The Starting Date for 2024 GPI Room Reservations Announced and A Craftsman Party Returns in February!

by Kate Nixon

 

For those of you that have signed up for the 2023 National Arts and Crafts Conference and Shows in Asheville, good news… your information packets are on their way in time for you to pour over them in the last week of 2023 and into the new year! The annual packet is full of all the information you will need to know to plan out your trip next year – in less than two months – to the Grove Park Inn.

Included in this information registered attendees will receive are flyers for special events held on the same weekend and in partnership with the National Arts and Crafts Conference. One such event kicks off the celebrations with familiar faces, drinks, hors d’oeuvres and mementos hosted by an organization with special ties to the legacy of Gustav Stickley who will make their return to the Grove Park Inn after their absence in 2022.

But first, to answer a few calls we’ve gotten in the office today…

Date Announced For Reserving Your Grove Park Inn room in 2024

The starting date to make a reservation for a 2024 National Arts and Crafts weekend package at the Grove Park Inn has been announced for next month and while it won’t be as late as the first week of February, you’ll have a little time to plan for it in the new year. Every year before you make your 2024 reservation, there are a few things to keep in mind before you call.

 

1. The Dates

Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa aerial photo taken on October 6, 2012 in Asheville, North Carolina – © 2012 David Oppenheimer – Performance Impressions Photography Archives

Here are some dates to circle in your calendar:

Reservations for the 2024 National Arts and Crafts Conference can be made starting:

at 10:00am (EST) on January 18th, 2023.

Those interested in making your reservations for the Grove Park Inn at that time can do so by calling the Grove Park Inn’s call center at (800) 438-5800.

The 2024 National Arts and Crafts Conference & Shows will be held February 16th – 18th, 2024. 

 

2. Our conference is under group reservations and please CALL rather than book online

When contacting the Omni reservations call center at (800) 438-5800, please make sure to press #1 for group reservations. In order to get your room at the group rate, you must make sure your reservation is with the National Arts and Crafts Conference group.

Additionally, please make sure you call in rather than book online. Attendees have tried to book online and the wrong rates have applied; please call the Omni line at 800-438-5800 in order to make your reservation in the group reservations. Until the Grove Park Inn has hired additional reservation agents, the phone number will remain 800-438-5800.

 

3. Your room requests are just requests

When speaking with an agent, you can request one of the three sections: the Sammons Wing, where the seminars are held; the Vanderbilt Wing, where the shows take place; or the original Main Inn, located above the Great Hall in the center of the resort hotel. The Omni reservation agent cannot guarantee any request, they can only book you a room at the Grove Park Inn. Meanwhile, the office of the National Arts and Crafts Conference will do their best to take special requests into consideration when assigning rooms.

 

A historic Main inn room at the Grove Park Inn. Because these rooms include Arts & Crafts style decor and furniture, they are often a popular option with attendees and it is recommended to call early to obtain the historic rooms especially in the Palm Court area of the hotel.

 

A modern Sammons-wing room located in the side wings of the Grove Park Inn.

 

Your information will be sent to the office of director Kate Nixon to organize room requests, which will be filled in the order in which they are received. When making the reservation, you can request your bed preference (king, queen, or two doubles) and, if known, even a specific room number you may have had in the past. When a requested room has already been assigned to an earlier caller, every effort is made to assign the closest room matching the requested description.

 

4. Paying the deposit

When making the reservation, a credit card number is required to take a deposit to hold the room. The deposit is the amount of the first night’s stay and the remainder of the fee can be paid on arrival. The Grove Park Inn offers full refunds if the cancellation is made eight days before your day of arrival.

As always, if you have any questions about the process, please call the office at (828) 628-1915. Be aware, however, that this office is not connected to the Omni Grove Park Inn’s computer system and cannot make any room reservations from our office. However, this issue can be documented and sent to the Grove Park Inn for further review.

 

For more information, please visit arts-craftsconference.com.

 

‘The Return of The Craftsman Reception

Thursday, February 16th

6:00 pm – 8:00pm at the Grove Park Inn’s Skyline room

Click here to register for the Craftsman Reception at the Stickley Museum’s website

 

Every year, conference attendees come to the Grove Park Inn in excitement for the National Arts and Crafts Conference and this year, the annual kick off party held by The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms will start the celebration on Thursday, February 16th:

 

Held in the Grove Park Inn during conference weekend, the kickoff party provides a fun atmosphere to connect with attendees and learn about The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms, a non-profit organization dedicated to the oversight of preserving and the operation of the early 20th century estate of Gustav Stickley and his family, now a National Historic Landmark. Since its 30th anniversary in 2019, The Stickley Museum has continuously served visitors from around the world  both in-person and online with educating about the life and legacy of Gustav Stickley and the collections of the American furniture icon.

The proceeds of tickets purchased will go towards the operations budget of the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms to help keep the museum operational and the organization able to keep educating the community on Stickley’s legacy. $40.00 of the ticket’s $140.00 cost is tax-deductible.

On Thursday, February 16th at 6:00 pm – 8:00pm at the Grove Park Inn’s Skyline room, the Kickoff Party will include satisfying small plates, beer, and wine, and attendees will receive “Conference Survival Kit” swag bags sponsored by Rago/Wright/LAMA/Toomey & Co.

 

Executive Director Vonda Givens speaks while Barbara Weiskittel looks on during the Kick-Off Reception at the 33rd National Arts and Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina, February 20-23, 2020. Photo by Ray Stubblebine

 

Longtime Conference friends at the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms Kick-Off Reception at the 33rd National Arts and Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina, February 20-23, 2020. Photo by Ray Stubblebine

Executive Director Vonda Givens says of the annual tradition: “We are excited to be kicking off the 36th National Arts and Crafts Conference with The Craftsman Reception, a long time tradition for the museum.  It is a pleasure to bring together old friends at this event, and for new conference attendees, we try to create a friendly, casual atmosphere that’s a good place to make new friends.”

 

A morning at the Farms…The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms in Parsippany Hills, New Jersey. Photo courtesy of Vonda Givens.

Click here to purchase tickets online to the Craftsman Reception