Renaissance Asheville Downtown Hotel

Hotels
Marriott
8.4 (616 reviews)
31 Woodfin Street, Asheville, North Carolina, 28801 , Asheville , US

Pets allowed

Facilities

Front entrance ramp
Health or beauty spa nearby
Express check-out
Fireplace in lobby
No single-use plastic straws
Comprehensive recycling policy
No single-use plastic stirrers
Free WiFi
24-hour front desk
Terrace
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location
Outstanding service
Quiet and comfortable stay
Cons:
Cleanliness issues
Parking charges
Restaurant service lacking

Categories

Cleanliness
7.9
Hotel is in fairly good condition, but issues with elevator panels and exterior cleanliness noted.
Service
9.4
Outstanding service from all staff, with friendliness and helpfulness highlighted throughout.
Location
9.4
Good location, convenient to downtown and close to attractions.
Room Quality
8.4
Comfortable rooms/bed mentioned, but some issues with room maintenance noted.
Amenities
7.9
Pool is out of action for months; parking fees for guests perceived as unfair.
Value for Money
8.4
Rates higher due to recovery, but decent value considering location and comfort.
Food and Beverage
6.9
Restaurant staff noted as rude; limited in-room dining options.
Overall Experience
8.9
Enjoyable stay with beautiful surroundings, although some aspects could be improved.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-10 07:41

Property Description

Experience the vibrant atmosphere and charm of the Renaissance Asheville Downtown Hotel, perfectly situated in the heart of Asheville.

Recreation Opportunities
Stay active in our state-of-the-art 24-hour fitness center or unwind with breathtaking views from our terrace and lush garden.

Culinary Delights
Savor delightful American cuisine at Writers Bistro, where you can enjoy a relaxing dinner or indulge in room service during limited hours.

Exceptional Amenities
Boasting 278 luxurious guestrooms, each featuring plush pillowtop beds, Smart televisions, and designer toiletries, your comfort and convenience are our top priorities.

Don't wait to elevate your Asheville experience—book your stay today!

Important information:

  • Guests can arrange to bring pets by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation (surcharges apply and can be found in the Fees section).
  • Guests can access their rooms with a mobile device.
  • This property welcomes guests of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+ friendly).

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: AVL

Property Policies

  • Pets

    Maximum number of pets per room 2

  • Pets

    Service animals are exempt from fees/restrictions

  • Children and extra beds

    No rollaway/extra beds available

  • Pets

    Pet max weight (per pet) in lb is 50

  • Pets

    Pets cannot be left unattended

See all policies

Location

Guest Reviews

8.4
Based on 616 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.9
Service: 9.4
Location: 9.4
Room Quality: 8.4
Amenities: 7.9
Value for Money: 8.4
Food and Beverage: 6.9
Overall Experience: 8.9
X
X527SGjoec Friends getaway
10
Overall great experience
Pros:

We saw a show at the Thomas Wolf venue and was walking distance to the hotel. The accommodations were very nice. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay.

2026-04-07 via Tripadvisor
M
Miranda family_with_children us
10
Our stay was Excellent
Pros:

Everything was perfect. The cleanliness, friendliness of the staff, the location, the delicious food at the Writer's Bistro. We felt safe and comfortable. The rooms were very nice and the beds were comfy. The patio was so relaxing. This is a beautiful, spacious, well decorated hotel and we enjoyed our stay. We highly recommend this hotel. 5 out of 5 stars.

Cons:

Nothing, everything was great

2026-04-06 via Nuitee
H
Hancock family_with_children us
10
2026-04-04 via Nuitee
Z
Z89CBjeffk Family
10
Great week-long stay experience
Pros:

Great hotel, especially as compared to others in the area. Everybody was very nice and helpful, highly recommended.

2026-04-03 via Tripadvisor
K
Karenetal Couples
10
Great location, reasonable price
Pros:

The location was great, room was nice, very nice lobby area, bar and restaurant.

2026-03-31 via Tripadvisor
A
A couple us
10
Pros:

The view from the 10th floor was great.
The breakfast and service in the morning was outstanding!

Cons:

The mattress was awful, we could not sleep.

