Art of Living Retreat Center

Location: 639 Whispering Hills Rd., Boone, North Carolina, 28607, Boone, US

Star Rating: 3 Stars

Property Type: Resorts

About this Property

Important Information

Policies

Check-in: 04:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Check-out: 11:00 AM

Amenities & Facilities

• Meeting rooms
• Full-service spa
• Fitness facilities
• Free WiFi
• Garden
• Picnic area
• Steam room
• Fitness facilities
• Gift shops or newsstand
• Conference space
• Breakfast available (surcharge)
• Library
• Front desk (limited hours)
• Full-service spa
• Meeting rooms
• Smoke-free property
• Wedding services
• Wheelchair accessible parking
• Playground on site
• Free self parking
• Computer station
• Water dispenser
• Banquet hall
• Wheelchair-accessible van parking

Rooms Available

• Balcony Apartment, Mountain View - Meals & Wellness Activities

  1 Queen Bed

  Overlooking the mountains

  
  

  Layout - Bedroom, living room, and sitting area

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels

  Food & Drink - Refrigerator, microwave, coffee/tea maker, and cleaning supplies

  Sleep - Bed sheets

  Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower/tub combination, free toiletries, and a hair dryer

  Practical - Desk, phone, and wardrobe or closet

  Comfort - Heating and fan

  Accessibility - Tile flooring in room

  Need to Know - No housekeeping

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Hair dryer
  • Refrigerator
  • Desk
  • Fan
  • Microwave
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Satellite channels
  • Tile/marble floor
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Oven
  • Stovetop
  • Toilet paper
  • Shampoo
  • Free Local calls
  • Separate sitting area
  • Free WiFi
  • Bedsheets provided
  • No housekeeping
  • Soap

• Apt With Balcony & Loft, Mountain Views, Meals & Wellness Activities

  1 Queen Bed and 2 Twin Beds

  995-sq-foot individually decorated room, balcony/patio with mountain views

  
  

  Layout - Bedroom, living room, and sitting area

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels

  Food & Drink - Kitchenette with refrigerator, oven, microwave, and coffee/tea maker

  Sleep - Bed sheets

  Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower/tub combination, free toiletries, and a hair dryer

  Practical - Desk, phone, and wardrobe or closet

  Comfort - Heating and fan

  Accessibility - Tile flooring in room

  Need to Know - No housekeeping

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Hair dryer
  • Kitchenette
  • Refrigerator
  • Desk
  • Fan
  • Microwave
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Satellite channels
  • Tile/marble floor
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Oven
  • Toilet paper
  • Shampoo
  • Free Local calls
  • Separate sitting area
  • Free WiFi
  • Balcony or patio
  • Bedsheets provided
  • No housekeeping
  • Soap

• 2 Full Bed, Garden View - Meals & Wellness Activities

  2 Double Beds

  900-sq-foot room with garden views

  
  

  Layout - Separate sitting area

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels

  Food & Drink - Refrigerator, microwave, coffee/tea maker, and cleaning supplies

  Sleep - Bed sheets

  Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower/tub combination, free toiletries, and a hair dryer

  Practical - Desk, phone, and wardrobe or closet

  Comfort - Heating and fan

  Accessibility - Tile flooring in room

  Need to Know - No housekeeping

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Hair dryer
  • Refrigerator
  • Desk
  • Fan
  • Microwave
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Satellite channels
  • Tile/marble floor
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Toilet paper
  • Shampoo
  • Free Local calls
  • Separate sitting area
  • Free WiFi
  • Bedsheets provided
  • No housekeeping
  • Soap

• King/2 Full Bed, Garden View - Meals & Wellness Activities

  1 King Bed OR 2 Double Beds

  350-sq-foot room with garden views

  
  

  Layout - Separate sitting area

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels

  Food & Drink - Refrigerator, microwave, coffee/tea maker, and cleaning supplies

  Sleep - Bed sheets

  Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower/tub combination, free toiletries, and a hair dryer

  Practical - Desk, phone, and wardrobe or closet

  Comfort - Heating and fan

  Accessibility - Area rugs in room

  Need to Know - No housekeeping

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Hair dryer
  • Refrigerator
  • Desk
  • Fan
  • Microwave
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Satellite channels
  • Tile/marble floor
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Toilet paper
  • Shampoo
  • Free Local calls
  • Separate sitting area
  • Free WiFi
  • Bedsheets provided
  • No housekeeping
  • Soap

