The Mermaid Cottage is a lovely spot, and arguably the finest of the several very lovely places we have stayed in Asheville over the years. The cottage is perfectly spartan, and the right mixture of utilitarian, precious and relaxing. The architecture is impressive, reminiscent of the finer aspects of country cottages in Spain or Italy. The gardens are beautiful, well-kept and thoughtfully laid out. Camille has the ideal balance between being available and welcoming as necessary, but completely unobtrusive despite living mere steps away. A superb experience all around.