Old Edwards Inn and Spa

I took my daughter to Old Edwards Inn & Spa in the Highlands of North Carolina for a mother/daughter vacation. From the beginning of our stay, right thru to check out, Old Edwards delivers the royal treatment to their guests. Upon our arrival, we were welcomed with a glass of champagne and throughout our stay, we were surprised by little touches like that. Old Edwards seems to be able to anticipate guests' needs and provides for them. The guest rooms are very warm and welcoming and nicely decorated. Cozy robes and slippers are provided along with wonderful Molton Brown bath products. We treated ourselves to some pampering at the luxurious Old Edwards Spa where we each enjoyed one of the many spa treatments that are offered. Afterwards, we relaxed in the peaceful refuge of the Serenity Solarium where we curled up with a book in one of the comfortably upholstered chairs & sipped complimentary fruit infused water as well as a warm cup of tea. While at the spa, we indulged ourselves by using the jacuzzi, steam room, and the sauna. in addition, we showered under one of the fabulous multi-head showers which is an experience not to be missed. We ate lunch at the Spa Cafe that was appropriately decorated with a lovely garden motif. Besides the Spa Cafe, there are several other food venues from which to choose as well. Whether making reservations at the lovely dining room of Madison's where we ate two delicious meals or ordering something pool-side at either of the two outdoor pools, you will find that the food is delicious. On the weekends, there is live entertainment in the Hummingbird Lounge and Art's at the Lodge. We very much enjoyed the music entertainment and it definitely enhanced our evening plans. Another activity we enjoyed before calling it a night was going to one of the two outdoor hot tub jacuzzis. We also enjoyed unwinding from the day by sitting by the outdoor fireplace that was located under a covered lounge area near one of the pools. This was a great place to spend some time even when it was raining. The town of Highlands is quite cute and there are many interesting shops to explore and other restaurants to try. There are also many hiking trails nearby and many of them lead to picturesque views or waterfalls. But even if you never leave the Old Edwards property, your visit will be wonderful as you will enjoy a blissful stay and you will leave longing to return. An Old Edwards Inn and Spa experience is very memorable and offers a little "slice of heaven" to its guests.

We had a wonderful one night stay! Rooms were beautiful and the landscaping is amazing. We had dinner and breakfast at Madison's which both were sensational. Just wish the weather would have been a little better. Staff was super friendly. We plan on returning again. GO NEWBERRY WOLVES �

There is no where in the spa to read on an electronic device. I think the industry is moving to this which forces people to unplug. However, many spas offer a place for reading on a device. I guess this spa is too small. It's a shame, I wont be back.

My husband and I just returned from a week-long stay at Old Edwards and before I get into the nitty gritty here of peaking behind the curtain, I want to say it was a very enjoyable time. I'm about to dive into the one star I've docked, and I'm doing that because when your rates are premium, you need to have your house in total order. In the end, we would recommend Old Edwards to anyone and will likely return ourselves. The grounds are immaculate and amenities are numerous. Staff seems to try very hard and our cottage was very comfortable. After a week, however, you notice a few things. First the rooms. We stayed in a cottage, which was plenty spacious for two and had a lovely bathroom/shower. But the bed was stiff and the pillows were a little flat. I've slept on better beds at the Westin. Also, a little more insulation might be in order. Maybe the folks above us were unusually flat-footed but I heard them pounding around several times. Their plumbing also whooshed every time they flushed or showered. The first time I heard it, I thought there was a real problem and that water was about to come out of the wall. Next, the spa: We spent a day at this award-winning spa. It is huge and lovely looking. But the energy here was frenetic. The staff seemed under stress, like they were checking things off a list. This wasn't just one or two people, but almost everyone we encountered. When we returned to use the amenities again, which guests are welcome to do, we again noticed this strange energy: clipped pace, some sighing and huffing among staff members, furrowed brows. The women's locker room is very nice, and while they've thought of many things one needs to wash and primp, there are no hair gels or sprays, which basic spas I've been to have always offered. In addition to massages (good, not the best I've had, but solid), we got the Blue Ridge Rainforest shower treatment, which is 30 minutes in a steam chamber with some scrubs, mud, body gel, shampoo and conditioner. It was nice, but I noticed the gel, shampoo and conditioner smelled a lot like what I was getting daily in my room. I asked and that hunch was confirmed. Maybe bump up that experience with something more luxurious, or at least a different set of fragrances. There was also a clutch of women on the "quiet" porch who were making themselves very loudly at home. No one asked them to pipe down. Moving on to Madison's, the house restaurant. We ate here twice, once with dinner reservations for the main dining room and once without for lunch in the Wine Garden. The latter was a far better experience -- much more relaxed, better service and more creative food. The dinner experience got off to a rickety start when we had to wait 15 minutes for a table, despite reservations that had been made days in advance. No apologies came with that, just "have a seat in our waiting area and we'll get to you soon." I'd overlook that if service from there had been stellar, but it was average at best. Waitress was stiff and like she was reciting the menu at gunpoint. Food was fine, but not remarkable with exception of the cheese/charcuterie plate, which was very good. Sadly, however, no one bothered to tell us what cheeses or meats we had in front of us. The standout faux pas here was wine service. We each ordered a glass of separate wine, and the waitress brought each OPENED bottle to the table for presentation. Each bottle was about half empty. I don't expect you to open a new bottle of wine when I've only ordered a glass, but the accepted method is to pour that glass away from the table and just bring it to me. Let's dispense of the pretense, which is sort of my point about Madison's. It's a lot of pretense without a lot of substance. I'd give it two and half stars out of five, with the food carrying it entirely. Sorry, Old Edwards, you need to step this game up a few notches. We canceled our second evening reservation and went to Cyprus downtown for a third dinner, where food was far more creative and served with some panache by staff that seemed to actually like food. Finally, my last caveat is that at a resort that charges what this one does, it was surprising that more gratis coffee and tea wasn't available. We stepped into Art's at the Lodge one rainy afternoon for some coffee and tea and were promptly charged $8 for the apparent luxury. Meanwhile, there are open champagne bottles with glasses for guests to partake. That nice gesture ends up ringing hollow when you nickel and dime guests for hot water and plain coffee. Again, Old Edwards, if you want to play in the big leagues of hospitality, be hospitable across the gamut; put yourselves in your guests' shoes and make sure you've got the details down. This may all sound nitpicky, which I'll own. It is. But when you present yourself as top of the line and charge accordingly, you don't have the room for misses, some of which were just basic.

Delightful property and town for a long weekend away. Old Edwards Inn is a wonderful property, enjoyed the outdoor hot tub and outdoor fireplace, service is top-notch. Had a nice time shopping and ate at great restaurants, all easy walking distance. Went on nearby hikes to Whitesides Cliffs and Sunset Rock, terrific views of the mountains. The cool evenings (~55 degrees) were an awesome break from the summer heat back home.