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The Radical
Asheville, North Carolina, United States · Tapestry Collection by Hilton · Accessible Luxury
A 1923 grocery warehouse on the French Broad, later a Cold War bomb shelter and then a graffiti hall, reopened in October 2023 as The Radical: 70 rooms, more than 200 murals by Ian Wilkinson, a 44.6 million dollar conversion that kept the tags instead of painting them out. Jacob Sessoms, twice a James Beard nominee, runs Golden Hour, after/glow, and The Roof, the River Arts District's only rooftop bar. TIME named it one of the World's Greatest Places; Tapestry Collection took the door in 2025.
- 70 rooms
- Opened 2023
- Neighborhood: River Arts District
- Architect: Rowhouse Architects (rehabilitation)
- Interiors: Suomi Design Works
About The Radical
- The hotel occupies a 1923 warehouse that served as a Cold War bomb shelter before becoming a haven for graffiti artists.
- Rather than erase the graffiti covering its walls, owners embraced it, commissioning artist Ian Wilkinson to create over 200 original murals throughout the property.
- It opened in October 2023 at a cost of about 44.6 million dollars and was named one of TIME's World's Greatest Places.
- Chef Jacob Sessoms, a two-time James Beard nominee, runs three dining venues including the only rooftop bar in the River Arts District.
History
The Radical occupies a five-story red-brick warehouse built in 1923 on a sloping bank of the French Broad River in Asheville's River Arts District. Originally constructed as a distribution hub for wholesale grocers (and by some accounts a breakfast cereal factory built by Southern businessman Fred Kent), the building later served as a Cold War-era bomb shelter before falling vacant, when it became a graffiti artists' paradise.
Developers Hatteras Sky purchased the abandoned structure and transformed it into a boutique hotel and living art installation, which debuted in October 2023 at a cost of some $44.6 million. Rather than erase the graffiti that covered its walls, the owners embraced it as design inspiration, engaging local artist Ian Wilkinson and a team to create more than 200 original murals throughout the guest rooms and public spaces.
The 70-room hotel, named one of TIME's World's Greatest Places and holding a Michelin Guide recommendation, features three venues from two-time James Beard-nominated chef Jacob Sessoms: the wood-fire restaurant Golden Hour, the cafe-bar after/glow, and The Roof, the River Arts District's only rooftop bar. In 2025 The Radical joined Tapestry Collection by Hilton.
Restaurants and bars
- Golden Hour — Restaurant
- The Roof — Bar · Bar
- Afterglow — Bar · Bar
Amenities
- Fitness center
- Pet-friendly
Open The Radical in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
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Tapestry Collection by Hilton in The Maison: the brand's idea, history and every house on the atlas.