HAYWOOD PARK HOTEL, AN ASCEND COLLECTION HOTEL, Asheville

The hotel sits on Haywood Street in the central business district. Major landmarks within walking distance include Harrah's Cherokee Center (2-minute walk), Grove Arcade (1 minute), and the River Arts District (about 2 km). Biltmore Estate is a 10-minute drive (4 km), and the Blue Ridge Parkway is 10 km away. The Hop-On Hop-Off trolley stops directly in front of the hotel, making car-free exploration easy. The area is dense with restaurants, breweries, art galleries, music venues, and coffee shops, though some side streets have a visible homeless population. For airport transfers, plan to use a rideshare or taxi as no hotel shuttle is offered.

The hotel offers six suite types ranging from the 380 sq. ft. Starnes Junior 2 Queen (no view) to the 940 sq. ft. Starnes Deluxe City View 2 Queen with a separate master bedroom and kitchenette area. The Haywood Wing leans toward neoclassical decor with garden tubs, while the Starnes Wing features mid-century modern and art deco influences with walk-in rainfall showers. Some Superior and Executive suites can interconnect, useful for families. All rooms come with mini-fridge, Keurig coffee maker, hair dryer, safe, ironing board, and blackout curtains. A notable limitation: some rooms (e.g., 1, 2, and 12-16) face an alley with dumpsters, which can produce early-morning noise. Light sleepers should request a front-facing or upper-floor room. Housekeeping is typically every other day but can be requested at the desk. A few rooms have TVs in the bathroom. The rooms are not equipped with USB charging ports; the main accessible outlets are on the desk lamp, so bring a multi-port hub if needed.

Isa's Bistro operates Thursday-Sunday: dinner from 5-9 PM, and weekend brunch from 9 AM-3 PM on Saturday and Sunday. The menu focuses on locally sourced ingredients and is well regarded. The hotel also partners with Hemingway's Cuba Rooftop Restaurant at the nearby Cambria hotel, which serves Cuban fare daily for breakfast and dinner, plus weekend brunch, with rooftop views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Breakfast at the hotel is not included by default; a continental spread (coffee, pastries, fruit) costs $20 per person, and weekend brunch at Isa's is a paid alternative. A bar in The Cellar offers craft cocktails, fine wines, and local beers, with live music on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

The hotel has a fitness center for cardio and light strength training. The spa is independently owned and provides facials, but no massage therapist is currently on-site (they can refer to local therapists). The hotel does not have a swimming pool, but the lobby often features live music (Bubbles & Big Band on Tuesdays, local artists on Thursdays) and complimentary champagne, adding to the leisure atmosphere. The Cellar hosts occasional swing dance events with a live orchestra.

Wi-Fi is complimentary throughout the hotel. Valet parking costs $17-$22 per night and is the only parking option; the garage is on-site behind the building and provides 24-hour service with unlimited in/out. Electric vehicle charging is available for Tesla vehicles only for an additional $8 per charge. Luggage storage is offered for a fee. The hotel has a business centre and meeting/banquet facilities (Main Cellar seats 90, Burgundy Boardroom seats 10, plus Battery Park Hall with over 11000 sq. ft. of flexible space). Accessibility features include wheelchair-accessible facilities, handicapped parking, braille/tactile signage, lowered switches and storage, and wheelchair-accessible bathrooms. All rooms have key card access, a safe, and smoke alarms. The property is non-smoking throughout. A vending machine and ATM are on site.