Charles and Susannah Jones built the Celo Inn over a period of ten years. They wanted it to be comfortable and lovely, but not precious; affordable and simple, but not primitive. Details borrowed from countless European hostels and inns—cozy dormered nooks, exposed framing timbers, burnished wood, soft tile—were incorporated into their new/old structure. The Inn's massive 6-lite entry door admitted its first guests in 1983, and the warmth and comfort of the Joneses' realized vision has been shared by many since then.

Randy and Nancy Raskin, having been substitute innkeepers each September for four years, stepped full-time into the Joneses' dream in 1987, taking over the business in February of that year.

Faint light silhouettes Seven Mile Ridge and peeks through French doors, finding Nancy at work over the Queen Atlantic cookstove. Oak and poplar blaze in the fire box, baking muffins, poaching apples, heating water. A higher, warmer sun now peeks through casement windows, joining the wood-cooked breakfast aromas in a wake-up chorus. The dining room is warm, Nancy's smile even warmer—it is a good place to start the day.

A day here might include hiking on Mt. Mitchell (6,684') or other peaks in the rugged ridge that shoulders together with Mitchell, parting the clouds. Or perhaps you would rather bicycle the many miles of low-traffic backroads in Yancey and Mitchell counties. Your innkeepers can provide maps and trail notes—and sometimes guiding service—for either a hiking or biking adventure.

Alternatively you might fish, tube, or swim in the river or nearby creeks. Perhaps you'd rather visit the numerous galleries which showcase this region's many skilled artisans or visit studios and watch work in progress.

The Celo Inn is 8 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway, an avenue of countless other possibilities. But we are not running a summer camp, scheduling your every moment. Your vacation could involve reading on the terrace, strolling the gardens, or crafting a fine nap. We offer the options, you provide the itinerary.

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