Seasonal Splendor at
The Omni Grove Park Inn
By Sandra Chambers
N
estled between the Blue
Ridge Mountains and Great
Smoky Mountains, this 100+
year-old, AAA Four-Diamond
resort hotel is known for its
elegance and southern charm. While
every season is spectacular at the
Omni Grove Park Inn, the winter
holidays kick it up a notch with
special events such as the National
Gingerbread House Competition,
delicious holiday dining, live music
and festive decorations.
The holiday charm begins at the
icicle-decorated guardhouse,
followed by a driveway lined with
illuminated trees. Inside, the Great
34
Hall is dressed in glittering seasonal
colors with columns wrapped in
colorful garlands and a towering
magnolia Christmas tree. In addition
to the main tree in the Great Hall,
80 decorated trees can be found
throughout the property. Crackling
36-foot-wide stone fireplaces at
both ends of the Great Hall invite
visitors to grab a rocking chair and
warm up with some hot chocolate or
a signature cocktail.
The 23rd Annual
National Gingerbread
House Competition
One of the unique annual holiday
displays at The Omni Grove Park Inn
includes hundreds of remarkable
works of edible art from the
National Gingerbread House
Competition, which will be held this
year on November 16, 2015. This
annual event has grown over two
decades and has become one of the
featured holiday traditions at The
Omni Grove Park Inn. The contest
draws more than 200 entries from
every state vying for the Grand
Prize of more than $7,500 in cash
and prizes. Guests staying at The
Omni Grove Park Inn, as well as the
general public, can view a selection
of gingerbread houses on display
from November 18th through
January 1st.