Guest Reviews

• Verified traveler (10/5): - I have a wonderful stay each and every time I stay at AOL!
• Otto (6/5): - Hotel was empty and we get the worst room, big construction machine in front of our room.
• Verified traveler (10/5): The Art of Living Retreat center in Boone NC - This retreat center is one my favorite places to go for healing, rest, relaxation and beauty. It is an amazing place!!!
• Mike (8/5): Out of the Ay - It may be physically close to Boone, but it takes a while to drive there.minutes on winding road). There is no pool, vending machines and our room did not have AC. However, the room was super clean and comfortable. We stayed in late October and open ended widows. Most of all it was quiet. You won’t hear cars or orther people. Just wind through trees. On site cafeteria was non traditional food, so we drove to town. If you just want peace and quiet this is the place.
• George (4/5): guest house in the boondocks - Hard to find retreat center pretending to be a hotel. Check-in was difficult. Had I seen room prior I would not have booked and only stayed because unsure of refund. guesthouse room was more like a dorm room. Bathroom was cramped with bathtub shower which had no safety aids. My wife sipped and fell in the tub and we discovered that there was no night staff in the guest house,but at reception half a mile away. When we notified the morning staff of her fall they gave us a rubber mat for the tub and did not seem concerned if she was seriously hurt. She is bruised and still sore two days later. She didn't think that she had anything broken and preferred to leave as soon as we could. There was nobody at the guesthouse for check out and we had to go back to reception. Other than the retreat dinning hall the closest restaurant was seven miles away. We were not pleased and as I stated before, if I could have been assured of a refund I would have refused to stay.
• Patricia (10/5): Birthday shenanigans! - Very relaxing and beautiful scenery from most rooms.
• Verified traveler (10/5): Calm, Relaxing, Warmth, Peaceful - overall wonderful experience. If you need a stress-free, relaxing stay, look no further. very friendly and helpful staff
• Andrea (4/5): Great location for mountain viewing; odd set-up - Location is great. Facility is strange. Room was in a building quite far from reception. Had a bit of a "Shining" feel since not many guests were around.
• Joy (10/5): Quiet, peaceful, mountain breezes - We stayed at Shankara while visiting family in the area so we did not have time to try the spa treatments, but the quiet peaceful atmosphere was just what we needed. We plan to return and take advantage of the spa!
• Verified traveler (8/5): Relaxing, flexible getaway - The views from this retreat center are extraordinary. The vegetarian meals were delicious & innovative. There are hiking trails for those not into meditation/yoga. I did not book w/ that intention, but enjoyed the 2 classes I took. Greatest thing is doing meals/activities ala carte; not just expensive packages. Friendly, experienced, helpful staff.
• Donald (8/5): festival accomodations - Went to merlefest
• Verified traveler (8/5): Beautiful view of mountain - Room was beautiful .it was one of the best sleep I have had in a long time! My husband and I had massage for 30. Minutes and at the end, we wish we had a full hour! It was that good. I also love the 24 hour tea room. We met with our friend for a late night tea.
• Verified traveler (4/5): Disappointing - Misleading while looking a t pics, and way overpriced!
• Verified traveler (10/5): This is a wonderful lace to stay!! Amazing View! - Had a wonderful spa massage, very friendly staff, excellent dinner and breakfast! Absolutely the place to stay for a nice retreat. Yoga, Spa, Nature trails and so much more!!!
• Verified traveler (8/5): - Just what we needed. Sufficient for a stay while attending a course nearby. We could have used a more comfortable chair in the room. Otherwise was good.
• Verified traveler (4/5): New Age Resort - No air conditioning in the room. The Internet didn't work and when we called the front desk to ask about it, no one returned our call.
• David (10/5): stunning views, unusual venue - great view, no A/C and did not have enough staff to get great service but I would go back
• Verified traveler (4/5): - The desk isn't manned after 6pm so a late check in was difficult. It was extremely difficult to find - took over an hour after dark. It was even difficult to find the correct way to go upon departure! I had ZERO cell signal and the wi-fi signal was weak. They don't have/allow alcohol or meat. The room was clean but not comfortable. The bed was extremely hard.
• Anne (8/5): Peace and quiet in the Mountains - Our 3 nights at the Spa were peaceful. I recommend booking any spa treatments ahead of time; we were able to squeeze in a massage, but not able to book everything we wanted. The vegetarian food was excellent, but be advised, it isn't a restaurant, you get the meal prepared by the chef for each meal - we loved not having to search for a vegetarian friendly restaurant, and never having to leave the top of the mountain. The view from the main dining hall building is the most spectacular thing you'll ever see. For a quiet, peaceful retreat, it was incredible, and was a nice respite in the middle of a more hectic vacation. Map out routes in and out ahead of time; GPS doesn't work in these mountains. No cell service, but you'll have internet while there.