2026-03-31 via Nuitee
Y
Y7023MXgustavoc Family
10
The R is a great location hotel in Asheville. The Renaissance Hotel is located perfectly.
Pros:

Great hotel and excellent location. Highly recommend to stay here as you visit and walk Asheville

2026-03-27 via Tripadvisor
7
796trishq Family
2
misleading
Pros:

This review is not based on a stay. I was about to book a room, the rate seemed reasonable for a pet friendly downtown hotel with parking. However, to say they have parking is very misleading. You have to pay $25 a day to park there. I told them I would be coming in around 8 pm and asked if I would have the parking for a full 24 hours and the answer was no. It would expire by 3 pm. The pet fee was $50 per day! That doesn't see friendly to pet owners. I'm just putting this out there because these exorbitant fees are not obvious on the booking sites. I read a review that mentioned a parking fee, which is why I called, but I never imagined that they would charge their guests soooo much.

2026-03-26 via Tripadvisor
3
353qingb Family
10
Warm Service & Beautiful Mountain Views
Pros:

We had a great stay at the Renaissance Asheville. The location is excellent—close to downtown with many restaurants within walking distance. The view from our room was also beautiful, with mountains in the distance.

What stood out the most was a young male staff member at the hotel restaurant. I didn’t catch his name, but he was exceptionally kind and patient with my child, who has special needs. His genuine care truly reflected the quality of the staff.

The hotel itself is clean, nicely renovated, and has a lovely artistic style. We would definitely come back

2026-03-26 via Tripadvisor
M
Michael family_with_children us
8
2026-03-24 via Nuitee
A
anthonyrI1530WN Business
10
Great service
Pros:

Wonderful staff and location. Great parking

2026-03-23 via Tripadvisor
7
759shannons Business
6
Mostly elegant and extremely convenient
Pros:

Very good location close to downtown shops and restaurants. The lobby and bar area are beautiful. The rooms are adequate. I'd recommend a better coffee machine option - it's a 4 star, perhaps a nespresso machine. And they could upgrade the showers. The pop-up ceiling above the tub didn't reflect the caliber of hotel it is imo.

2026-03-21 via Tripadvisor
M
Maps599334 Business
10
Excellent stay
Pros:

Excellent rooms. Go out the back door and you are on the edge of the historic downtown.

2026-03-19 via Tripadvisor
J
johnbyersn Business Wilmington, North Carolina
10
Great experience, fantastic location, would recommend to anyone!
Pros:

This hotel was a great venue for the 2026 NCADA Conference. The staff was always helpful and professional. Food at the hotel was great and the location to downtown was one of, if not the best feature of this hotel. Would recommend this hotel to anyone.

2026-03-17 via Tripadvisor
6
616rustyl Business Greensboro, North Carolina
10
My experience at the Renaissance
Pros:

Rooms were spacious and clean. Checkin was efficient with helpful staff. Location in Asheville makes walking to downtown restaurants and shops easy.

2026-03-16 via Tripadvisor
2
271robbiel Business
10
NCADA conference as a vendor traveling from Indiana.
Pros:

I made the mistake of booking only a one night stay when I needed two. The staff called that morning (3/14/26) and asked why my things were still in the room and that’s when I discovered my mistake. The ladies at the front desk said that the hotel was fully booked for the night but put me on a brief hold. They then informed me that they were able to hold my room for another night. I just had to check out and immediately check back in but they worked their magic. I do not know who the individual was but the employee working the front desk on the mid-morning of March 13 needs a raise and a big hug from me. Customer service at its finest.

2026-03-15 via Tripadvisor
H
HuitzilPopo Couples New Hampshire
2
Renaissance Asheville Downtown – A Case Study in Ignoring Marriott Elite Benefits
Pros:

Stayed here March 2026 for a multi-night visit. I am a Lifetime Titanium Elite member with Marriott Bonvoy, with over 1,300 nights at Marriott properties worldwide and well over $500,000 spent with the brand over the years.

Frequent travelers like me remain loyal to Marriott because the program promises consistent recognition and benefits across properties.

Unfortunately, the Renaissance Asheville Downtown appears to treat those benefits as optional suggestions rather than program commitments.

