Highlights: Richmond Hill Inn

•The Richmond Hill Inn features elegant, stylish accommodations in a beautifully restored Victorian mansion

•Professional, courteous staff help guests feel at home

•Gabrielle’s restaurant offers elegant dining and superb food

•Delightful public areas are well-furnished with antiques and decorated in rich, inviting colors

•Close proximity to Asheville, NC, and the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains

Amenities: Richmond Hill Inn

• 37 rooms, 3 story. Complimentary full breakfast. Check-in 3 pm, check-out 11 am. Wireless Internet access. Two restaurants, two bars. Fitness room. Credit cards accepted.

General Impressions: Richmond Hill Inn

The Richmond Hill Inn is a historic Victorian mansion, built in 1889 by l9th-century ambassador and Congressman Richmond Pearson and his wife, Gabrielle. Designer James G. Hill, the supervising architect for the US Treasury buildings, created a structure that was both artistic and innovative – and ahead of its time, with conveniences such as running water, a pulley-operated elevator for moving luggage, and a communications system.

Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains not far from Asheville, NC, the mansion was a social hotspot for decades, but began falling into disrepair in the 1950s. A $3 million restoration in 1989 refurbished the mansion in a fashion Congressman Pearson would no doubt approve. Today there are a combined 37 rooms in the historic mansion, Croquet Cottages, and Garden Pavilion.

The grand lobby in the Queen Anne-style mansion is warm and inviting with high ceilings and walls covered with natural, amber-hued oak. The area contains numerous antiques. Large family portraits add to the ambiance along with antique furnishings covered with rich fabrics and beautiful tan leathers. Upholstered drapery trimmed with fringe coordinates with the red and gold colors in the carpet. The main staircase, leading from the lobby to the guest rooms, has wooden banisters and steps partially covered in a deep gold-patterned carpet.

The well-maintained public areas -- the oak hall, library, ballroom, and drawing room -- have been delightfully returned to their original splendor. The colors are rich and inviting, and daylight and firelight easily dance off the wood accents found throughout. The reception area is a wonderful spot for the afternoon tea service.

The 12 mansion guest rooms, found on the second and third floors, have high ceilings, ornate wallpaper, and plenty of natural wood molding and trim. The wallpaper coordinates with the pink, rose-patterned draperies, and the coordinating furniture is covered with plush burgundy chenille/velvet. A long, narrow bench covered with green leather sits in front of the wood mantel fireplace. Floors are part hardwood and part installed carpeting.

The cottage buildings and the Garden Pavilion building, later added for more sleeping accommodations, match the style of the main mansion, maintaining elegance and style throughout the property.

The well-kept grounds are not to be missed. Gardens surround the small property with featured flowers and trees labeled. A "mountain brook" begins near the main house and ends at a 9-foot waterfall in the Garden Pavilion area, one of several water features on the property. The pavilion’s formal Parterre Garden is fashioned after Victorian-era gardens: simple, geometric shapes with pathways between flower beds.

Guests play free on the croquet lawn outside the aptly-named Croquet Cottages. Front-porch rockers overlook the greens. Inside are fresh flowers on the mantel, chocolates on the pillow, magazines on the nightstand, a compact disc player with CDs, and soft drinks in the mini-fridge.

Staff members are warm and genuine, making guests feel at home. Service-minded, professional, articulate, and polite, staffers appear very happy in their work.

Located three miles from downtown Asheville, the property seems isolated, though this could be considered a plus for those looking for a romantic getaway. The property’s Victorian charm, excellent candlelight dining at Gabrielle’s with live piano music in the parlor, plus the chance to roam the lovely gardens hand-in-hand make this a favorite getaway for a romantic weekend.

(+) Beautifully appointed Victorian mansion with added accommodations matching the main house
(-) Though peaceful and tranquil, the location feels somewhat isolated (yet, that would be a plus for romantics)

Guest Services: Richmond Hill Inn

When I called to reserve a room at the Richmond Hill Inn, the reservation agent was well-spoken and well-versed on the facilities, providing valuable information on the inn's layout, history, packages, and area attractions. While the driving directions provided over the phone were unclear, clear written directions did arrive in the mail with my reservation confirmation. The agent helpfully offered to make dinner reservations at the on-site restaurant, Gabrielle's, cautioning that tables fill up quickly.

There were several instances where staffers were not as attentive as I had anticipated. For instance, there was no initial valet or front-desk greeting (grounds staff and the valet were talking as I pulled into the driveway and neither approached). Another hotel employee located a front-desk person, who, upon arrival, did present a welcome glass of champagne.

