The Flat Iron Hotel — Hotel in Asheville

Positives: Small welcome drink at check-in (a beer or prosecco). The room was clean. No off putting odors. Shower pressure was some of the best we've come across at hotels. The beds are extremely comfortable and we had a great sleep most nights. The rooms get nice and cool depending on your temperature setting. That was nice bc some hotels don't allow the room to get cooler than a certain temp. Each floor has a small common area for water, coffee, tea and for ice. They must have this due to not having much in the rooms (like a refrigerator to keep your beverages cold) - no bottled water. It's on a tap system like beer. So you can get a cup of water. The carbonated water handle didn't work any of the nights we were there. It was cool to walk around the hotel and see the faux doors/plaques with names of different figures who helped to shape the area. The staff in every area were very friendly. Even staff during elevator encounters. They always asked what floor you were going to or how your day was going. We always came back to clean towels in our room after our long outings and the bed was always made. The rooms are very sound proof. We never heard anyone in the hallway and never heard doors opening/closing. The only occasional noise was from outside. ||||Overall, it was fun to experience this historic place. The negatives far outweigh the positives though. We are all about history, site seeing, etc so one stay was nice. But overall, I would choose to stay elsewhere due to the extra fees charged at check-in, the lack of amenities, the parking situation, etc. It is in a good downtown location so it's close to a lot of stores/restaurants. But there are also many other hotels in this area. ||||Negatives: We booked a room w/a King sized bed. It did not have the accent chair as shown in the photos on their website. At check-in you are charged an additional $150 per night for incidentals, which is an obscene amount. That added $600 to our bill. If we don't get it back - we will have to dispute it with our credit card company. The website says there are no hidden fees, but I didn't see this extra fee posted anywhere. There is no on-site parking. You have to use a parking garage, which charges by the hour or $15 per day or use valet, which is $30. We will be here throughout a weekend so I am concerned that there will be no available parking on Friday or Saturday. I absolutely hate spiders - when we first got to our room one was running across the bed. No refrigerator in the room. This is supposed to be a happening beer scene so if you bring beer back with you - you will have to fill the bathroom sink with ice. The provided ice bucket is too small for more than one beer. If you do use the sink for ice/drinks then you have no where to wash your hands. Since there is no refrigerator there is no where to store any dinner leftovers. No tables in the room if you choose to bring back takeout or order delivery. You will have to eat on the bed. If you like to hang up your clothes - there were only 4 shirt hangers. The bathroom has no air system so if you shower with the door closed it will become incredibly hot and your bathroom products outside of the shower will all become wet from the shower steam. The shower has one very small spot to put your products. So I was able to put my stuff in the shower, but my boyfriend could not. The lighting in the room is dim - even on the highest setting. There's not a good area to do your makeup due to the lighting in the bathroom or room. There are no recommendations left in your room regarding local places to eat, visit, etc. There is a jar in the common area where you can pick out pieces of paper one by one with recommendations on them, but I didn't want to spend time doing that. A single list would be nice. There is a place for breakfast, on the 9th floor, but only one person usually working. So you will have a wait. People not staying at the hotel will have access to the 9th floor balcony area or the basement bar, so both can become...

I stumbled across the Flat Iron hotel as a evening stop on a cross country trip I was taking, OMG, what an amazing place. I felt like I had stepped back into the 1920’s, with all the old world charm of the era. Everything from the check-in process spoke of the above board service from a bygone age. We were greeted at the street, where the valet helped us unload our luggage and patently waited for me to move my 91 year old mother into the hotel. This was just the start of one of the most phenomenal white glove treatments I have ever received. Arriving at the front desk, we were greeted with a smile and ask if we would like something to drink, while we waited to check in. They had a very nice wine, a local craft beer and a special non-alcoholic drink made by the barman. We tried both the beer and the special drink. The beer was excellent. But the start was the special drink, cool and refreshing. I kept going back for me, which they happily obliged. After the check in, we were informed of the three restaurants on the premises. Luminosa, which is fine Italian dining in the 1920’s tradition. Don’t miss the Rib eye steak, phenomenal. Other items not to be missed is the wood fired pizza and the Rohan Duck Breast. You won’t be disappointed. Also for the more casual diner, grab breakfast or a late night drink at the Rooftop Bar. And for those who are in the know, will go into the basement speakeasy called “Red Ribbon Society”. I loved it. The hotel is a testament of the old 1920’s business office, with many doors on the floors having the names of the businesses that were there in the 1920’s. Wander around the floors to see all of them, fascinating. Each room has hotel robes and slippers for their guests. And the dedication to service and guest comfort does not stop there. They even had an umbrella for the guest use, right in the room. But my favorite was the Coffee bar on each floor. There you had a choice of coffee’s and teas, as well as still and fizzy water, and flavored water mixes. This was so elegant, it is unbelievable. Our room was spacious and had a huge bathroom, with a large glassed shower. It is worth noting, the sinks were separated from the shower and toilet, making it easy for couples getting ready for the evening, a breeze. Once you explored the hotel, you step out into the heart of Ashville. You will have an amazing time exploring all the quaint shops all around the hotel. You can bet, this hotel will be my destination on my future trips, as I hated leaving so quickly, as I had not planned on staying more then one night. I will defiantly be coming back for more of this...

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Spur-of-the-moment Asheville trip 🚗🐾

Drove over to Asheville tonight to meet up with a good friend—and wow, am I glad I did. We’re staying at The Flat Iron Hotel, right in the heart of downtown. I’ve walked past this building a thousand times and admired the little Flat Iron statue out front, but never really noticed the building itself… until now.

We’re headed to a show at The Orange Peel, which—fun fact—is owned by Public Interest Projects (PIP), a for-profit development company founded by the late philanthropist Julian Price. That’s a story worth diving into on its own. Super cool stuff.

Now here’s where it gets personal: I’m a huge fan of the Flatiron Building in New York City. Always have been. Why? Because I own a triangular-shaped property in downtown Charlotte that would be perfect for a hotel—and it’s been a dream of mine to develop a building that leans into that unique shape. The Flat Iron Hotel here in Asheville is incredible, and honestly, it’s giving me a masterclass in what it takes to pull off a project like that. It’s teaching me all the little things I’d need to get right—from layout to circulation to how you make odd angles feel intentional and inviting.

My buddy Ryan—who I trust completely when it comes to real estate—called me up and said, “You’ve got to see this place. I redeveloped it from an old office building into something really special.” So I hopped in the car and made the trip.

Checked in with my travel buddy Charlotte (my loyal Weimaraner 🐶—yes, it’s a dog-friendly hotel 🙌). And after wandering the halls trying to find my room, I can say this is hands down the coolest hotel I’ve ever stayed in. The rooms aren’t huge, but they’re perfectly sized, full of charm, and packed with character. Just scroll through the pics and you’ll see what I mean.

I’m honestly blown away.

Posting a few shots tonight to give you a glimpse—and tomorrow I’ll capture more. Might even throw the drone up for a better look at this...