The 1898 Waverly Inn is Hendersonville’s oldest surviving inn. The first guests (coming by train or stagecoach) walked on boardwalks and at night the street corners were lit with oil lamps. For the past 28 years, Diane Sheiry and husband John have run the inn. They are thankful they have Darla (her sister) as well as Debbie and Sandra to help keep things running smoothly.
The colorful flags hanging off their porch can be changed to represent the countries of the guests who are staying at their inn. The Waverly Inn has delightful curb appeal and I love their cute stepping stones.
The National Wildlife Federation certified that their bed and breakfast garden is an official wildlife habitat. They provide the birds with food, water, and shelter.
This is the American Holly bedroom where we stayed. It was perfect for my mom, my daughter, and I to sleep in. The desk (partially shown in the above picture) in this room is from the 1940’s. This historic bed and breakfast has charming antiques yet it also has modern amenities.
The gorgeous Catawba Rhodedendron bedroom is shown above. I love everything about how this room is decorated. All fifteen guest rooms have comfortable queen or king sized beds. Their luxurious bedding comes with extra pillows and blankets.
Like the American Holly room, the Mountain Laurel room also accommodates up to three guests. Their claw foot bath tubs in their bathrooms come with bubble bath, a bath pillow, and a book rest. The rooms all have fluffy towels and cozy robes. Since the 1898 Waverly Inn is an environmentally friendly inn, they encourages guests to reuse linens and towels, but are pleased to provide fresh ones when requested.
The inn offers Couples Massage at their Spa which is located on their second floor. They also offer massages to individuals who are interested in receiving the pampering and relaxation a professional masseuse offers.
In the common areas, guests can interact and share experiences as well as give recommendations for beautiful places to see and exciting things to do. Diane said that the younger guests tend to prefer zip lining while the older guests prefer touring places like the Biltmore Estate. We loved touring the Estate as well as the Gardens, Winery, little shops, restaurants, and much more!
If you feel like relaxing right here at The 1898 Waverly Inn, they offer a wide variety of things to entertain you and your companions:
- Interesting collection of books
- Fun and challenging jigsaw puzzles
- Classic board games (we played Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble)
- DVD movies to watch in your guest room
- and much more!
Each afternoon, the 1898 Waverly Inn bed and breakfast has a Tasting Hour with complimentary wine and other beverages as well as snacks like cheese and crackers. Sometimes they even have decadent desserts like this Apple Carrot Pecan Cake with Mascarpone Topping. It was the recipe of the month in Southern Living Magazine.
Their delicious gourmet breakfast is always served hot and fresh. Diane says they love to use locally grown food. Their delectable jams were from South Carolina. John is usually the breakfast chef and we enjoyed his six grain pancakes. We asked for pecans and blueberries and they were hiding right inside the pancakes. They offer healthy choices like Egg Beaters and turkey bacon. They also accommodate guests’ dietary restrictions and food allergies.
The Waverly Inn leaves out different flavors of hot tea as well as hot cocoa packets so guests can use the inn’s hot water to enjoy them at any time. A guest refrigerator as well as an ice machine are available at any time. If you need anything, you can visit their front desk or conveniently place a call from your guest room.
Innkeeper Diane told us that half of the experience of visiting Hendersonville, is visiting their Historic Downtown. We received a personally guided tour through the Henderson County Heritage Museum at the Historic Henderson County Courthouse. The museum holds memorabilia from all American Wars including their actual uniforms. The informative volunteer tour guide revealed that she is a Veteran Naval Nurse who served during Desert Storm.
From the museum’s information about the history of the town of Hendersonville, we learned that in 1878 it had a major railroad station where people could travel over the Appalachian Mountains in only two days rather than the fourteen day journey it took by horse and wagon. The museum even featured information about the 1898 Waverly Inn:
“Across the street from the Wheeler Hotel (where Boyd Park is today) stood an elegant home built in 1885, by Major James Anderson, an engineer who served as superintendent of the railroad. In 1897, following Anderson’s death, the six-acre lot and very large house was sold to Joseph Noterman, a jeweler from Cincinnati, Ohio. He moved in with his wife and two youngest daughters, one of whom later married a son of David Henry Wheeler. The couple, Emily Noterman and Samuel Fair Wheeler, were married in 1904. Money from the sale of the Anderson property was used by two of his nieces to build a handsome boarding house on adjacent land. That building still stands and is known as Waverly Inn.”
The Hendersonville area offers so much for visitors to see, hear, taste, and experience:
- The Flat Rock Playhouse, The State Theatre of North Carolina brings a wide variety of theatrical and musical entertainment throughout the year.
- Historic Johnson Farm is an 1870’s brick farmhouse that is oldest home in Henderson County. Visitors can tour the ten historic buildings and walk the nature trails.
- Their yearly North Carolina Apple Festival happens over Labor Day Weekend
- The Mineral and Lapidary Museum of Henderson County was established in 1997 and houses mineral exhibits from North Carolina, replicas of world famouse diamonds, Indian artifacts, a dinosaur egg nest, fossils, fluorescent minerals, gems, and faceted minerals.
The Biltmore Estate and Walled Garden
Nearby Asheville has many other great tourist attractions, including:
- The Biltmore Estate, America’s largest private home, is a 250-room French Renaissance chateau, exhibiting the family’s original collection of furnishings, art, and antiques. Biltmore encompasses more than 8,000 acres including historic gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmstead. It is located in nearby Asheville.
- Western North Carolina Nature Center in Asheville is a living museum with a focus on wildlife of the Appalachians. The Center houses a collection of 130 injured and orphaned wildlife including reptiles, mammals, birds, insects, and amphibians.
- Wildwater Ziplines in open year-round and the closest location is in Ashville, NC. Soar through the trees with views of the beautiful mountains and downtown skyline.
1898 Waverly Inn has two porches to relax on while you sip coffee and read
The 1898 Waverly Inn is proud to be part of the North Carolina Bed and Breakfast Inns Association. I highly recommend that you visit Diane, John, and the entire friendly team at The Waverly Inn. Their mission of providing warm hospitality, luxurious amenities, and delicious gourmet breakfast is a success!