Checkout baggage service and the express checkout were efficient, but the same lack of attention upon arrival was experienced at departure. No one asked if my stay was satisfactory and the bellman didn’t offer to retrieve my vehicle from parking.

The concierge staff, though, was articulate, polite, and professional. Two did an excellent job in assisting me with setting up a special birthday dinner. One initiated the project, and upon shift change, the other continued with the arrangements and follow-up. Staff provided detailed driving directions, highlighted on a local area map, and suggested appropriate attire for an off-site restaurant. Concierge seemed genuinely interested in my satisfaction and asked afterward if I enjoyed the recommended restaurant.

(+) Reservationists are well-informed and helpful, as is the concierge staff
(-) Service sometimes is inconsistent

Guest Rooms: Richmond Hill Inn

A personalized welcome note greets guests of the Richmond Hill Inn in their room along with a silver coin-shaped chocolate sharing some of the inn’s interesting history. Each mansion guest room is named, such as the Roosevelt Room, which tastefully displays the former president’s photo and books related to his service, family history, and the era of his presidency.

The hotel compendium is a lackluster paper newsletter, but there are a variety of exclusive magazines provided.

Décor is Victorian Americana with a soothing color scheme. The room -- spacious and incredibly quiet with 14-foot ceilings -- is light and airy thanks to four large windows trimmed in amber wood molding with matching wooden blinds. Baseboard and crown moldings use the same wood. The bed skirt and decorative bed pillows match the wallpaper as do short, decorative fabric window dressings atop the blinds.

Four-poster wooden beds (sans canopy) are covered with white matelasse bedspreads and three pillows each. The linens are of exceptional quality.

The bathroom, while true to thematic elements, is difficult to maneuver. The claw-foot tub, high off the floor, is not easy to enter or exit, especially with wet feet. Space for personal items is limited. The pedestal sink has no counter space, and the mirror above the sink is oval, making it difficult for two people to groom there at the same time.

While this is a delightful room, it does lack some modern touches. A phone, CD digital radio, and television are included, but the lighting is more atmospheric than functional.

(+) Well-appointed rooms with matching fabric and wallpapers, and lots of period-appropriate natural wood trim and accents
(-) Storage appears to be limited, and more functional lighting is needed

Facilities & Activities: Richmond Hill Inn

Guests of the Richmond Hill Inn will be delighted to stroll through the well-manicured grounds of this lush estate. The greenery of the plants and trees are quite a sight – whether you’re looking out the window of your guest room or strolling through the fields. You can even play croquet on the grounds too.

Guests have numerous recreational opportunities to keep them busy. You can enjoy a scenic drive in the country on the Blue Ridge Parkway, or take the 10-minute ride to Asheville and explore antique shops, art galleries, museums, and theaters in the downtown. The inn is also close to the Asheville Art Museum, the Asheville Civic Center, and the Asheville Symphony. You can even tour the nearby Biltmore Estate, considered the largest estate in the United States.

If you’d rather break a sweat, you can find whitewater rafting, mountain biking, and hiking nearby.

(+) Numerous shops, museums, theaters located in the nearby town of Asheville
(-) Limited recreational opportunities on-site, including no pool

Dining & Lounge: Richmond Hill Inn

The Richmond Hill Inn offers a traditional yet modern version of high afternoon tea, with cucumber sandwiches and scones with clotted cream and jam. Tea bags are used instead of loose traditional tea, but the homemade desserts make this a wonderful experience, especially since it is served on the enclosed terrace of Gabrielle's restaurant.

There are two dining areas -- the bright, open Ambassador’s Grille for breakfast buffet and lunch overlooking the Parterre Garden, and the elegant, candlelit Gabrielle’s for dinner, where the five-course Grande Menu lives up to its billing as sumptuous.

While both offer nice ambience, there were a few slips when it came to individual servers. For instance, no one inquired as to my satisfaction with breakfast, and no alternative was offered when a requested item was not on the menu at the Ambassador’s Grille.

Breakfast guests receive a wonderful presentation of homemade biscuits and muffins. Food quality was excellent.

(+) Dinner at Gabrielle’s, an elegant restaurant with superb food, is an absolute delight
(-) Service needs more polishing in the Ambassador’s Grille

Business Services: Richmond Hill Inn

The Richmond Hill Inn does host meetings in its ballroom with 825 square feet that can accommodate 20 people classroom-style or 60 theater-style, but lacks a business center, which diminishes its value to the business traveler.

Wireless Internet access is available in the Garden Pavilion and mansion.

(+) Small corporate outings or meetings can be accommodated
(-) The lack of a business center is a drawback for the business traveler