A Luxury Inn in Highlands, NC: Half-Mile Farm Exudes Pastoral Charm

On our first visit to Half-Mile Farm in Highlands, North Carolina, we were impressed to find that parent company, Old Edwards Hospitality Group, had found a way to combine a pastoral setting with the same touches of luxury that characterize their signature, award-winning Relais & Chateaux downtown property, Old Edwards Inn and Spa.

Our recent return to this luxury inn in Highlands left us nothing short of “wowed” to see what an $8.2 million renovation can accomplish.

The upgrades have added new rooms, expanded service areas and a touch of elegance throughout the property. We would have been content to stay in our lovely fireplace suite, but were drawn away to sample the outdoor heated pool and hot tub with tumbling waterfall as well as the redesigned sunlit dining room where breakfast is served.

Also new on the property is the stand-alone Garden House and its outer patio with a grape arbor overhead. This space seats 35 people and is popular for group receptions, special events and family reunions (although the property is only open to guests ages 18 and above, unless rented out in its entirety).

The Garden House, with a floor-to-high-ceiling stone fireplace and exposed white beams, felt like our own living room mountain sanctuary. A large, light-gray, farm-style table held reading material that invited us to curl up with a book and a cup of coffee from the in-room Nespresso machine...