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Few hotels are so grand or so historic that they have their own "Historic Walking Tour." But then, few hotels are as grand or historic as the Grove Park Inn. When I dropped by the concierge's desk during a recent visit to the Grove and asked about its history, I received a 4-page walking tour pamphlet that kept me busy for the next two hours strolling through nearly 90 years of American architectural and literary history.

The hotel's own history began in the late 1800s when Edwin W. Grove, founder of Grove's Pharmacy and Paris Medical Company in St. Louis, began spending summers in Asheville, N.C. in hopes the invigorating mountain air would provide relief for his bronchitis. Not only did the Asheville's restore Grove's health, it inspired him to build a magnificent hotel where others could come for relaxation and restoration as well. There's a delightful display of memorabilia from the inn's early days that's part of the walking tour. The nostalgic collection includes vintage , original roof tiles (the inn retiled its famous red roof for the first time in 87 years in 2000) and a collection of patent medicines produced by Edwin Grove's company. My favorite: the bottle of Grove's Tasteless Chill Tonic.

The tonic is the only "tasteless" thing about the walking tour, which really begins before you enter the hotel. The Grove Park's unique look was inspired by the craggy rustic style of the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park, which Grove had visited. Unable to find an architect who understood his concept, Grove turned to his son-in-law Fred Seely, who without the aid of an architect or contractor, designed and supervised the construction of the inn himself. Huge granite boulders—some of them weighing as much as 10,000 pounds - were taken from the nearby Sunset Mountain and fitted into place over a steel and concrete frame by Italian stonemasons and hundreds of local workers. On July 13, 1913 after a year of construction, the Grove Park Inn opened its doors with William Jennings Bryan delivering the address at the grand opening banquet.

Upon entering the hotel today, you'll find yourself lost in the lobby—or Great Hall as it is more aptly called. At 120 feet long and 80 feet wide, this is a lot of lobby. Anchoring the hall at either end are two massive fireplaces—each large enough to burn 12-foot long logs and each containing an elevator. That's right, an elevator. These hand-operated wonders run alongside the chimney shafts within the rock work of the great fireplaces and transport guests and luggage to the upper floors.

Back in the Great Hall, however, there's even more to wonder at. Originally the lobby was furnished in wicker pieces but all that was replaced in the 1930s with the wonderful wormy chestnut Paddlearm sofas and chairs that guests sink into today. Authentic Arts and Crafts furniture and lighting fixtures are seen throughout the lobby and in the main inn's guest rooms. The most famous piece is the Roycroft grandfather clock that stands against one of the Great Hall's center columns. Only three of these clocks were made and the Grove has two of them (the other keeps time across from the memorabilia collection just off the Great Hall). Another unique feature of the Great Hall are the inspirational quotes engraved on its stone walls. You can pick up a complete list of quotations at the concierge's desk or just wander about and read the words of everyone from Thoreau and Emerson to anonymous Oriental and Native American thinkers.

Next, hop aboard the elevator near the front desk and ride inside the chimney shaft to the third floor to see the Palm Court, one of the first atrium lobbies in the country. We stayed on the 4th floor overlooking the Palm Court and just a few doors down from rooms 441 and 443 where F. Scott Fitzgerald stayed and wrote in 1935 and 1936. Room 441 has been restored to the way it looked when the writer was in residence—spare and simple Arts and Crafts furniture, no art work on the walls, a simple cotton spread on the bed, a 1920s black dial phone and a writing desk with ink stains in the ink well. It's no shrine, though, and you can book Fitzgerald's room for your own literary stay at the Grove if you choose. Other literary lights who have stayed at the Grove include Charles Frazier, author of the haunting Civil War novel Cold Mountain, and Jan Karon, author of the best-selling Mitford Years series of novels. Presidents, movie stars and sports figures have stayed here, too, and you can see dozens of their in the two Celebrity Galleries on the walking tour. The concierge can also provide a pamphlet with profiles of many of the famous folk who have stayed at the Grove.

Of course, all the rooms at the Grove are marvelous—whether someone famous has slept there or not. Rooms in the main wing where we stayed feature genuine Arts and Crafts furniture and lighting fixtures dating from 1900-1940 but they also have modern conveniences like cable TV, coffeemakers, microwaves, mini-refrigerators and hair dryers. Rooms in the two modern wings feature a more contemporary décor plus all the aforementioned amenities. Not matter which you choose (and for history buffs the rooms in the main wing are a must), you'll find a night at the Grove a perfect mix of modern comfort and timeless style.

After my walking tour and a comfortable night's sleep, I enjoyed the delicious, hearty breakfast buffet at the Blue Ridge Grill, with spectacular views of Asheville and the mountains in the distance. The grill is one of several restaurants and casual eateries at the Grove ranging from the upscale Chops steakhouse to the new Spa Café and Juice Bar located in the inn's spectacular $40 million spa that opened in spring 2001. From hot stone massages and red wine and honey facials, the spa is the inn's newest attraction. Others enticements include the Grove's own golf course, tennis courts, swimming pool and a sports and fitness center. For more information or reservations, call the Grove Park Inn at 800-438-5800 or go to www.groveparkinn.com.

Photo by Virgil Fox

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