We enjoyed a complimentary stay at the Orchard Inn. All opinions are my own.
Tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Orchard Inn in Saluda, North Carolina makes for a peaceful mountain getaway.
This historic 1926 inn was originally built to serve as a summer stay for railroad employees and their families. Now, the bed and breakfast welcomes guests for a relaxing vacation in the stunning main house or private cottages.
Our arrival at the inn began with a warm welcome and freshly baked cookies—Southern hospitality at its finest—and ended with an exceptional breakfast in the sunroom before check-out. Our breakfast was complete with the Orchard Inn’s own coffee blend, blueberry scones, fresh fruit with yogurt and granola, eggs, toast and sausage—not to mention the gorgeous mountain views and opportunities for bird watching.
The Orchard Inn doesn’t end with bed and breakfast services. The inn houses a spa as well, offering facials, massages, yoga and more. It’s the perfect place for a wellness retreat or a relaxing girls’ weekend.
And if a spa wasn’t enough, the innkeepers also run their own farm-to-table restaurant, Newman’s, serving locally-sourced organic ingredients and produce from their own garden and mini-orchard. The restaurant is named after their cat who roams the property and accepts lots of love from the inn’s patrons.
Asher and I spent our time meandering through the beautifully furnished inn, taking in the surrounding mountain views on the porch and exploring the downtown area of Saluda.
The Orchard Inn is a three-minute drive to historic downtown Saluda, founded in 1878, where you can find galleries, restaurants and shops.
If you’re not dining at Newman’s Restaurant, we recommend grabbing dinner at the Purple Onion, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant downtown. We also recommend stopping for coffee at Wakey Monkey or for lunch at Wildflour Bakery.
Visiting Thompson’s Store, the oldest grocery store in North Carolina, and M. A. Pace General Store is a must when in Saluda. My favorite shops are River Dog Run, full of carefully curated home goods from Charleston, S.C. and the mountains of North Carolina, and Mewdlic’s, a shop offering craft beer, wine, tea, coffee, local art and more.
The inn is located near several hiking spots, including Pearson Falls, DuPont State Forest and Pisgah National Forest. The Orchard Inn also has an on-site nature trail. Other activities in Saluda include ziplining at The Gorge, tubing, golfing and horseback riding. You can find the innkeeper’s vacation guide here. If you’re staying longer than a weekend, we recommend venturing into the Hendersonville and Asheville areas, a short drive from the inn.
The Orchard Inn is also close to over a dozen wineries, including some of our favorites, Mountain Brook Vineyards in Tryon and Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards and Stone Ashe Vineyards in Hendersonville.
Whether you’re wanting to connect with the great outdoors, craving a restful mountain getaway or looking to spend some time at the spa and local wineries with your girl gang, we highly recommend a stay at the Orchard Inn. Tell Newman we said hello.
Looking for a coastal getaway in North Carolina? Check out my post on Benjamin Ellis House in New Bern.
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