[upbeat music] - Next on North Carolina Weekend, we're checking back in to some of our most memorable stays.

We'll experience the country charm of Fearrington House, spend the night among the trees at Cherry Treesort, and wake up on the Cape Fear River in a luxurious houseboat.

Coming up next.

- Funding for North Carolina Weekend is provided in part by Visit NC, dedicated to highlighting our state's natural scenic beauty, unique history, and diverse cultural attractions.

From the Blue Ridge and the Great Smoky Mountains across the Piedmont to 300 miles of Barrier Island beaches, you're invited to experience all the adventure and charm our state has to offer.

[upbeat music] ♪ ♪ - Welcome to North Carolina Weekend, everyone.

I'm Deborah Holt Noel.

My first overnight experience in a houseboat was right here in Wilmington at the Cove Riverwalk Villas.

Floating on the waters of the Cape Fear was calm, quiet, and remarkably still.

And today we're checking in again to see how the Cove has grown and what's new for guests.

We'll take a closer look later in the show, but first, let's head to the countryside, just outside Pittsboro, where Southern hospitality meets luxury and timeless elegance.

- It's just a place in the country, just a place to relax, just a place to cool out.

In the '50s, I was in the Air Force, and I was stationed in RAF Station England, and I absolutely fell in love with England.

I love the gardens, and that's sort of what we've tried to create here.

- [Deb] Developer R.B.

Fitch and his late wife Jenny purchased the 650-acre Fearrington Dairy Farm in 1974 and from it developed the seven-acre Fearrington Village and the Inn.

Throughout the years, he's maintained its pastoral environment, dotting it with signature belted Galloway cows, Tennessee fainting goats, and Colombian white-dot chickens.

Today, the property is distinguished by Travel and Leisure magazine as one of the world's best, and also it's a Relais and Châteaux property.

- Relais & Châteaux is an association of some of the world's best small hotels and restaurants.

There are about 580 of them around the world.

They are very well known for their quality of service, their cuisine.

It's sort of a good housekeeping stamp of approval for us.

There's quite a bit to do in the village.

We have some shops.

We have Dovecote, which is our apparel and accessory store, and we have designers that come in twice a month to do trunk shows, so you'll get to meet the designers sometimes.

We have a children's store called Sprout.

We have Nest, which is home and gift, and then we've got our bookstore.

It was started in 1989, and it is one of the premier independent bookstores in the area.

- [Deb] And all of this is available to any visitor to Fearrington Village.

For me, it was part of an overnight weekend stay at the Fearrington House Inn, but before checking in, my mother and daughter joined me for afternoon tea service at the restaurant, which was the original farmhouse.

They loved the country setting.

- There's a windmill out there, and a lot of things to keep you interested, walk around all day out here and be entertained and I love it.

- They also loved all the treats and savories prepared in-house by Fearrington's pastry team.

- That little cookie there with the white drizzle on top, that'll be a pumpkin spice donut.

- Afternoon tea is a relaxing way to experience the delicious foods from Fearrington's kitchen, but you can also find them at the Belted Goat, which was once the granary of the farm.

Now it was time for me to check in and check out my accommodations for the weekend.

- Massage at one o'clock tomorrow, Friday.

- I was delivered to one of Fearrington's grand suites, featuring a private garden.

My home away from home was supremely appointed with a king-size bed, luxurious spa-like bath, and a cozy fireplace.

Plenty of space to wind down before grabbing a bite in the village at the Roost Beer Garden.

Can you believe this used to be an old corn crib?

Today you can get a pretty phenomenal pizza and occasionally find live local music.

[upbeat music] Fearrington Village is ideal for taking in the gorgeous North Carolina weather, whether it's breakfast on the great porch at the restaurant or a stroll through nearby Camden Park.

But places to exhale are not limited to the outdoors.

For the ultimate relaxation, unwind and indulge at the spa at Fearrington.

This boutique spa offers facials, body treatments, and nail services in beautiful spaces designed to pamper before, during, and after your treatments.

Evenings at the Fearrington restaurant are vibrant, with locals and visitors gathering at the bar for wine and cocktails, or making a night of it with the bar's dinner menu.