• Verified traveler (6/5): Too Hot! - I have not stayed in a hotel without air conditioning in years. If I had known, I would not have booked. North Carolina summers are too warm to be AC free.
• Bárbara (8/5): relaxing - everything was great with the exception of the check out and the TV service. checkout took too long TV service, no one told me of any problem with it. need to communicate more with guest and have knowledgeable staff at front desk. the views were spectacular, I would go back again
• Presley (10/5): - This place was awesome! It is very quiet and relaxing! Highly recommend
• jeff (8/5): - My wife and I stayed there over the 4th of July weekend. The staff were very friendly. The hotel was very clean and rooms were a good size. We enjoyed our stay and in all likelihood will visit again. There was no cell service at the hotel as it is high up on the mountain. We actually enjoyed being able to unplug for a few days. Spa area was very nice. Fitness room was equipped with enough exercise equipment to get a decent workout in. Great place to go if you want peace and quiet
• Anne (6/5): Person Retreat Getaway - Blue Heaven Spa is a very lovely and relaxing space...located high up in the mountains outside Boone,NC. The staff were very friendly and helpful and I enjoyed three wonderful nights while on a personal retreat. I plan to return in the near future.
• GILBERTO (8/5): excellent - My stay in the resort was great, just a little thing was that the heat in bedroom does not work properly,but the service gave us a portable heater, the views are beautiful, quiet, the food was good . of curse I recomend the place
• Verified traveler (10/5): Great Relaxing Stay - Beautiful Views - We had a very relaxing time at the Blue Heaven Resort & Spa at the Art of Living Center. We enjoyed the atmosphere and the staff was very friendly. It is a different type of hotel being in the middle of the Art of Living Center and I would encourage others to learn about the center before staying there. The only complaint I would have is that there wasn't much at all to choose from for food but other than that it was very nice. We will definitely be returning and will be coming to take some of the meditation classes offered by the Art of Living Center.
• Kristin (10/5): great weekend getaway!! - my husband and I went to celebrate our 5th anniversary and we couldn't be happier!! it was fantastic, very secluded!! hard to find at first, but once you get there it is totally worth it!! can't wait to stay there again!!
• MidoriL (10/5): relaxing getaway - Tricky to find, but definitely worth the hunt. The hotel has a nice soothing and calming atmosphere with great views. During our stay we took pottery classes and had several massages. Overall, it was a relaxing getaway with friendly staff and great activities.
• Verified traveler (6/5): Should have done more research. No bang for the $. - Should have done more homework. Needed a room in a pinch. Way over priced for what you get. Vegetarian food only as it states. No variety what so ever though. Did not eat one meal there. From the looks of it no one else did either. Massages were all booked and seemed like we were the only ones there. Worst 400.00 I've ever spent. Staff was ok considering. View was ok as well. Accommodations were very little. Pretty good drive to Boone from here.
• Verified traveler (4/5): Not a hotel - This is not a hotel, it's more of a conference center (Zen, Yoga, etc.) where they sell extra rooms on Expedia, etc. It's similar to a dorm room (hollow core doors, minimal bathroom, etc.) but with better beds. Rooms are in several buildings, only one is staffed - but only part time. It was very clean, but loud (7am yoga people yelling in hallway) and minimalistic. Paid $175 (FYI - high season in Boone), but really was quality of a $80-$100 hotel room. No where worth the money paid. Had terrible time trying to find building. No signs b/c of little external lighting. Didn't even know building was located away from the rest of the "conference area". Not staffed all hours, couldn't reach anyone when tried at 11pm forward. Finally found a cook in the conference mess hall who kept dialing people until he woke up a maintenance person who let us in (both very helpful people). Got into room around 1:30am. Almost slept on yoga mats next to broom closet in mess hall.
• Christi (10/5): Heavenly for certain. - Absolutely beautiful place!! Very clean and nice. Only thing . . . they need to add phones to contact front desk if you get locked out of buildings, since it is a very long hilly walk to the check-in desk. It's not uncommon for magnetic keys to stop working, and people with disabilities or older age wouldn't be able to walk to the front desk to let them know they need assistance.
