Time showed some love to The Radical, an award-winning boutique hotel in Asheville, by including it in its seventh installment of its annual World’s Greatest Places List. It was the only Tar Heel place on this year’s selection that highlights 100 extraordinary destinations worldwide, categorized into places to stay and places to visit.
“From cutting-edge hotels and one-of-a-kind cultural landmarks to innovative dining destinations and eco-conscious resorts, this year’s list celebrates the places that are setting new standards in travel,” according to Time.
Business North Carolina selected The Radical as its “hospitality category winner” in our 11th annual feature on the most important new buildings that have opened across the state in the past year, which was in November’s magazine.
The 70-room hospitality space was designed to fit the vibe of the city’s River Arts District and has been described as a “love letter to the city’s creative spirit.”
Here’s what Time wrote: “After Hurricane Helene left much of Asheville under water in September, The Radical hotel sprang into action, housing first responders, serving free meals, and operating as a supply distribution center. Since reopening to guests in January, it has also emerged as a beacon for its beloved neighborhood, the River Arts District, a.k.a. RAD. The Radical — in a refurbished 1920s cereal factory, with a self-described “posh punk” attitude and decor, from the eclectic lobby with sofas of all shades to the bohemian rooms with patterned headboards and fringed lamps — is now providing gallery space for the displaced Radical Arts District Artists (RADA) members.”
The property’s tax value increased from $2.7 million in 2021 to almost $11.7 million in 2024, according to Buncombe County tax records.
Atlanta-based Hatteras Sky was the developer behind the $44.6 million project, and it used Asheville-based Beverly-Grant as the contractor and Asheville-based Rowhouse Architects for the design.
Here’s a look at Time’s full list.