Within 10 minutes, we had six, eight inches of water pouring in.”
The floodwaters swept with relentless force. They flooded the entire first floor, submerging the lobby, bar, front desk, restaurant, and countless treasured furnishings and art installations. The impact was devastating. When the waters finally receded, the sight was heartbreaking. “It looked like a current going right through the hotel,” Brown recalls. “Furniture floated out the doors, upended, stacked on top of the bar. Everything was gone.”
Many hotels might have shut their doors for good after such destruction. But for the Grand Bohemian—part of The Kessler Collection—giving up wasn’t an option. Within hours, restoration crews were on site, carefully dismantling and cataloging every piece of carved wood, every antique pillar, and every one-of-a-kind artwork.
“We took down every panel of wood, labeled them, and sent them to Charlotte to be restored,” Brown explains. “Same with the antique pillars and the artwork. It wasn’t just replacing what was damaged—it was reclaiming it.”
Some elements, like the boutique Black Forest Wine Room with its striking onyx backdrop, were nearly impossible to replicate. Today, this moody, intimate space remains a true jewel of the hotel—a haven for wine lovers and connoisseurs alike. Yet where nature took more than it gave back, the hotel leaned into reinvention—commissioning a local artist to hand-paint a mural, no stencil needed, to honor what had been lost.
By May 2025, the Grand Bohemian reopened its doors. When I stepped into my room, it was hard to believe what this place had endured just months before. Plush fabrics, rich woods, and handpicked art pieces surrounded me in warmth. The space felt simultaneously decadent and deeply comforting.
Each room is carefully curated to blend luxury with a sense of place. Textures and elements echo Asheville’s artistic spirit and mountain heritage.
Perhaps most remarkably, about 70 percent of the original staff returned, many having worked at other Kessler properties while their Asheville home was being revitalized.
“We’re proud of our little hotel,” Brown says. “It might be small, but we go over the top in the details. And after everything we’ve been through, it feels really good to welcome guests back again.”
An Immersive World of Art
One of my favorite moments was wandering through the Grand Bohemian Gallery, guided by curator Constance Richards, whose passion for this space runs deep and feels contagious the moment you step inside. When she unlocked the gallery’s story, it became clear this wasn’t just a hallway lined with art—it’s part of the hotel’s very soul.
“There was mud sitting right here,” Richards recalls, pointing to the spot on the gallery floor where the river’s aftermath had once settled. “A lot of things probably just washed down the river.”
Rather than rebuild the gallery exactly as it was, the team took a bold step. They tore down a dividing wall to let the gallery flow straight into the lobby, blurring lines between art and hospitality. Now, whether you’re sipping a cocktail or a coffee, you’re invited to explore vibrant works by artists like Jean Claude Roy. He is a self-taught French painter, renowned for kinetic landscapes and the tiny sun hidden within each canvas. “They come in and try to find the sun in each painting,” Richards says. “It’s become a ritual.”
Once a year, Roy brings his new collection here for an intimate art-and-wine dinner that’s become the hotel’s biggest creative event. “It’s our biggest art event,” Richards says. “We unveil everything that night. It’s like a celebration of his year’s work.”
Alongside Roy’s kinetic landscapes, the hotel showcases the mystical oil and gold leaf paintings of Chris Sedgwick. His work is steeped in mythology and alchemical symbolism. The elegant, ballet-inspired figures of Anna Razumovskaya are also featured. For guests drawn to more than just paintings, this was the first Kessler gallery to incorporate fine jewelry and apparel into its curation. Monthly receptions, trunk shows, and “meet the artist” evenings keep the space alive year-round. It remains a gathering place for locals and travelers alike.
“Mr. Kessler was ahead of his time,” Richards notes. “Before all those ‘art hotels’ became trendy, he realized guests wanted to buy what they saw. So he built an entire gallery program.”
Today, that vision thrives in Asheville, Charleston, Greenville, St. Augustine, and Mountain Brook (Alabama)—but here, the gallery’s comeback feels like a personal triumph you can see and feel.
A Culinary Escape at The Red Stag Grill
The Red Stag Grill is the signature restaurant inside the Grand Bohemian. It is its own destination—part European chophouse, part hunting lodge, part culinary adventure. Beneath crystal antler chandeliers, guests can savor a spread that feels both decadent and comforting. The offerings include elk carpaccio, crispy quail, and the Bohemian Hunt Board, stacked with prosciutto and smoked boar sausage. The menu strikes a fine balance between upscale game and Appalachian comfort.
For the bold, there’s the $100 martini cart—a tableside showpiece featuring Belvedere 10 vodka and Procera Blue Dot gin, artisanal olives, and Italian vermouth, all poured into crystal stemware. The extensive wine list, boasting over 700 bottles, makes any wine enthusiast feel right at home.
Breakfasts at Red Stag Grill are equally inviting, featuring local ingredients and options such as smoothie bowls, avocado toast, omelets, and smoked salmon toast, accompanied by rich French press coffee. It’s the perfect way to start a day of exploring Asheville’s mountain charm.
A stay at the Grand Bohemian in Asheville is proof that what is built with intention and care can weather even the fiercest storms. The lobby gleams again, the Black Forest Wine Room glows with soft light, the gallery pulses with life—and the staff greet you like family, ready to share the next chapter of a story that somehow feels like your own.
Experience the Grand Bohemian Asheville for yourself—step inside, and become part of its remarkable story.
