OMNI GROVE PARK INN

By <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Elisa.rolle" title="User:Elisa.rolle">Elisa.rolle</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

History

In 1909 the pharmaceutical giant Edwin Grove bought 408 acres (165 hectares) north of Asheville as a way of positioning himself as an investor in the future of Asheville. This area included where the hotel would be built but Grove focused on residential properties first.

He had already built residential neighborhoods in Atlanta, Georgia and Asheville was growing fast with the Vanderbilt Estate of Biltmore – also covered on our North Carolina page (see above) – and the expansion of the railroad to the town.

In 1911 Grove’s friend and son-in-law Fred Seely got involved in the hotel project by drawing up plans for the hotel that Grove preferred over the ones done by architects. Seely was given the responsibility of building the hotel.

He promised to get it done within one year.

400 men working 10 hours shifts 6 days a week moved the materials from Sunset Mountain to the hotel site and built the hotel. The hotel opened 3 days short of a year.

The Grove Park Inn opened on July 12, 1913.

In 1955 the hotel was bought by Charles Sammons – owner of huge real estate conglomerate Sammons Enterprises – and turned the hotel into an international resort known worldwide.

In the late 1980’s they built and opened the subterranean multi-million dollar spa. In 2012 they sold the resort to KSL Resorts who, in turn, sold it to Omni Hotels and Resorts; the current owners.

Omni did a $25 million dollar renovation of the property. The new Omni Grove Park Inn is one of the most exclusive and unique places to go on vacation in America.

Paranormal Activity

The Pink Lady is one of the most beloved ghosts in America.

She is said to be the ghost of a woman who fell from her 5th floor balcony in the 1920’s to her death. The romantic version of her story says she was there to meet her married lover and threw herself off the balcony when he didn’t appear. The more accepted version is that she was a debutante that accidentally slipped and fell off her balcony.

She is said to be particularly fond of Room 545 and its believed this is the room she fell from.

Either way the Pink Lady either appears either as a ball of pink mist or a full body apparition of a young woman in a pink ballroom gown.

The Pink Lady has walked the halls of the hotel for over 100 years now. She is considered a traditional part of the hotel and it’s legends and is fully accepted by the staff.

Apparently, she is fonder of children then adults and has often been seen at the bed sides of kids who come down with an illness while staying at the resort. One doctor left a note telling staff that his children truly enjoyed playing with the pretty lady in the pink dress.

The Pink Lady does interact with adults but she’s more apt to play pranks than sit by their bed sides. She’s said to be responsible for the flickering lights as well turning tv’s, air conditioners and other electronics off and on.

If she really likes you when you stay, she might just tickle your feet while you sleep.