Synthetic Bellaforté Shake Roof Specified for New Hotel on Biltmore Estate

From start to finish, the project took nine months to complete, with 45 days dedicated to installation of the synthetic Bellaforté Shake roof.

Nestled on 8,000 acres of pristine land in the mountains of western North Carolina, Biltmore welcomes more than a million visitors each year. Facing increased demand for additional on-site lodging, the new Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate was opened in late 2015.

The task of designing the four-story, 130,000 square foot hotel to assure it fit comfortably within the Antler Hill Village and Winery area of the estate fell to PGAV Destinations. "Antler Hill Village was intended to look like a series of buildings that belonged together but maintain an individual identity through the use of different roofing materials and trim treatments," says Emily Pelcak, director of practice and innovation for PGAV Destinations. "With the Village Hotel we wanted to continue that story. We specified DaVinci Roofscapes synthetic shake roofing to complement the general aesthetics of the area but also to create a distinctive personality for the hotel."

The sprawling 209-room hotel is tucked next to restaurants, shops and a winery that all have real or simulated shake roofing. Each of the structures has a natural, rustic feeling, inspired by the eclectic mix of cottages and farm homes original to the estate that opened in 1895 belonging to George Vanderbilt.

"The look of the composite shake roofing is convincing as a shake shingle, which is a traditional building material in western North Carolina," says Pelcak. "Their ability to create unique blends so the hotel could have subtle color shifts across the building roof was a key reason the DaVinci shake roofing was specified."

To ensure a distinctive look to the roof, Pelcak and her team gained samples of multiple color blends of Bellaforté Shake tiles. The final decision was to create and install three unique color blends with the predominant colors including a range of Tahoe colors (Light, Medium Light, Medium and Dark), plus Dark Chesapeake.

"The color selection was an arduous process since we wanted a subtle variation across the roof to blend with the adjacent existing structures and complement the main exterior facade treatment," says Pelcak. "We're proud of this project and pleased that The Biltmore Company is happy with the look and performance of the DaVinci product. Based on their feedback, we may specify these tiles again on future projects throughout the estate."

Village Hotel gets a roof

With the design work complete, the installation task for the massive roof system fell to Benton Roofing. From start to finish, the project took nine months to complete, with 45 days dedicated to installation of the synthetic Bellaforté Shake roof.

"The multiple roof lines on the project give the hotel an appealing look," says Caleb Benton, president and owner of Benton Roofing. "The project went smoothly and the roofing material was easy to install."

"These roofing tiles are the perfect fit for this hotel since they're impact- and fire-resistant, plus they're basically maintenance-free. This was our first time installing DaVinci products and we were impressed."

Although the Asheville area is not known for large amounts of snowfalls, the hotel designers took extra caution to specify snow guards be installed on the roof in key public areas. Manufactured by Rocky Mountain Snow Guards, the snow guards on the Village Hotel help prevent any collected snow from sliding off the roof in large pieces onto walkways.

Now open for more than a year, the Village Hotel provides easy access for visitors to the estate's gardens, 10 shops, 15 dining venues, winery, equestrian center and outdoor activities. The main feature of the estate, Biltmore House, has 250 rooms with tours available daily. America's largest home and its surrounding grounds feature breathtaking scenery during all seasons. For more information on the Village Hotel and Biltmore Estate, visit www.biltmore.com.

Learn more about DaVinci Roofscapes at www.davinciroofscapes.com.