Red Leaf River Inn

Victor, the owner, is warm and kind, and somehow remembers the details about every guest. The place feels like staying with family, with hearty made to order breakfasts and books to read beside the cozy fireplace. Tucked into the NC mountains, this atmospheric bed and breakfast is gorgeous and makes you want to return again and again. This was our second stay. Each time, Victor has made us an incredible dinner from scratch, with bread, pastries, pasta, and more. This time we hosted a dinner here for 10 people, and everyone had a wonderful time. PS: There’s a lovely little creek on the property, a must see.

The dinners are what we'd come back for. We ate there five nights straight, and Victor made everything from scratch, including the soup stock, dressings, breads, sauces, and even the pasta. We loved it all. His Italian wedding soup was so good we ordered it three times, and chicken parm made with thighs was the best I'd ever had. From French onion soup to homemade bread and a four-layer cake, it felt like a food lover's dream. My husband and I came to celebrate our 20th anniversary. We expected a Bed & Breakfast, but it felt more like staying with a relative who was also our private chef. Victor owns the place and works harder than anyone I've met. He clearly loves looking after people and gets a lot of pleasure from spoiling his guests. We could simply ask what we wanted for dinner, and he'd make it. He'd been a chef for 52 years, and it shows. Each morning started with a different fresh-baked pastry, then fruit, followed by a hot breakfast made to order. The home fries were unbeatable. The inn is quiet and cozy, with wood furniture Victor made himself. You can relax on the porch, wander the grounds, play games by the fireplace, or curl up in the comfortable bed and watch TV. There are five rooms in the main house, or you can rent the entire upstairs of the house next door. The setting is lovely too. It's high enough to feel like you're in the mountains, but Walmart is about eight minutes away, downtown Waynesville just a few minutes farther, and the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance under 15 minutes away. For all you get, the price is hard to beat. Dinner costs so little that I'm not sure how Victor makes a profit. We encouraged him to raise his rates, but he wouldn't. He obviously loves this work and cares about every guest. You could see how sad he was when people left. Every couple staying there with us was celebrating an anniversary, which makes sense, but it's affordable enough for any time. Victor puts his heart into the inn, and you can feel it.

We had a really good time here. Victor was a lovely host, and he can definitely cook. Dinner was outstanding, and we got a different breakfast treat each morning. Thanks, Victor, from both of us. We'd happily recommend staying here.

Victor looked after us so well, and he moves at a pace that only his cooking can beat. My wife and I had a great weekend, and we'd stay again. It's a peaceful place to get away, with lovely views.