I had a wonderful stay at the Highland Thistle! The rooms are beautiful and so incredibly comfortable. I had the pleasure of staying in the "Writer's retreat". The bed is a dream, and the bathroom is beautiful! John and Karin are wonderful hosts, from providing a delicious breakfast, on the go snacks, and the wonderful conversations, you really can't go wrong here! It's a short and gorgeous drive to Blowing Rock and Boone! You won't be sorry you stayed at this B&B!!

My husband and I spent a lovely two nights at the Highland Thistle Inn last week, and we couldn’t have had a more wonderful experience. We’ve stayed at many B&Bs in our travels, and this is one of our all-time favorites! The innkeepers, Karin and John, are extraordinarily welcoming and warm. They’re interesting people with lots of great stories to tell, and they make you feel right at home in their lovely inn! Our room was spotless, sunny and cheerful. The furnishings are beautiful and comfortable. Karin always had delicious baked goods and snacks thoughtfully available to us. The breakfasts were delicious and beautifully presented. The location in Leonor is ideal, in that not only is Lenoir a nice setting, but it is within easy access to many interesting sites and other enjoyable mountain towns. I can’t say enough good things about our great experience at the Highland Thistle Inn. We highly recommend it and look forward to returning, ourselves.

From the moment we arrived, Karin and John welcomed us as though we were already friends. By the time that we had left, the motto of "Come as strangers, leave as friends" felt about right. From the tasty, delicious breakfasts (and subsequent treats) that we were greeted to every morning, to the wonderful conversations over tea and coffee, they made us feel truly welcome in their home during our 4-night stay. The decor throughout was quite pleasant, and the soft bed in our room was delightful after the long days that were spent in Lenoir and surrounding areas.

Stayed the night while attending faith fest event in the area. Fist time here but will definitely be back! Karin & John were very welcoming & friendly! The room was clean and fresh. The breakfast was delicious. We were very pleased with our stay.

Love this place! Karen and John were so welcoming and very friendly. The house is amazing, and our room was so cozy, even though it was huge! We stayed in the WRITER'S room. BEAUTIFUL! And let's not even talk about that bathroom OMG! The breakfast was delicious, and the coffee was outstanding. We will definitely be coming back, the next time we are in the area. 👍♥️🤩💕

The Highland Thistle is a wonderful place to stay if you're visiting Lenoir or needed a place to stop and rest while traveling through. The owners are very interesting people who definitely care a lot about this town. The rooms are cozy and full of character.

Wonderful B&B! The rooms are tastefully decorated the bed was very comfortable. And John and Karen made our stay comfortable and enjoyable.

We had a wonderful 4-night stay at the Highland Thistle and we will most certainly be back! It is everything you want out of a traditional B&B. There is old character and lovely architecture everywhere that you could never find in a chain hotel. We stayed in the Writer’s Retreat and the bed was so incredibly comfortable. Breakfast was fantastic and a highlight of each day. There is a homemade touch through everything - down to the soap in the bathrooms, and the sausage, spices, and jams served with breakfast. The Davidsons were lovely hosts that were able to provide a ton of great recommendations for the area. Lenior is a great starting point for all of western North Carolina - it’s a doable drive to Charlotte, Morganton, Blowing Rock, and Asheville. Highly recommend and looking forward to going back!