Place to sleep: Alpine Inn, Little Switzerland, North Carolina, United States

About this place:

Little Switzerland is a small mountain village and the perfect place to stay when gem mining in North Carolina. The best place to spend the night is the Alpine Inn, owned and operated by Ron and Sue Lough. It boasts the only leaning lodge in Little Switzerland, and yes it does lean. That is only a small part of the attraction. It has the number one view of the mountains of any other hotel or inn in this area. The balconies overhang the mountainside and provide the perfect sunrise. Rooms are comfortable and reasonably priced. A home cooked breakfast is served on the cafe balcony along with warm and friendly conversation. Built in the 1920's it has charm you can't find anywhere else, but the rooms are limited so reservations are recommended.