Asheville, North CarolinaDowntown
Kimpton Hotel Arras
Art-filled bank tower
Downtown Asheville, North Carolina
Opened
2019
Price
$$$
Rated for
Design Social LocalOutside the door
The house
IHGArt-filled bank tower
A converted 1960s commercial tower serves as a social anchor for downtown, showcasing original pieces by regional artisans.
“Kimpton Hotel Arras, the tallest building in Asheville, anchors downtown with its sleek, art deco–meets-modern design.”
What it’s good at
Listed
Pack Square evenings converge over craft cocktails at District 42 and Mediterranean hearth cooking.
Listed
Set on historic Pack Square, displaying custom ironwork and textiles from regional makers.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
It’s full of high-design modern furniture and contemporary works by local artists, and equipped with rooms and suites that are tastefully upscale and impressively stylish.
In a lively part of town
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
The front doors open onto Pack Square, with downtown galleries and craft breweries a quick walk away.
The rooms
Mountain-view rooms look out toward the Blue Ridge peaks, finished with tailored furnishings and custom work from local makers.
The spa
Urban Exhale sits on the third floor, where signature massages draw on hot jade gemstones and aromatherapy.
The gym
Rogue strength gear and Peloton bikes equip the fitness room, and Public loaner bikes sit ready for town rides.
Restaurant
Bargello
Hand-rolled pastas and hearth-fired pizzas fill the Mediterranean menu, served across marble tables and a curved chef's counter.
Downtown’s Kimpton Hotel Arras, a former bank from the 1960s, remains the tallest building in Asheville, offering the most iconic panoramic views.
Bar
District 42
Shared plates and local beers flow from the illuminated bar, where steps lead up to a raised lounge nook.
At the table
Beyond the main dining rooms, private dinners gather beside a glass-walled wine cellar and at high communal tables.
How it began
Locals long called the nineteen-story 1965 bank tower 'Big Brown & Tall' before its 2019 hotel conversion.
Asheville
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.