• Verified traveler (8/5): Beautiful hotel with no Air Conditioning - This hotel was absolutely beautiful and the views were breathtaking. The staff was extremely friendly and everything was very clean. My only complaint is that there was no Air Conditioning. I would not have an issue with this if the website was forthcoming with this information but I have yet to be able to find it anywhere except in the reviews left by previous guests. I paid over $200 per night for this room and I don't feel that it is unreasonable to expect A/C, it is 2014 after all. As a matter of fact, I wasn't even told about it at check-in, I had to go back downstairs to verify that there was nothing more than a fan to provide air and was then told that opening the windows keeps it surprisingly comfortable. Luckily, the temperature was cool enough outside that it did stay relatively cool in the room for the most part but I still can't help feeling a little hoodwinked.
• Chris (8/5): Comfy View - Not your average hotel. This hotel is perfect, if you know what to expect and if it's what you're looking for. The view in the room with very large windows that open to feel the breeze on top of a mountain is amazing. The bedding, so comfy, you won't want to get out. You are secluded which is great if that's what you're looking for. Those were my favorite things that I will go back for. Now, so you know, the drive there is complicated, you'll probably get lost more than once. (But it's worth it) there is no air conditioning. It can get hot in there, also there was someone smoking right outside our window and had to shut out the cool breeze. There are no elevators. There are no microwaves or drink machines, so if you get thirsty, bring your own drinks. I was really hoping for a more updated spa bathroom. For me, knowing this before I probably would not have came... But after waking up to that window, and the view, and the comfy bed, we will be back.
• LD (10/5): - We really had a great time on our trip. We will be coming back again in the near future.
• Barry (8/5): Great location just off Blue Ridge Parkway - Very comfortable room and really nicely furnished, but we stayed there on one of the hottest days of the year, and the lack of air conditioning meant the room was unbearably hot. That said the view from the room was spectacular and reception service very good.
• Allen Hughes (8/5): - Remote, Peaceful, great views, somewhat difficult to find, relaxing, friendly.
• Verified traveler (4/5): Disappointing 2 day stay - We were unable to check in due to late arrival because no staff was available on the first night. 2nd night fire alarm went off for 1 1/2 hours. There was no phone service by cell or in the rooms and a guest had an anaphylactic reaction and pulled the fire alarm because the room phones were not working. The room was clean and nice but that is only positive thing say.
• Verified traveler (6/5): - The room was very nice. We didn't have a balcony which would have been nice but the staff was super friendly and helpful. Getting there was a bit difficult especially in the dark and I'm pretty sure my boyfriend and I were the only two staying in the building so it was a bit creepy at times but overall our stay was very nice and quiet.
• Verified traveler (8/5): peaceful stay - The room was comfortable, very quiet, nice view of mountains but dragging luggage across stones to get to the sidewalk and walking up flights of stairs hurt my neck. Front desk staff was very helpful. Housekeeping just walked in instead of knocking and announcing visit to pickup trash.
• Coachz (6/5): Solitude Exemplified - We were the only room let for the night. Parking is on gravel at the Spa where we roomed. If I celebrated life in the 1960's or belong to the Hare Krishna movement Blue Heaven would be Nirvana. We actually enjoyed the meditation session for beginners. Dining area was deserted and activity in the area non-existent. It would have been all vegetarian fare but we saw no life in the dining area either day. Location is isolated but not too far from Boone.
• Verified traveler (10/5): Difficult to find but awesome once we found it! - My boyfriend and I stayed here for a 1-night getaway in Boone. We did have some difficulty finding the Blue Heaven spa (my iphone's gps conked out while his samsung got us there!), but once we arrived it was awesome. It was soo relaxing and quiet. We honesty couldn't get over how quiet it was. Our room was facing the forest side (front entrance), so there was a bit of activity with people checking in, but it wasn't bad at all and no one arrived late at night. Our room was clean and spacious with an overhead fan, TV, and mini fridge. We put on the hotel-provided robes as soon as we arrived and went down to the steam room which was great! Then we got some tea at the tea room and took an awesome nap. There is no AC and we were a little worried about this but we didn't need it for a second up there. We cracked the windows a bit and were fine-and in fact we even had to close them at night because it was so cool (we went Mid may). We'll definitely be going back on our next outing to Boone. We left feeling so relaxed and unwound. Definitely recommend!
• Lita (10/5): Peaceful Mountain hideaway - If you really want to get away from it all, here's the place to be. Note the amenities (some free, some not) yoga classes, meditation, massages. A lovely experience...in the boonies!
