Skyline Lodge and Oak Steakhouse—the newly renovated historic boutique property and steakhouse from Indigo Road Hospitality Group—have officially opened their doors in the mountain town of Highlands, NC. Led by Indigo Road Hospitality Group Founder and three-time James Beard Award Outstanding Restaurateur nominee Steve Palmer and Indigo Road President of Lodging & Lifestyle Adventures Larry Spelts, Skyline Lodge marks the nationally acclaimed restaurant and hospitality group’s first venture into the hotel space.
Tucked away in the bucolic Blue Ridge Mountains, Skyline Lodge opens following an extensive renovation of the beloved, historic 1930s-era property, which has been a staple in the area for more than 80 years. The property evokes an immediate sense of place through its mid-century modern design and distinct architecture, which was originally conceptualized by architect Arthur J. Kelsey, a longtime student of Frank Lloyd Wright. Featuring clean lines, reclaimed wood interiors and thoughtful details that pay homage to the surrounding nature, the lodge offers 39 guestrooms and one suite—all nestled along winding exterior corridors. Outside, the lodge boasts the area’s most stunning panoramic views as well as easy access to a variety of hiking trails, waterfalls, shopping destinations and additional opportunities to enjoy the nature and amenities both within and beyond the property.
“The lodging options in Highlands tend to skew either very casual or very luxury, and we saw a need for something in between—relaxed, but authentic with elevated design and lively service—which is the way our team loves to travel and dine in our own free time,” Palmer said.
“Skyline Lodge is iconic—the property is nearly 100 years old and has lived many lives over the decades,” Spelts said. “We jumped at the chance to acquire and renovate the building as Indigo Road’s first hotel project and think guests are going to fall in love with the location’s surrounding nature, beautiful midcentury design, and culinary-driven approach.”
Designed by Carrie Dessertine, principal of MEY + Co, Skyline Lodge evokes a crisp, natural feel that picks up where the surrounding nature ends. The lobby and 40 guestrooms offer a fresh approach to 1960s and 1970s decor, honoring the eras with funky touches like terracotta flooring and circular patterns, while also uniquely leveraging organic, natural and textural elements (think: cork headboards, exposed stonework and wooden furniture).
“The inspiration for the property was the history of the property itself,” Dessertine said. “The original lodge and rooms are distinctive in their design and organic feel. We wanted to uncover and enhance the Prairie style aesthetic throughout the property. We also wanted to recognize the later alterations to the property in the 1970s. Our hope was that the final product took design notes from those two eras and moved the property towards fresh and modern feeling spaces.”
Throughout the spaces, a calming color palette of greens and neutrals pulls the outside in and allows guests to feel truly immersed in the surrounding scenery. Oak is designed around three vintage glass pendant light fixtures, which emit glowy light throughout the space and create a dream-like atmosphere.
“The challenge is sifting through the built history of the site and finding a way to weave it all together,” Dessertine noted. “We don’t want to ignore the past of a property but find the beauty in each of the eras and then bring our own take to the property. The result should feel cohesive and natural to the building. We worked to pull details from both eras that could work together, to find their overlap. The historic building embodied the use of organic materials like the stacked stone of the fireplaces and stepped facades as motifs. Stylistically the 1970s brought bold colors and patterns. We felt that elements like the guestroom carpet exemplified the intersection of those two design tendencies.”
The restaurant is anchored by a bar within the central vaulted exposed beam space and flanked by two oversized, original stone fireplaces. Other unexpected gathering spaces throughout the lodge—including a mezzanine and reading room—are mismatched and whimsical, adding to an overall Wes Anderson vibe and featuring a menagerie of touches from regional artists and custom makers.
“We love working on historic properties because they bring so much backstory to the table to use as fodder for the design. The world of boutique hotels depends on differentiating themselves from any other properties, drawing from their unique history is a great starting point for the design of these properties,” Dessertine said.
Skyline Lodge’s second floor is home to Oak Steakhouse, a contemporary steakhouse featuring the finest cuts of Certified Angus Beef and locally sourced produce from area farms. The first and only steakhouse in Highlands, Oak is led by Executive Chef Kelly Vogelheim, who partners with area purveyors and neighboring farms to bring the flavors of Appalachia right to the table. And for those with a sweet tooth, Executive Pastry Chef Anne White offers delectable treats. White brings a worldly mindset to her pastry program, having worked all over the world from Scotland to South Carolina.
The beverage program at Oak, curated by Director, Outlets Michael Searles and Wine Director Vonda Freeman, features an expansive wine list that complements the restaurant’s culinary menus, an ever-evolving cocktail selection, a variety of local beers, spirit-free cocktails and more.
In addition to Oak, Skyline Lodge’s central lobby bar, Butlers Lounge, features expansive lounge seating, vaulted load-bearing ceilings and two large scale fireplaces of hand-carved, locally quarried granite, and offers mid-century favorites such as Corpse Revivers, Manhattans and Whisky Smashes as well as contemporary riffs on classics—nodding to the property’s 1960s roots.
