Meet the Innkeeper
Leslie Kimball purchased Blake House in January 2006 and keeps busy updating the Inn and putting her own personal touch on each room.
Originally from the Washington, DC suburbs in Northern Virginia, Leslie spent eight years in Orlando, FL before coming to Asheville, NC.
Leslie has a B.S. in Psychology from George Mason University and a Master’s degree in Human Resource Development from Clemson University. She worked in human resources for 10 years for various companies including a debit card processor and a large video game producer before giving it all up to purchase this historic Asheville, NC bed and breakfast.
She is assisted by her mother in the kitchen and with decorating, a part-time housekeeper, and her son, Brian, who mows the lawn and tastes her dishes before approving them for guests. She lives in the Carriage House with Brian, our 3 rescue dogs (Hummer, a weimaraner, and Jenny & Squirt, Jack Russell/Chihuahua mixes), and 4 indoor cats (Whiskers, Baby Girl, Mickey & Minnie). Guests may also meet “Rocky” on the property. He is a very friendly outdoor cat that has adopted us and he spends more and more time in the Inn.
Friendly advice and helpful comments are always welcome. Leslie’s goal is to provide a warm, welcoming environment without trying for superficial perfection. If a guest experiences any problems, please notify Leslie as soon as possible so she can attempt to rectify the situation quickly. Also let her know about things that you specifically liked about your room or the Inn or places that you ate that you would recommend.
Innkeeping Innternship
If you have ever wondered if innkeeping (or interim innkeeping) is for you, try it out first under the guidance of an experienced innkeeper. Learn the ins out outs of innkeeping by experiencing it first-hand. You will learn the sun-up to sun-down operation of a bed and breakfast plus you will have the opportunity to explore the city and get some well-deserved down time.
Cost: $695 per person (single occupancy); $495 per person (double occupancy)
Your Innternship includes room and breakfast during your stay and you can choose from a 2- or 3- night option for the same rate:
- 2-night weekend (Friday-Saturday) innternship or
- 3-night mid-week (Sunday – Thursday) innternship
- add a 4th-night mid-week: $100 per person (single occ.) or $75 per person (double occ.)
The 2-night option includes a free ticket per paying person for the Gray Line Historic Trolley Tour. The 3-night option adds a free ticket for one of the Asheville Food Tours. The 4-night option adds a free ticket to the Biltmore Estate.
Availability for an Innternship is based solely on room availability. There is no minimum headcount requirements for an innternship and we won’t schedule more than 4 at one time so that you are provided with as much one-on-one instruction as possible.
Call to schedule your Innkeeping Innternship and step into a whole new world of possibilities.