• Barry (10/5): Wonderful Stay - Beautiful views from the hotel as it sets on top of a mountain. Staff are very professional and helpful. Spa services were great. Loved the fact that I could actually open the windows in my room to let in all the fresh cool mountain air. Only 6 miles to ASU and downtown Boone. Well worth the money. Will stay again in the near future.
• Sandy (4/5): Not recommended as a hotel - This may be a great spa getaway, but I would not recommend it as a hotel. We booked one night to stay while in Boone to attend our son's graduation. We paid top dollar (jacked up because of graduation weekend) to stay in what on the surface was a very clean and lovely room with mountain views. After a few minutes in the room, we realized that it had none of the standard amenities one would expect in a hotel room. There were no drinking glasses (not even a plastic cup to rinse after teeth brushing), no coffee pot, no hangers in the closet, no hair dryer, no iron or ironing board, no ice machine in the building, no vending machines, no refrigerator, no air conditioning, no alarm clock. The shower had a cheap shower head like you would buy at walmart, which just sprayed a "mist" and could not be adjusted. There is no restaurant. They have a "dining hall" which serves just one thing for dinner, and it was Indian cuisine, and I am not a fan! We got the impression that every night is Indian cuisine, but can't say for sure. We drove 7 miles up steep winding roads to reach this place, only to have to turn around and come 7 miles all the way back to Boone to get something to eat and drink. They claim to have coffee and tea in the lobby in the morning, but there are about 15-20 buildings, and we were not sure which building's lobby they were talking about, but we couldn't find morning coffee in our building or in any other nearby.
• Leeann (10/5): Quiet and secluded - Located well off the beaten path, Blue Heaven offers complete relaxation and beautiful serene scenery. We arrived late; directions were concise, however, finding the office was challenging. Had I read the last line of their email, I could have found it easily. The main phone was rolling into an "International calls will not be accepted" message,which confused me, as I had called it earlier with no problem. Once we got checked in, we found comfortable and clean accomodations. The bed was wonderful, and I especially liked having windows that opened to let the cool mountain air in. The room had no a/c, but I imagine it would be comfortable even during the summer months with the windows open and ceiling fan on. The next day, after running an early morning race, we enjoyed the spa. Our couples massage was wonderful; Heather and Natalie did an excellent job, be sure to ask for either of them. Our late afternoon was spent relaxing in our room, followed by a late dinner in Blowing Rock. Blue Heaven was wonderful and I would stay there again. I didn't know what to expect and would like to take advantage of more of the amenities, also would do a better job planning so I coukd cut the trips to town down. Highly recommend this place if you want quiet and R and R!
• Robin (8/5): No kids allowed... - I chose this hotel due to the description and reviews found on-line. I enjoy unusual hotels. We arrived to discover that the building we reserved did not allow children. I did not see this stated anywhere on the resort's website or hotels.com page. The manager was fantastic about this as I suspect we were not the first appearing with children as our room's closet had a child's toy in it. We saw wild turkeys and woodpeckers from our room's windows. The fact that we could open the windows to the fresh mountain air is exactly why I booked a night here. We felt uncomfortable because of the 'no children' rules using the spa or dining hall so we went into town to eat. My husband did walk a trail which passed a waste treatment plant. Not exactly what we were expecting. I would recommend for an adult only get away but not if you were using as a lay-over to another destination.
• Sheryl (10/5): Wonderful Get Away! - This is the perfect place for quiet, relaxation & rest. It's quite tranquil but close enough to everything in Boone if you want to do dinner, movies, etc. We absolutely loved it!
• Verified traveler (8/5): NOT typical Spa; no A/C - I enjoyed this resort, however, I think it needs to be said that this is more of an "alternative spa". This is a Western Medicine-based spa. The Buffet is Vegetarian, however, there are amazing restaurants close by if this isn't your taste. The Mountain-view is amazing. It is truly quiet. Staff are very helpful and the kindest people I've ever met, but that is the Humanitarian-based principle of this spa. I couldn't in good conscious give it a higher rating because I think mainstream thinks of spa as a different. The beds are firm, but comfortable. There is heat, but only a ceiling fan. No A/C!! So, be aware if you are planning a summer retreat. Happy Traveling!
• Verified traveler (10/5): Blue Heaven Spa at the Art of Living Retreat Cent - Beautiful Mountain resort. Gorgeous views from the room and dining hall. Friendly staff! You could not ask for more for a weekend getaway! Very relaxing. If you are looking for a quiet. beautiful, most comfortable place in NC Mountains - that is it!
• carla (10/5): Great views - Room was clean, great staff and the bed was super comfy.

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