Of course, it's the exceptional culinary experience in the dining room that's earned this restaurant a five-star rating.

- This is our full wine and cocktails list.

Hope you all have a fabulous evening.

- Thank you very much.

- You're very welcome.

- A seasonal menu sources fresh ingredients from local farms, and its crown jewel is the chef's tasting menu.

Executive chef Paul Gagné grew up surrounded by good cooks, and he's a risk taker in the kitchen.

His menu tonight is inspired by the 40th anniversary of the restaurant, and Jenny Fitch, author of the Fearrington House Cookbook.

- The first one is a foie gras mousse with a sherry jelly and apple butter.

The second course is a truffle chicken sausage with celery root and yuzu and yuzu koshu chicken cream.

The third is a seared tuna with chickpea, takoyaki sauce, and a burnt lemon puree.

And the veal is pretty classic.

It's prosciutto wrapped with carrots, local mushrooms, duxelles, and a smoky veal sauce.

Today, we're gonna do our famous souffle.

So that's a recipe that came from Jenny Fitch herself, and I couldn't imagine taking it off the menu.

I wouldn't be that one.

- At the Fearrington restaurant and village, you'll discover the cuisine is indeed second to none, but the generosity of service, extra touches, and warm hospitality are what make this small haven in Chatham County a Relais & Châteaux property worthy of a short visit or a relaxing stay.

(gentle music) The Fearrington House Inn is at 2000 Fearrington Village Center in Pittsboro.

To find out more about dinner reservations or a wonderful overnight stay at the inn, give them a call at 919-542-2121, or go online to Fearrington.com.

- Beautiful living space, comfortable beds, not only hot water and heating, but we have refrigerators, microwaves, beautiful deck.

- Amenities that are all more than 10 feet above the ground, not in a beach house, but in a-- - Tree house.

- An abode among the branches.

It's one of several here at the Cherry Treesort in China Grove, about 40 minutes outside of Charlotte.

- Cherry Treesort is a 27 acre farm, and we have built seven tree houses out here, overnight rentals, anywhere from 10 to 18 feet up in the air.

- Treesort owner Trent Cherry initially thought about building a cabin here when he bought the land back in 2015.

- We're looking at it, we're like, "No, why don't we just build a tree house instead?

Make it nice like a cabin, all the amenities, and just do that."

And I said, "You know, if we can do one, let's see what two can do, and maybe let's see what three can do."

And we just kind of piecemealed it together.

They're done as nice as you can get with all the amenities, but you still, when the wind blows, you can feel it move.

Like, we don't build stick houses.

Every one of our tree houses has a tree support.

You can feel the tin roof when it rains, you can hear it.

I mean, you know you're in a tree house.

- Every house is a different theme, a different style.

Everything is custom built.

- Down to the finishing touches like shelves and railing, none of the Treesort houses are the same.

Each house is named after a member of the Cherry family, and they have varying designs and sizes, sleeping as many as eight people in some cases.

It helps make an ideal setup for groups of friends and families.

- Wherever your tree house is located, you have lots of green space.

There's fire pits at every location, which is nice for like having the s'mores and the fun.

And then there's opportunities for everyone to gather around and enjoy each other's company.

We have been prepping our children for the tree houses for the past six months.

The anticipation of going somewhere where you can sleep, where your home is absolutely lifted up in the trees, it's unbelievable.

And so the children were so excited.

- Even the ones who are a bit more comfortable on solid ground.

Most of the Treesort houses are located in the limbs, but not all of them.

- Our daughter doesn't like heights, so they have these nice hobbit houses, and they're basically built into the side of the hill.

And there's two of them on the property right now.

It gives a nice difference for people that wanna be up high, and then people that just wanna be down low.

- It's underground, which it's very cool.

It makes it incredibly warm and cozy.

It's really unique, it's just enough space.

- The top is all grass.

So the children were up there doing cartwheels and playing, not getting too close to the side, but for the most part, that's been the most enjoyable thing.

- We get a lot of both.

Some people come for the hobbit house and wanna stay in the tree house.

