The great room of The Swag mountaintop inn

Nov. 17. The Swag, a mountaintop inn at the end of a two-mile private drive just outside Waynesville, has joined an international directory of high-end, independently owned hotels and restaurants. Members of the Relais & Châteaux directory include the 4,200-acre Blackberry Farm resort in Tennessee and Planters Inn, a luxury hotel in Charleston, SC.

“Relais & Châteaux represents the best in hospitality,” said Annie Colquitt, owner of The Swag with her husband, David Colquitt. “We are beyond grateful to be listed among truly outstanding properties that we love.”

The 14-room inn is at the end of a 2.5-mile private drive that climbs more than 1,000 feet. The Swag has been named a Top 10 Condé Nast resort in the United States and has earned the top spot on the list in the South.

Waynesville is about 30 miles west of Asheville.

Local focus

Paris-based Relais & Châteaux has members in 64 countries across five continents. The brand centers on “local focus, humanity, sharing and commitment.”

“Relais & Châteaux includes some of the world’s most beautiful properties in the most unique locations,” Annie Colquitt said. “We are proud to share the Southern Appalachian culture and the beauty and tranquility of the Smoky Mountains with the rest of the world.”

The Swag closes for the season Nov. 28, and will reopen April 16 next year.