Elite Recognition: Apparently Not Here
--------------------------------------------------------------
One of the core benefits for Titanium Elite members is enhanced room upgrades based on availability, which can include better views, higher floors, or larger rooms.

At check-in I politely asked if an upgrade was available. The front desk associate confirmed that the hotel was not very full that evening, yet the answer was an immediate and definitive:

“No upgrades available.”

The room we were given had a lovely view of the HVAC system.

Later, when I spoke with the hotel manager, she explained that there actually was a larger upgraded room available, but it was only available for the first night of our stay because a large group would be arriving the following day.

That explanation would have been perfectly reasonable if the discussion were only about larger rooms. Of course a hotel shouldn’t move guests into a room that cannot accommodate the full stay.

But Marriott’s upgrade benefit isn’t limited to larger rooms. An upgrade can also include:
• A room with a better view (for example, mountain views instead of mechanical equipment)
• A higher floor
• A more desirable location in the building

All of these options would have recognized the benefit without creating operational issues for the hotel.

Instead, the default response appeared to simply be “no.”

Late Checkout: A Benefit That Required a Phone Call to Corporate
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another core Titanium Elite benefit is guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout at most Marriott properties, except resorts and convention hotels.

This property is neither.

On our final morning I asked for a modest 1 p.m. checkout.

The response: “No late checkouts available.”

When I reminded the front desk that Titanium Elite members are entitled to 4 p.m. checkout, I was told:

“We can’t do that. We have a large group arriving.”

Even after explaining that I only needed 1 p.m., not 4 p.m., the best they would offer was noon.

At that point I called the Marriott Bonvoy Elite line, where the representative immediately confirmed that the hotel is required to provide the benefit.

Only after corporate contacted the hotel did the property suddenly agree to the 1 p.m. checkout I originally requested.

It’s difficult to understand why a Lifetime Titanium Elite guest should have to escalate to Marriott corporate just to receive benefits clearly defined in the loyalty program.

The Missing Club Lounge
---------------------------------------
Most Renaissance properties around the world offer a club lounge, which Titanium members typically have access to when it exists.

When I asked where the lounge was located, I was told:

“We closed it during COVID.”

When I asked if it had reopened, the answer was essentially:

“No, it’s just still closed.”

COVID ended years ago. Many hotels temporarily closed lounges during the pandemic. Most reopened them.

This one simply never did.

A Renaissance in Name Only
---------------------------------------------
Beyond the loyalty issues, the hotel itself feels very tired.

The rooms look nothing like what travelers typically expect from the Renaissance brand:
• Outdated finishes
• No in-room safe (problematic for business travelers carrying equipment)
• An open rack of hangers instead of a real closet, something you’d expect from a budget property rather than a premium Marriott brand

It’s difficult to reconcile the Renaissance branding with the product actually being delivered.

Bottom Line
-------------------
If you’re visiting Asheville and value Marriott Bonvoy elite benefits, I would strongly recommend choosing a different Marriott property in town.

There appear to be newer Marriott hotels in Asheville, and it’s hard to imagine they could provide a worse experience than this one.

Loyalty programs only work if hotels honor them, and this property seems determined not to.

This hotel may carry the Renaissance name, but in terms of both the hotel itself and how it treats loyal guests, it falls well short of the standard that brand is supposed to represent.

I hope Marriott leadership takes a closer look at how this property is implementing Bonvoy elite benefits, because the experience here was completely inconsistent with what loyal Marriott travelers expect.

2026-03-15 via Tripadvisor
E
Excursion43359180979 Couples
10
Downtown
Pros:

Front desk gentlemen is excellent and personable with information about hotel and area.

2026-03-14 via Tripadvisor
J
Journey55351927494 Couples Knoxville, Tennessee
10
Nice Renaissance but no club lounge
Pros:

Clean, comfy, and friendly. Beautiful view from our room.

2026-03-08 via Tripadvisor
O
odatb2026 Business
10
Everything is just wonderful
Pros:

The room was clean comfortable and quiet. The water temperature and pressure in the shower was great! The hotel staff is very kind and professional. The meeting rooms were well equipped and the lobby bathrooms are convenient and clean

2026-03-06 via Tripadvisor