Yes, it is but for the reasons listed below the Academy Committee decided it would be a good choice as we continue to explore meeting sites beyond downtown hotels in large cities. We did not lock ourselves into any sort of long-term contract with Lake Junaluska.

Beyond the sheer beauty of the location, there were multiple reasons why this site was chosen. The costs for individual members and for the Academy itself were reasonable and also better than the alternative site that was being considered (the J. B. Duke Hotel and Conference Center at Duke University). Lake Junaluska also had superior facilities for our seminars, the work of which is the heart of our Academy. Moreover, the staff at Lake Junaluska have a reputation for excellent support and hospitality. And, finally, people who had been there previously for meetings spoke glowingly of what it was like to gather at Lake Junaluska.

The rooms at either the two hotels we will use (the Terrace Hotel and Lambuth Inn) will run $109 per night (+ applicable taxes) for either single or double occupancy.

The closest airport is in Asheville, North Carolina and is located less than 40
minutes away by interstate highway. We have arranged for a local shuttle service
recommended by the staff at Lake Junaluska to set up an online signup sheet if you decide to utilize this service to reach our meeting site from the Asheville airport.
Because the Asheville is a growing airport (now the third busiest in the state of North Carolina) served by multiple airlines (Allegiant, Delta, American, and United), it has direct connections to more cities than one might initially expect (Atlanta, New York, Boston, Denver, Newark, Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, Charlotte, etc.). In multiple testing samples, the airfares were also less than we initially expected. Other airports within reasonable driving distances would be Charlotte, Knoxville, and Greenville-Spartanburg (South Carolina). An investigation of driving times showed that 13 cities with members within a 5-hour drive and 40 members’ cities within an 8-hour drive.

Indeed, it is. Our checking with non-Methodists who have attended meetings there elicited comments just as strong as they were from Methodists who had been there. These comments affirm what we had come to believe from our own direct observation and investigation: “…highly accommodating and respectful of our Catholicity…always welcoming, friendly and accommodating… a peaceful backdrop…, etc.”