The Greystone Inn offers relaxed charm for the whole family!
My family appreciates the charming mountain towns of Western North Carolina, but sometimes the hustle and bustle of glamorous Cashiers and Highlands can be too much, especially with two very small children. For the last few years, Lake Toxaway, about 25 minutes east of Cashiers, has been our go-to for a relaxed mountain escape. Specifically, we love The Greystone Inn.
Lake Toxaway used to be a Gilded Age grande dame, with famous families like the Vanderbilts and Rockefellers chasing cooler temperatures in the mountain locale. The stately home was originally called Hillmont and finished in 1915 by the prominent Armstrong family from Savannah. It was christened The Greystone Inn in 1985 after sitting vacant for many decades following a dam break. Touches of understated elegance, such as its Swiss chalet-inspired design, stone foundations and oak paneling, dot the 30-room hotel.
The most impressive representation of the early 20th century designs is in the Rockefeller Suite, a multi-bedroom accommodation in the former library that was modeled after the library at the Biltmore Estate. Staggeringly tall ceilings, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves crammed with antique books and mullioned windows with sweeping views of the lake were in stark contrast to the myriad bags I dragged in containing everything a family of four, plus two grandparents, would need for a two-night trip.
Traveling with a 4- and 1-year old can often be more trouble than it’s worth, but The Greystone Inn’s compactness and the room’s expansiveness are advantages. We gave my in-laws the downstairs bedroom with the gargantuan stone fireplace and signature plaid carpet, and my husband and I took the bunk room with full beds upstairs with the kids.
We’ve explored the nearby towns in the past, including funky Brevard, but this trip was earmarked for a slower pace, plus a round of golf for my father-in-law and husband. We spent our two days on the property moving as slowly as four adults can with two small children.
Things that delighted my kids: the enormous free-standing tub in one of the two bathrooms, the window seats overlooking the lake, the secret passage to the main inn through a door on the landing upstairs, the pool and, of course, the lake. While too young to go out on the inn’s stylish handcrafted mahogany boats, my girls screamed with happiness wading in the cool water near the tiny dock outside our room.
Things that delighted me: easy on-site dining with great views at The Restaurant, plenty of places to let my younger daughter run and thoughtful service. The front desk greeted my children with white stuffed squirrels, a nod to nearby Brevard, home to a large population of white squirrels. The last time we came with our dog, the front desk babysat him while we walked down the short hill to the Lake Toxaway Country Club for dinner. Guests can become temporary “members” of the club for the duration of their stay for golf at the Kris Spence-designed 18-hole championship course, tennis, croquet and pool time.
The Greystone Inn was acquired in 2024 by Brandon and Daphne Berger of the real estate development firm Wild Air Ventures. (Brandon came to the inn frequently as a child.) While the inn could use a few minor updates, such as better toiletries, I hope the elegance and easygoing pace of the inn stays, as it’s a true nod to another era.
THE GREYSTONE INN
828.966.4700
greystoneinn.com
@thegreystoneinn
