Inn’s latest chapter includes a friendly reunion

The historic Balsam Mountain Inn is once again in the caring hands of Merrily Teasley, the owner who lovingly restored the building in 1990.

Teasley first bought the historic inn on the courthouse steps, saving it from foreclosure and owning it until she retired in 2004 and sold the inn to new owners. However, the owners were forced to declare bankruptcy—and in December, Teasley once again rescued the inn on the courthouse steps.

She first spotted the 104-year-old inn, which sits off the Blue Ridge Parkway between Waynesville and Sylva, while night hiking with a friend. A full moon was shining down on the building.

The then-neglected bed and breakfast was not for sale at the time, recalled Teasley, who lived in Tennessee at the time. But, a year later things changed. She bought the 42,000-square-foot inn and it became one of seven structures she has restored over the years. The building features a mixture of original aspects, such as its molding, as well as accurate replicas from the early 1900s.

Mary Kay Morrow is now head chef of the inn’s restaurant where dishes are made almost solely from fresh produce. Even some of its fish is shipped regularly from Hawaii—caught, packaged and delivered to the inn within 48 hours.

While breakfast is included in the cost of the room, the inn is open to anyone for dinner. The restaurant can seat up to 164 guests in its main dining room and patio. Smaller rooms are available for private dining or meetings. Musicians and storytellers regularly perform at the inn.

For reservations or more information, call 855.456.9498 or visit balsammountaininn.net.