The Porch Has the Best Seat in the Mountains
Fall at Balsam Mountain Inn —
where the color comes to you.
October at the Balsam Mountain Inn is spectacular. At 3,350 feet and surrounded by hardwood ridges on all sides, fall color is all around you without even having to step off the porch.
For those who want a little adventure, the Blue Ridge Parkway is moments from the front door — overlooks and trails through some of the best fall scenery in the Southeast.
Fall color in the Southern Appalachians follows elevation and weather, not a calendar. October at Balsam is reliably the most beautiful month of the year, with every day a little different. Rooms go quickly — book early, or sign up below and we'll send you a fall color update as the season approaches.
October Rooms are Going Fast
A front porch that’s been here since 1908, no two rooms alike, and the Blue Ridge Parkway half a mile from the front door.
Or call us: (828) 564-8111
About Our Rooms
We offer four types of accommodations at the Inn, each available in Classic or Heritage configurations.
The term Classic or Heritage tells you about the bathroom: Classic rooms feature a step-in shower in the bathroom. Heritage rooms feature an antique claw foot tub in the bathroom. Bathrooms with tubs are spacious, while bathrooms with showers are smaller.
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A single room with one bed, with the exception of our accessible twin room, which has two twin beds. Classic rooms feature a step-in shower; Heritage rooms feature an antique claw foot tub.
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A king room with a dedicated sitting area (previously called a bed-sitting room). Classic rooms feature a step-in shower; Heritage rooms feature an antique claw foot tub.
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Our largest single rooms—spacious enough to fit two or three 1908-sized rooms, each has a unique combination of bed and seating arrangements. Classic rooms feature a step-in shower; Heritage rooms feature an antique claw foot tub.
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Two connected rooms sharing a private bath. Space to gather, or space to stretch out. Classic rooms feature a step-in shower; Heritage rooms feature an antique claw foot tub.
SIGNATURE ROOMS
Classic King
King bed • Walk-in shower
Heritage King
King bed • Antique clawfoot soaking tub with shower
Classic Double
Full bed • Walk-in shower
ACCESSIBLE TWIN
Our ADA-accessible room, located on the ground floor. Two twin beds, a conventional tub/shower combination with accessibility features, and easy access to the porch and the lobby without navigating stairs or elevator. The bathroom is neither a step-in shower, nor a clawfoot tub—it’s a modern accessible combo in a very spacious bathroom. Room 120
PARLOR KINGS
This room features a king bed and a dedicated sitting area. Settle in with a book, a glass of wine, or each other. Many of these rooms were created by combining two of the Inn’s original 1908 guest rooms, which is why the proportions feel generous.
Classic Parlor King
King bed • Sitting area • Walk-in shower
Heritage Parlor King
King bed • Sitting area • Antique clawfoot soaking tub with shower
GRAND PARLORS
These are the Inn’s largest single-room accommodations—rooms big enough to have been two or three guest rooms back in 1908. They offer multiple beds or expansive sitting areas, and the kind of space that makes a stay feel less like a hotel room and more like having your own place in the mountains. Bed configurations vary room to room, with each unique layout.
Classic Grand Parlor
Extra-large room • Walk-in shower •
Configurations vary • Room 220
An oversized room and bathroom featuring a walk-in shower. Bed or bed and seating area configurations vary. Check individual room details when booking for the specific setup.
Heritage Grand Parlor
Extra-large room • Multiple beds • Antique clawfoot soaking tub with shower • Configurations vary
Same generous proportions as the Classic Grand Parlor, but bathroom featuring a clawfoot soaking tub. Bed configurations vary—some rooms can hold two beds or a bed and larger seating area.
TWO-ROOM LODGES
Two connected rooms sharing a private bath. The Two-Room Lodges are the Inn’s most versatile accommodations—they’re equally welcoming for friends traveling together or a family with kids, or even just having a space apart.
Classic Two-Room Lodge
Two connected rooms • Shared private bath • Walk-in shower • Configurations vary • Room 205
Includes two rooms and one shared bath with a walk-in shower. Typically a king in one room and additional beds—twins or a full—in the other, though configurations vary. The layout gives everyone their own space without anyone having to book a separate room down the hall.
Heritage Two-Room Lodge
Two connected rooms • Shared private bath • Antique clawfoot soaking tub • Configurations vary
Includes the same two-room, two-door layout as the Classic Lodge, but with the clawfoot soaking tub. Bed configurations vary—some pair a king with a full, others a king with a pull-out sofa, and one has two kings.
HERITAGE GRAND PARLOR WITH SPA BATH
Extra-large room • Clawfoot soaking tub with shower • Double vanity • Spa-scale bathroom • Room 334
The room itself is Grand Parlor scale—big, flexible, configurable with seating or additional beds depending on the occasion. But the bathroom is the real story. Clawfoot soaking tub, two sinks, and enough space for a makeup vanity or chaise lounge. The bathroom alone is larger than some of our guest rooms.
DOG-FRIENDLY ROOMS
Rooms on the first floor of the North Hall are designated pet-friendly, so your dog can join you on the mountain. These rooms are identical in layout and amenities to their standard counterparts—the only difference is that they welcome four-legged guests. Please review our pet policy.
Classic King, Dog-Friendly
King bed • Walk-in shower • Well-Behaved Dogs Welcome
Heritage King, Dog-Friendly
King bed • Antique clawfoot soaking tub • Well-Behaved Dogs Welcome
Classic Double, Dog-Friendly
Full bed • Walk-in shower • Well-Behaved Dogs Welcome
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Temperature
When the Inn was built, guests came to Balsam from the low country to escape the summer heat—and because they thought the water was therapeutic. At nearly 3,500 feet, the building was designed to cool itself: deep porches, wide hallways, tall stairwells, and transom windows above every door. There is not a single air conditioner in the building. Summer daytime temperatures average in the upper 70s, nighttime in the upper 50s. Box fans in every room, and big attic fans that run from dusk to dawn, keep air moving. Still, rooms can get stuffy in the afternoon, especially those with western exposure.
In winter, a gas-fired furnace pushes hot water through vintage radiators recycled from an old dormitory at Western Carolina University. Third-floor rooms have electric baseboard heat. The lobby and library each have gas fireplaces. You’ll hear the pleasant gurgling of hot water filling the radiators on cold nights—it’s one of the inn’s distinctive sounds.
Sound
The Inn is over 100 years old and built entirely of wood. It carries sound. Please observe quiet hours after 10pm, and remember the guests on the floors beneath and around you. From the natural creaks of our 42,000-square-foot, all-wood building, to the occasional coyote passing through at night, the Inn has a soundtrack all its own. Norfolk Southern freight trains work through the gap by day, and a few times a year, a bobcat calls at night!
No Televisions
Our rooms do not have televisions or phones, encouraging community and connection. Our library is filled with new and old books, as well as puzzles and games. The rocking chairs on the porch are the perfect place to unwind, while you soak in the mountain views. Wi-Fi is available throughout the Inn.
No Smoking
Both the Inn and our grounds are non-smoking and non-vaping. Smoking inside will incur a $500 cleaning fee.