Applewood Manor is situated on a leafy one-acre lot. Guests have access to a fleet of bikes from 3T Cycling to use throughout their stay. Photo by Aaron Hogsed.
INNS AND OUTS
Offering easy access to the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the charms of Asheville, the historic Applewood Manor elevates the typical bed and breakfast experience. Written by Bridget Williams Situated on a leafy-acre and tucked into a gentrified neighborhood of distinguished historic homes within walking distance of downtown Asheville, North Carolina, Applewood Manor, a six-room bed and breakfast, serves as a charming and ideal home base for exploring the region's plethora of cultural, culinary and outdoor offerings. Far from the folksy, lace-curtained, and Queen Anne-furnished interiors often associated with B&B’s, 110-year-old, 6,000-squarefoot Applewood Manor is fresh off the first phase of a $1.5 million renovation and redesign, spearheaded by new owners Robin and Stephen Collins. Here, the bohemian-chic interiors reflect the personal passions of the owners, with carefully selected art and furnishings in public and private spaces hailing from the Collins' collection and enhanced by pieces sourced from 1stDibs, Duxiana, and Bloomist, among others. "Having lived and worked in more than 20 different countries, I was inspired by boutique hotels around the globe, and we aim to bring that level of sophistication, authenticity, engagement, and curation to deliver a more contemporary differentiated bed and breakfast experience," said Stephen. During our stay, the refurbishment of a trio of groundfloor porches and second-floor bedroom balconies was nearing
completion. In addition, the kitchen was gleaming from a significant renovation that had Robin, who lovingly creates breakfast for guests each morning, smiling from ear to ear. What thankfully remains intact is the old-house charm, including an endearing creak of the floorboards as we ascended the broad staircase to our second-floor York Imperial Suite. The scintillating scent of freshly made cookies laid out for us next to the coffeemaker greeted us as soon as we opened the door to our room. Each guestroom at Applewood Manor boasts a king-sized Duxiana DUX 6006 bed; the deep sleep afforded each night by the $14k mattress made believers out of us. Our bed was dressed with crisp white Sferra linens and topped by a sari-inspired cover at the foot. The Collins, who also own a home in Provence, are bona fide Francophiles, evidenced by the large map of French wine-growing regions over the bed, and another one over the fireplace. As someone whose personal style leans towards the eclectic, I appreciated the mix of antiques from varying periods. The hallway leading to the compact en suite bath with cast iron tub retains the original built-in linen closets. Enveloped by mature trees, surrounding homes are largely obscured from view.
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