First stop: Skyline Lodge in Highlands, North Carolina
We used to spend a lot of time up in Highlands, NC but had not been back in about 5 years. How had we never known about this old motor lodge perched on Flat Top Mountain only 3 miles from downtown? Well, likely because this 40 room lodge that was built nearly a century ago had fallen into disrepair; that is, until being purchased during the pandemic and undergoing a major Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired renovation. We’ve never experienced anything like it, ever. Fun fact: Howard Randall, the original owner, commissioned a working student and friend of Frank Lloyd Wright, Arthur Kelsey, to design the building in 1930. When you see the use of native granite, hand-cut cedar shakes, and chestnut wood you’ll feel the influence!
The VIBE
“The renovation leaned heavily into a mid-twentieth century aesthetic that will evoke an era of gentile manners, proper cocktails and thick steaks, and a touch of glamor,” according to the owners at Indigo Road Hospitality Group. Yes. We dig this. Cool 50s cocktail jazz plays through the outdoor speakers as you sip your gin Gimlet under the stars and festive party lights. The old cement pool that was in the middle of the property, surrounded by rooms, was filled in, and is now a very friendly place to hang out with your partner or group, and to get social with other guests. Staying at the Skyline Lodge could also be a perfect place for those who prefer to travel solo, while still enjoying getting to know fellow travelers.
THE RENOVATION AND THE ROOMS
We loved that the remodel was super mindful to keep to the unmistakable mid-century look and feel from the color palette, to the luxurious linens, to the artwork. The new tile in the bathrooms is lovely, too (and many floors are heated!)! The furniture is both mid-century modern and comfortable.
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