The view from the Monte Vista Hotel. Photo by Kim Evans

VIEW FROM THE TOP

Many people go to the mountains because they feel an innate calling. And when they arrive, the Monte Vista Hotel is ready to make them feel at home among the mountain air.

The staff at the Monte Vista Hotel; PHOTO BY KIM EVANS

Monte Vista Hotel courtyard; PHOTO BY KIM EVANS

Structures are not built the way they used to be, whether for better or worse. The floorboards don’t creak under your feet, the light doesn’t cascade through handblown glass window panes and the overall charm of the good old days is yet to exist in a new build. And while new construction has its place, there is something about a home on the National Register of Historic Places that excites. Originally constructed in 1919 by husband and wife Lucien and Rosalie Phillips, the Monte Vista Hotel officially opened inside a former schoolhouse as a means to accommodate all the new visitors of the Black Mountain, N.C., area—thanks to the newly constructed railroad. Later down the road, in the late ’30s, the current brick building was constructed, further cementing the hotel as a central piece of Black Mountain’s community. From here, The Annex was added in 1975, and in years past, the hotel has undergone many renovations.

Cuisine prepared by chef Edwin Bloodworth. PHOTO BY KIM EVANS

Black Mountain railroad station; PHOTO BY KIM EVANS

Today, the small “railroad” town of Black Mountain has claimed the title of the “Prettiest Small Town in America,” and the inn has only gotten more beautiful under the direction of Atlanta’s Southern Proper Hospitality Group. When you arrive, hanging ferns float in the mountain breeze and you would likely see a guest or two sitting out of the wide porch, rocking in the row of sturdy North Carolina-made rocking chairs. Inside, guests enter The Lodge, a 1950s addition to the hotel, featuring a large “family room” with a hearth, an ample bar area for cocktail hour and 14 single queen rooms on the main floor. Then, upstairs in the main building, 33 well-appointed rooms highlight impeccable craft smanship, historical charm, yet tasteful and modern amenities for the everyday traveler. Another fabulous addition and amenities offered to guests while lodging at Monte Vista is world-class dining and gastronomic experience. With the addition of a Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails on the property by Southern Proper Hospitality Group, guests have continuously been wowed by the talent of executive chef Edwin Bloodworth. With a menu consisting of starters like mushroom toast with farmer’s cheese, scallions and sourwood honey atop housemade whole-grain bread, and daring mains, like rack of venison topped with berry glaze and paired with sweet potato, Broccolini and blistered local peppers, there is a real sense of pride with every dish. To finish, the homemade carrot cake is a chef specialty and prepared upon order, so it is extremely fresh when it arrives to your table and proves the perfect, sweet way to end your night in the mountains. While new avenues, ventures and places are being developed every day, it’s nice to visit a place where things tend to stay the same, in an environment that allows humans and nature to thrive. 308 W. State St., Black Mountain, N.C., mvhotel.com