Welcome to The Belvedere – Home of The Secret Spa
The Belvedere, is one of Asheville’s most venerable historic homes, and listed on the historical registry. It has been lovingly restored to its former grandeur — and now serves as the peaceful and professional home of The Secret Spa.
Perched atop a knoll at 73 Merrimon Avenue, the Belvedere offers beautiful views of downtown Asheville and the surrounding mountains.
Designed by a Master
The Belvedere was designed by Richard Sharp Smith, Asheville’s most celebrated architect. Smith served as the field architect for the construction of the Biltmore House and designed many of the iconic buildings in Biltmore Village, including All Souls Episcopal Church. His signature pebbledash and beam style is proudly displayed throughout the Belvedere’s architecturally rich structure.
A Home with Deep Roots
In 1998, Jim and Pam Turner purchased the home from the William Henry Ward family, who had owned it for the previous 50 years. The Belvedere had long served as a boarding house, a tradition that began early in its history and continued until the Ward family chose to sell. The Turners were also known for restoring a row of beautiful early 1900s homes across the street on Merrimon Avenue. Built in 1904, the Belvedere was originally a popular rooming house.
Jacqueline A. Ward Britton, a former librarian at Pack Memorial Library and member of the Ward family, chronicled its history in a booklet titled:
“Remembering the Belvedere: Celebrating 50 years of the Ward family in Asheville, North Carolina 1949–1999.”
In it, she wrote:
“One of the last of Asheville’s old-style tourist homes.”
She noted the challenges brought by:
“The City of Asheville’s stricter building occupancy codes made compliance difficult, even with liberal tax credits for restoration work.”
Her research confirmed that the home was designed by Richard Sharp Smith and built in 1904 for Captain Thomas Johnston, a former Asheville mayor.
When William Henry and Nellie Byers Ward purchased the house in 1949:
“It was already functioning as a rooming house with at least six rooms to let, and had recently been named ‘The Belvedere.’”
Britton further noted:
“The Belvedere represented an opportunity for an astute woman to support herself and her family.”
She painted a vivid picture of life in the house:
“There were always some long-term residents; people who either rented by the week while they worked in Asheville and returned home on the weekends, or those who lived there full-time, sometimes until their deaths. But there were always one or two rooms kept available for the more profitable tourist trade.”
A Literary Landmark
The Belvedere even finds a place in American literature. In Thomas Wolfe’s acclaimed novel, Look Homeward, Angel, which is set in a fictionalized version of Asheville (called Altamont), the Belvedere is mentioned in a scene full of character and charm:
“Among the stalls of the market, the boarding-house keepers of Altamont walked with spying bargain-hunting eyes and inquisitive nose. They were of various sizes and ages, but they were all stamped with the print of haggling determination and a pugnacious closure of the mouth. They pried in among the fish and vegetables, pinching cabbages, weighing onions, exfoliating lettuce-heads. They looked at one another hardfaced—Mrs. Barrett of the Grosvenor at Mrs. Neville of Glen View: Mrs. Ambler of the Colonial at Miss Mamie Featherstone of Ravencrest; Mrs. Ledbetter of The Belvedere.“
The Belvedere Today
Today, The Belvedere continues its long tradition of hospitality — now as The Secret Spa, a full-service Salon, operated by a modern, astute businesswoman, Richelle Papineau.
The house features approximately 3,200 square feet of space on its first two floors. Its original hardwood floors, present throughout most of the building, bring a rich, warm feel that enhances its timeless charm.
We are proud to welcome you to a place where Asheville’s past meets present-day wellness — all within the beautifully preserved walls of The Belvedere