Some people come to the tree house and wanna stay in the hobbit house.

(old motor cranking) We've got a big 25-passenger wagon.

We give kids wagon rides.

- One of several activities at Cherry Treesort that have nothing to do with the housing itself.

- There's lots of swings and a green space for the children to come play and run.

- The children can run up and down the creek, and you really don't, I mean, you keep an eye on 'em, but they're not going too far.

Kids aren't on their tablets, they're out enjoying nature.

- They got 27 acres to run and do what they want.

There's no Wi-Fi on the property, which a lot of parents send me emails privately, thank you for not having Wi-Fi.

It's the best of both worlds out here.

Usually we have families that come and half the family loves the camp and half the family wants to be in a five-star resort.

So you get the best of both worlds.

- And more guests will be able to experience those two worlds.

There's an expansion planned in the years ahead.

- We've got zoning for five more.

We plan on building two of those five this year and then seeing how it goes.

We're just trying to find that happy medium of how big do you get without getting too big and also keeping the privacy of all of our guests.

So you're not, we don't want to build them on top of each other.

- Guests make their way to Cherry Treesort from all 50 states and even a few other countries.

Trent Cherry wants to make sure they all come away with a fun and unique collection of memories.

- It's really cool to wake up and look out your window from your bed and you're 18 feet up in the air in the middle of the wood.

One of the things that we enjoy is giving the experience to people that you can't get anywhere else.

- Cherry Tree Resort is nestled at 1920 Flat Rock Road in China Grove.

To book your overnight stay, give them a call at 704-467-5496 or check them out online at cherrytreesort.com.

Marcia, how would you describe the Cove to somebody who's never visited?

- I would tell them that the Cove is a one of a kind boutique experience stay in downtown Wilmington.

- And they're houseboats.

- Yes, so they're floating, which makes them really unique.

But when people hear the term houseboats, they generally think of something very different than this.

When guests step in the front door, they realize how spacious they are and that it's really much more than a boat.

The boat piece is that it's floating.

But we are right in the heart of downtown, and so it's very walkable to get into the historic district and get to so many wonderful restaurants and shops.

It provides the opportunity for guests to have a really relaxing, quiet stay while also being right in the heart of downtown Wilmington.

- Well, each one is so beautifully designed.

I just stay right inside the unit.

You can go upstairs and relax on the little patio area.

You can enjoy the views from the dock.

And inside, each houseboat has its own look and personality, with a distinct theme chosen by Summer Dumont and her team.

- Every houseboat here at the Cove has completely unique decor.

Not one houseboat is the same.

The one we just finished about two weeks ago, La Maison, is a French country.

That, to me, was one of my very favorites to decorate.

I love picking a staple item and kind of decorating around it.

I have a passion for it.

I think the most fun is doing something different every time.

♪ ♪ - What are the amenities that guests will find in each unit?

- So there's a full kitchen in every unit, which is really what makes it different than a true hotel room.

We have them stocked so that they can cook a full meal.

There's also multiple bedrooms.

We make sure that every unit has a king bed somewhere in it.

The neat part here is that they can really make the stay what they want it to be.

So if they want a really relaxing stay, they can come and just stay here and enjoy the space.

And if they want a fun adventure, they can head into downtown or even beyond into Wilmington, and there's so much to see and do.

- Since I visited a few years ago, there's some new things.

What are those?

- We have the golf carts that help our guests get around.

We do offer that assistance to get further down into downtown and to bring all your belongings down.

- We can bring you downtown so you don't have to drive.

If you plan on staying locally, you can say 'peace out' to your car until you check out.

- We're really excited about our retail store and check-in area.

So we have a really nice, relaxing area, kind of like a hotel lobby in there.

We also have several new types of units and models.

We added a three-bedroom unit, as well as more one-bedroom units with the full rooftop patio, and we have a new duplex unit.

♪ ♪ - When people stay, what's one of the things that they remember the most?

- Hmm, I think they remember how it made them feel.

It's peaceful.

You're in the city, but there's something about water that is extremely peaceful.

