Asheville’s iconic Biltmore slowly returns to normal post-Helene

The $78.7 billion in damage that Hurricane Helene inflicted on western North Carolina in September 2024 made it the fifth costliest Atlantic hurricane on record when adjusted for inflation.

The Biltmore Estate, one of the Asheville region’s top tourism generators, was largely spared from the brunt of the damage due to its higher elevation. However, in Biltmore Village — a popular commercial district that evolved from a sort of shantytown for the employees of the Vanderbilt family —  20 inches of excess rainfall led the French Broad River to severely flood the lower-lying areas.

In the weeks and months that followed, overturned cars and mountains of debris, along with a carpet of mud and dust, left the village a virtual ghost town.

Love News? Get more! Join the WBT Charlotte's News Talk Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Subscribe

We care about your data. See our privacy policy.

The massive effort to rebuild was a group undertaking, not only for the City of Asheville and surrounding Buncombe County, but also for the Biltmore Estate, said Marissa Jamison, senior public relations manager at the estate.

“Biltmore Village has deep roots with the estate, as George Vanderbilt founded it as part of his original vision,” Jamison said. “While we’re not formally connected operationally today, we have a meaningful relationship, and many of our guests enjoy pairing their visit to the estate with shopping or dining in Biltmore Village.”

The estate pledged $2 million to a relief fund to assist the local community and also took part in civic conversations about “long-term preservation and resilience of Biltmore Village’s public spaces,” Jamison said.

Still, the timing of the storm presented a more immediate problem with the holiday season fast approaching.

“Christmas is one of the most important times of year for Biltmore,” Jamison said. “It’s our highest visitation season and plays a significant role in sustaining our business and supporting the thousands of jobs connected to the estate.”

Helene forced Biltmore Estate to shut down for only the third time in its history during the month of October 2024, but it reopened in time for the holiday season, drawing about 165,000 visitors — roughly half of what a normal year would see.

A year later, the tourists have mostly returned to the Biltmore Estate, which includes several restaurants and hotels on property.

After seeing a 30% reduction in guests over the summer, it is now approaching its pre-Helene numbers with about 330,000 visitors expected this holiday season.

“A steady rebound in visitation began this fall,” Jamison said. “Our current forecasts show November and December visitor volume tracking about 10% below the same period in 2023, before Helene.”

For those planning to partake in the annual festive traditions, the estate’s holiday festivities officially began on Nov. 1 and run through Jan. 4.

Biltmore Estate planned to ring in its 130th Christmas season with a full slate of events and exhibitions, including 36 Christmas trees in the house itself and another 75 in the various outcroppings. Adorning them are 10,000 ornaments, and more than 100,000 lights, along with 7,740 yards of ribbon.

A 55-foot-tall Norway spruce stands on the front lawn, encircled by 40 illuminated evergreens, while a 35-foot-tall Fraser fir in the Banquet Hall required a team of around 50 employees to hoist it into place.  

Meanwhile, Jamison said the estate is continuing to work with local officials to bring tourism back into other parts of the Asheville region.

“In response to the storm’s impact, we increased our advertising efforts and expanded into new markets to support recovery,” Jamison said. “We’ve also strengthened our partnerships with tourism organizations like Explore Asheville and Visit NC to help amplify the message that Biltmore and the region are open and ready for visitors.”

Tourism officials are optimistic that things in the Asheville region will be nearly back to normal, although recovery in areas impacted the worst has been an ongoing process.

“A little over a year after the storm, much of the Asheville area is open, and many businesses are back on par with the 2023 fall travel season,” said Vic Isley, president/CEO of Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority.

“We see that incredible momentum reflected in our most recent lodging data, along with a slate of big wins, events on the horizon, and major announcements for 2026,” Isley added.

Mickey Poandl, public relations manager for the BCTDA, said hotel occupancy and vacation rental occupancy for October showed notable increases, up 58% from the 2024 figures, although still not at full capacity.

“These numbers show the positive momentum that Asheville has been experiencing this fall, with a slate of big wins, events on the horizon, and major announcements for 2026,” Poandl said.

At its October meeting, the BCTDA touted positive developments, including a media feature from “Good Morning America” on the Biltmore Estate. Yet, its balance sheet showed that tourism promotion was running at a net loss of more than $4 million.

Kim Miller, a communications specialist for the city of Asheville, likewise painted a picture of cautious optimism, noting that plans were “underway … to bring back the many parks and other city assets impacted by the storm.”

She pointed to an online hub, AshevilleRecovers.org, that housed an array of resources including data, press releases and links for those needing help to navigate the labyrinth of government agencies overseeing the recovery and support efforts.

“Visitors can see differences from last year,” Miller said. “Many businesses in the River Arts District (RAD) are reopened — as well as in Biltmore Village.”

However, local station WLOS noted recently that in Biltmore Village recovery was moving slowly.

“While some stores and restaurants, from Gardener’s Cottage to the longtime restaurant Corner Kitchen, have reopened, many remain closed, and some permanently,” WLOS reported. “Many buildings are boarded up a year after Helene.”

Among them is the Well-Bred Bakery and Cafe, a Weaverville-based restaurant that permanently closed its second location in Biltmore Village.

“Helene basically washed away the store,” owner Judy Glicken told WLOS.

Glicken said a history of flooding in the low-lying region had factored into the decision not to return.

 “It’s just going to be flooded again and they’re not doing anything to mitigate that possibility,” she said.

Records indicate that major floods in 1916 and 1940 also left the village underwater.

Nonetheless, locals were encouraged by every sign of progress, including the reopening of the iconic Grand Bohemian Hotel, a historic 19th-century hunting lodge on the outskirts of the Biltmore Estate.

“They worked like crazy to re-open the property by April, and it was a big deal for the community since it was the first major business in Biltmore Village to reopen,” Poandl said.

While the hotel may draw guests away from staying on the Biltmore property, Jamison said the estate was also eager to see its neighbors in the village enjoy a full recovery.

“We’re encouraged by the steady reopening of businesses, and we’re seeing visitor confidence grow as our own visitation rebounds,” she said. “Every step forward in Biltmore Village’s recovery supports the community and reinforces that the estate and our region are ready to welcome visitors.”

Owners of French Broad Chocolates in downtown Asheville encourage visitors to keep showing up, beyond the immediate aftermath of the disaster.

“Recovery isn’t a straight line – it’s a long, uneven process that demands patience, humility, and community,” said Jael Skeffington of French Broad Chocolates. “After the storm, we all wanted a quick bounce back, but the reality is that real recovery happens in layers: infrastructure, finances, emotional bandwidth, staffing, supply chains, and the invisible work of rebuilding confidence. I learned that you can’t rush any of that. What you can do is stay honest about what you need, lean on the people who show up for you, and take the next right step, even when the big picture still feels overwhelming.”

Despite the shuttering of some businesses, Isley said several exciting developments in the surrounding area were luring visitors not only to the Biltmore Estate, but also to other local attractions.

Among them is “Trolls: A Field of Study,” artist Thomas Dambo’s “larger-than-life” installation at the North Carolina Arboretum.

And looking ahead to next year, a professional golf tournament, the Biltmore Championship, will return to Asheville for the first time in more than 80 years next September at the Cliffs at Walnut Cove.

He also touted some of the high-end dining options, including 15 area restaurants that received mention in the first MICHELIN guide to the American South.

“Asheville’s iconic Biltmore slowly returns to normal post-Helene” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.