Happy Days for Balsam Mountain Inn, Cataloochee Ranch and Switzerland Inn.
Photo Above: Switzerland Inn is one of three North Carolina hostelries under new ownership.
Photo Courtesy of Switzerland Inn Facebook.
It’s transition time for three well-loved inns in the North Carolina Mountains. There have been recent ownership exchanges at Balsam Mountain Inn in Balsam, Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley, and Switzerland Inn in Little Switzerland.
The Balsam Mountain Inn, originally opened in 1908, has seen its share of owners over the decades and each has put a unique spin on the historic structure. The Inn fell silent during the pandemic and that ultimately led to Waynesville residents Rodney Conard and his singer-songwriter wife, Lorraine, buying it in 2022. The previous owners had named the place the Grand Ole Lady, but the Conards have restored the name to Balsam Mountain Inn, much to the delight of surrounding community members who remember the storied history.
Since the purchase, they’ve been lovingly restoring the rambling old building—a place filled with lore, ghost stories and lots of music. At this writing, the restaurant remains under renovation, but room updates are complete and available. The bar and gift shop are also open.
Annie and David Colquitt, owners of The Swag, a renowned luxury resort in Waynesville, bought Cataloochee Ranch in 2020. Generations of the Alexander family had nurtured their mountain getaway business amid 700 scenic acres beginning in 1933. The Colquitts spent the past four years completing major updates and renovations and reopened Cataloochee Ranch to guests in March 2024.
Overnight stays are currently available in 11 freestanding cabins, with another one currently being updated.
“These are original cabins that have been renovated and enhanced,” says General Manager Terry Spalding. “The main house now holds our Switchback Restaurant, which offers elevated high country or ranch cuisine, and our Tack Room cocktail lounge. We no longer have overnight accommodations in this building, but we are restoring the Silverbell building to offer six more accommodations.”
That will bring the total number of accommodations to 18—six guest rooms and 12 free-standing cabins. But you don’t have to book a room in order to dine at the restaurant or book a horseback riding adventure.
And in Little Switzerland, three generations of the Jensen family operated Switzerland Inn for 40 years before turning the keys over at the end of 2023 to the Mississippi-based MMI Hospitality Group. The sale of the resort and two neighboring residential houses brought in $15.65 million. The Switzerland Inn property spans 14 acres and is located off milepost 334 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The story above first appeared in our July / August 2024 issue.