- We have guests that come back again and again, and they leave saying that they wished that they could have stayed more nights.

♪ ♪ - The Cove Riverwalk Villas are located at the Port City Marina in Wilmington.

For more information or to book your stay, visit them online at thecovewilmington.com.

In downtown Asheville, one of the most recognizable buildings has entered a new phase.

The historic Flat Iron Building has been transformed into a boutique hotel, blending its 1920s character with a distinctly modern Asheville experience.

Let's look inside.

♪ ♪ - Flat Iron Hotel was an office building long before it was a boutique hotel.

It was developed in 1926 by a gentleman named L.B.

Jackson, who is known from the L.B.

Jackson Building downtown Asheville as his first project.

You'll find similar type of buildings around the country.

Some are more famous, like the one in New York.

Obviously, ours now.

But basically, it was built as an office building, and it had tenants from 1926 all the way to 2018, when it was closed, and it's gonna be converted into the boutique hotel it is today.

So, Flat Iron Hotel offers 71 guest rooms.

Based on its unique shape, it has 71-plus room types, everything from a queen-bedded room to a king-bedded suite.

Our suites are in the apex of the building, so you have a nice view with the natural lighting in the corner of the building.

Everything from the rooftop, which is off the fire escape, which is now an enclosed rooftop bar with three patios.

One feature they're unaware of is the speakeasy, which used to be the boiler room of the building, and that's always a pleasant surprise when they find that in the basement.

And then, luminosity is the highlight, so we are fortunate that the community has really embraced our Italian Appalachian restaurant.

- I think the Appalachian roots run really deep here.

Between me and my chef de cuisine, Sean McMullen, we're both from the region.

One dish in particular that I can think of would be our annuloti dish, where we get in a whole hog every week, brine that in our leftover olive brine, and then braise in the pizza oven, picked, and then that goes inside the annuloti pasta with creamer peas, cornbread, crumb on top, and a little Aleppo.

It's kind of like a homage to like soup beans kind of thing, and that's just kind of a play as far as like Appalachian roots go, like no waste, everything kind of gets used.

- I enjoy the pizzas.

I love the pasta dishes, but the thing I really appreciate is that they change the menu with the seasons, so there's always something new.

In fact, tonight, we're doing the chef's tasting menu, so I'm told I'm gonna be surprised at what I have offered for our group of 20 because there are new things on the menu that I haven't even seen yet.

♪ ♪ - One of the most important things for us is, you know, trying to honor each ingredient and utilizing all of the trim as much as possible so that there is as little waste as possible.

So oftentimes, it'll be a conversation between myself, the team, and chefs saying, "Hey, is there a byproduct at which you are looking for an application, ingredients that aren't being fully used that we can apply to the beverage program?"

For the beverages here in Luminosa, very much an Italian-style expression, lots of Negronis, lots of spritzes, but playing upon a little bit more of specificity, utilizing local ingredients.

So again, trying to offer that hyper-seasonal lens in the space with the spirits that we're utilizing, but also the ingredients.

- I think one ideal amenity of the hotel is our location.

Any door you walk out, you're within walking distance to many restaurants, shopping, bars, breweries.

- Everything is very central and local.

You can walk pretty much anywhere.

We did ballet, and we-- I don't even think we've picked up the car.

We've just walked everywhere.

- There's not a day that we're gonna go by where we might have three or four walk-ins of guests just wanna see the hotel 'cause they remember back how it looked before it was converted to a boutique hotel.

If you walk through the hotel, you're gonna see plaques that really honor those first tenants that were in the building.

Notables that are on here, we have everyone from doctors to dentists to florists.

And you'll find as you go through the guest room floors, different plaques and signage on the doors talking about their residence here.

- There are so many interesting snippets of who has been there and different professions for each floor.

I've learned a lot about Asheville by staying here.

- We're always a pleasant surprise.

I don't know what people expected the building to turn out as.

As locals have learned what it is today and how we took care in restoring the building, took care in representing it to Asheville, and I think they can be proud of this building and we're able to save it for many, many decades to come.

(upbeat music) - The Flat Iron Hotel is at 20 Battery Park Avenue in Asheville.

