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Old Edwards Inn & Spa
Highlands, North Carolina, United States · Old Edwards · High Luxury
John Norton built Highlands's first boarding house, Central House, on Main Street in 1878. Minnie Edwards opened the brick Hotel Edwards beside it in 1935, and Art and Angela Williams's 2001 purchase began a $150 million expansion that added the spa, The Lodge, and a Tom Jackson golf club. Relais & Châteaux and Forbes Four-Star, the inn still anchors downtown Highlands under James and Jessica Whitley, who bought the group in 2024.
- 92 rooms
- Opened 2001
- Neighborhood: Downtown
About Old Edwards Inn & Spa
- John Norton built Central House, Highlands's earliest boarding house, in 1878 at Fourth and Main; early guests used wood stoves, kerosene lamps, and an outhouse.
- Architect Linton H. Young designed Hotel Edwards, opened in 1935 on the old Rock Store foundation, for Minnie Edwards after police chief "Diamond Joe" Edwards died.
- Rip and Pat Benton bought the shuttered hotel in 1982 and restored both Central House and Hotel Edwards after a mid-1960s closing.
- Art and Angela Williams of Palm Beach bought the inn in 2001 and spent two decades adding the spa, The Lodge (the former Kelsey Hutchinson Lodge), and Old Edwards Club.
- James and Jessica Whitley of Athens, Georgia, acquired Old Edwards Hospitality Group on 14 June 2024, including the inn, Lake Keowee reserve, and Rivet House in Athens.
Restaurants and bars
- Rooftop Terrace — Restaurant
- The Wine Garden — Restaurant
- Madison's Restaurant — Restaurant
Experiences
- Chef Dinners — Event series listed on the events calendar under the heading Chef Dinners.
- Orchard Sessions — Event series listed on the events calendar under the heading Orchard Sessions.
- Acorns Events — Event series listed on the events calendar under the heading Acorns Events.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Sauna
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
- Tennis
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star (2026)
Open Old Edwards Inn & Spa in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
More hotels in Highlands
- Half-Mile Farm by Old Edwards — Old Edwards · High Luxury
- 200 Main by Old Edwards — Old Edwards · Accessible Luxury
- Skyline Lodge — Independent · Accessible Luxury
- The Park on Main — Independent · Accessible Luxury
- Highlands Inn — Independent · Near Luxury