To plan your visit, go online to ashevilleflatiron.com.

Sometimes the most memorable stay is the one that gives you room to slow down and unplug.

Near the mountain town of Hot Springs, five secluded cabins offer private hot tubs, peaceful views, and easy access to plenty of outdoor adventures.

- I feel serene when I come onto this property.

It's wooded.

There's also the great meadow that's out here that we have for everybody to come and enjoy, and it's just a really peaceful place to be.

(upbeat music) - Hot Springs Log Cabins is a set of five individual cabins on an 11-acre property about 12 minutes outside of Hot Springs.

It's just a beautiful little spot with individual cabins that are all private from each other.

They have one bedroom, fully covered front porch with a hot tub.

They're perfect for couples, and also four out of five of them are pet-friendly.

- The cabins are fully stocked in the kitchen, so we provide pots and pans, and there's some spices as well.

There are washer and dryers in the chavquin beds.

There is a little fireplace and TV so you can come in, and essentially you don't need to bring anything except for your groceries and your clothes, and you're set to go here at the cabins.

- If you're coming in the winter, that's definitely a good time to watch the weather and to consider having four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicle.

- Our area is just a great place to be in all four seasons of the year.

[upbeat music] - There's great hiking around Hot Springs and around Hot Springs Log Cabins.

The Appalachian Trail goes right through the middle of town, so you can really go off in either direction, north or south, and go up, like, Lover's Leap, which is right outside of Hot Springs, and goes up the mountain and kind of looks back down at the river and the town.

It's one of my favorites.

[upbeat music] - Max Patch is a naturally occurring bull that's on the Appalachian Trail.

There's 360 views.

You can see Tennessee, and you can see miles and miles of North Carolina, hardly any houses or lights when you're up there, so you've got your long-range views.

[upbeat music] Everything about Hot Springs is special.

It's such a blend of old and new and the community of people there who all care a lot about each other, and then you have these glorious mountains and the rivers, and people just seem to get comfortable there and laid back, and when you have that kind of casual atmosphere, you know, you just feel like you're in a special place that's nurturing and feels good to be in.

[upbeat music] In Hot Springs, we love the Smoky Mountain Diner.

It's a great place to have breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

We also love Big Pillow Brewery.

[upbeat music] And Vinyl Pies has great pizza.

Bluff Mountain Outfitters is a must visit.

They've have--they're geared towards the hikers that are coming through, but also, you know, little gifts and supplies and things that you need.

[upbeat music] The Hot Springs Resort and Spa has natural hot springs filled hot tubs.

You know, you have your hot tub here at the cabins, but additionally, that's an option and also has the, like, therapeutic properties from the minerals in the springs.

We also love Artisan Coffee Shop and Gallery with local art.

Hot Springs Rafting Company is a good one if you want to get outside and get on the river or get some good instructions about where to go and what to do.

A lot of the businesses in Hot Springs were impacted by the hurricane, but every day, more and more are opening back up and things are coming back to life.

- We're ready for people to come and visit us again.

[upbeat music] - Hot Springs Log Cabins are located at 5830 Highway, North Carolina, 209 in Hot Springs.

You can book your cabin at hotspringslogcabins.com, and to find out about more things to do in the area, go to hotspringsnc.org.

- Well, that's it for tonight's show.

We have had the best time checking back into the Cove and somehow it seems even more special the second time around.

You know, looking back at these days is a wonderful reminder that some of the most memorable places are often worth a return visit.

If you've missed anything in tonight's show, remember you can always watch us again online at pbsnc.org, and you can find all of our stories on our YouTube channel.

Have a great North Carolina weekend, everyone.

[upbeat music] ♪♪ [upbeat music] ♪♪ - Funding for North Carolina Weekend is provided in part by VisitNC, dedicated to highlighting our state's natural scenic beauty, unique history, and diverse cultural attractions.

From the Blue Ridge and the Great Smoky Mountains across the Piedmont to 300 miles of Barrier Island beaches, you're invited to experience all the adventure and charm our state has to offer.

(upbeat music)