Such a beautiful venue. The staff were incredibly welcoming and friendly, the cafeteria food was solid, and the center itself was clean, tidy, and well organized. I never felt lost, even when wandering around to see the beautiful nature. read more

Great conference center. Cafeteria style food , not my favorite but there was always lots of options to choose from. Staff is friendly and the whole place is clean, serene. Beautiful surrounding areas and views. read more

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Great rustic venue with some steep stairways and passageways between lodging and the cafeteria. Disappointing and somewhat harsh policies on reservations made before they were shut down by the natural disasters in the fall of 2024. That seemed to harden their hospitality at the time and those attitudes persist into 2025. Perhaps there was a management? Previous experiences were positive. read more

Ridgecrest Conference Center - September colors - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Black Mountain, North Carolina

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The potatoes go crazy here. All forms and variety. Great food (when in the potato form). Other food was pretty good too. read more

Ridgecrest Conference Center - potatoes - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Black Mountain, North Carolina

We didn't dislike the conference center. The rooms are nice, much like a basic hotel room, with a nice simple bathroom. However, there are several things we weren't aware of before coming. So I'll let y'all know what those things are! 1. There is no swimming pool. I was personally very disappointed by this. 2. There are no televisions in the rooms. Each floor has one community room with a TV, a couch, and some chairs. 3. The food is cafeteria style, and not that great. You'll wait in a long line with the 500 other people there, and go through with a tray serving yourself. Then you'll eat in a giant lunchroom that is very LOUD. 4. Parking is often difficult to find, so many people park near their hotel building, and hike back and forth to the auditorium, lunchroom, and classrooms. It's very hilly, and as a person who has difficulty walking very far, this was impossible for me. I had to drive back and forth, and park in places that weren't actual parking spaces! (Many other people parked like this, and the facility didn't seem to care. All in all, it reminded me more of a youth camp than a modern conference center. read more

I stayed there for a retreat. The bunks were awesome, but a recommendation is that please add thicker sheets. The coffee shop is a nice touch, it made me feel at home while not at home lol. read more

We come here every winter and while it is close to deserted, and we have a fabulous time. You can choose from rustic cabins to more traditional hotel rooms and enjoy the grounds or use it as a stop off point. During the summer there are a variety of Christian events and retreats. read more

Ridgecrest Conference Center - Cozy fireplace and Christmas tree to let you know what season it is. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Black Mountain, North Carolina

If you don't mind it being a little rustic, no TVs in your guest rooms, you will find the tranquility and peace to reconnect with your heart, soul and God. The buildings are well maintained, the staff extend that true southern hospitality and the walking/hiking trails are beautiful. I can't wait to go back. Hopefully one day I can go back and volunteer for a month. It would be like working at Camp Garaywa during college again! read more

As a native Miami-undersealevel dweller, I absolutely LOVE Ridgecrest! Over the last decade, i've spent 8 out of those 10 summers at Ridgecrest for any given amount of time. Ridgecrest, a Christian retreat facility, is owned by Lifeway Christian Resources and is one of the two conference centers that they own around the country. The 8 summers I've spent at Ridgecrest was for Lifeway's summer camp, Centrifuge. Having spent so much time at Ridgecrest, I've had the opportunity to spend time at each of their wonderful facilities. Additionally, Ridgecrest is STILL building new facilities all the time! Spilman Auditorium: this venue easily seats 2,000 people and has a balcony level that accommodates even more people! There is a sound booth that is situated right in the middle of the ground floor, which gives the tech teams easy access to the stage. Their in-house lighting isn't necessarily the best, but the staff is very flexible in helping production teams install their own lights. Lambdin Auditorium: A secondary venue that is much smaller in size, seating maybe 400 people at once. This venue has since been outdated by the construction of the Arc. The Arc: A multipurpose venue that seats approximately 1200 people. In addition to serving as a basketball/multi-use sports area, there is a deep stage and in-house lighting that can be used for conferences or concerts. There is also a baby/cry room! Ridgecrest holds numerous housing facilities, ranging from 3-bunk dormitory style rooms to high quality hotel rooms, which contain two queen beds. The hotel, named 'Mountain Laurel', is extremely clean, with bathrooms being cleaned constantly. For the price, I can't find a better location on the campus to spend an evening! Ridgecrest also holds recreation fields that are a short walk/drive up the mountain. These fields can support activities for up to 2,000 people (trust me, I've done it!) Additionally, there is a lake, which affords kayaking/canoeing. One recommendation: don't swim in it! There are also numerous hiking trails, which lead you to numerous places, including the Royal Gorge lookout, which is absolutely to die for, as it gives views a complete view of the Blue Ridge Mountains! There is also an isolated camp grounds, named Buck Flats, that is situated along a small creek that is absolutely a beautiful area to camp or hammock overnight. The Flats also has a covered area where cooking or barbecuing can be done! All in all, Ridgecrest has SO many things that anybody can take part in. If you're looking for a great family getaway, family reunion, or place to hold a conference, Ridgecrest is a great place to do it! read more

I was not that impressed with this place. I stayed in one of the apartments, which were more expensive than some of the newer places and the only additional benefits were a leaky refrigerator and larger place that smelled horrible. Our room had an awful musty smell and it took the maintenance people 16 hours to finally come fix our toilet when it wouldn't flush. I guess you could say that I got what I paid for except for the fact that there were nicer rooms for less money available. I would not stay in the apartments next time. read more

I came here with Bethel Campus Fellowship for the annual conference. My first impression was that it was a very nice venue. Nice view of the mountains and everything. The room I stayed in with three other girls was nice too. They provided warm blankets, towels, and washcloths. However, there was a spider in the bathtub. Not sure when the last time the room was adequately cleaned. The auditorium was spacious, with comfortable seating. The dining hall could've used more seating, if possible. It was over 1000 attendees, most struggling to find a seat during meals. As for the food, it was great for the most part. However, I had some pizza that was hard, and macaroni and cheese that was sticking to the plate. Not good. All in all, this is a very cool place. Quiet, simple and beautiful. I will be returning next year for conference, of course. read more

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I stayed here for 3 days and enjoyed my experience with my church. It is huge, the food was alright and the people were very nice. They need to upgrade their air conditioning though, hence the 4 stars instead of 5. That is my only complaint. read more

Ridgecrest Conference Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Black Mountain, North Carolina

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I love this place. Straight up. It's always refreshing to visit a Christian establishment that exudes excellence in everything they do. I've visited this place three times in the last 15 years and I'm more impressed with each visit. The grounds are well-kept. The customer service is stellar, and the accommodations are very inexpensive. This is not the Ritz Carlton, this is a place to spiritually reset and hear from God. The rooms are extremely basic, a perfect environment to avoid distractions from TV and media. Rocking chairs abound that provide peace and reflection. Take a visit to their prayer garden. It's a place of nature, peace, and comfort. It's not that God speaks louder there- it's simply because you listen more. The joy of the Lord is present here and unlike other environments, authentic joy is felt by the staff and even the other attendees. No need to wait for a church conference or retreat to visit. Simply make reservations for a weekend yourself and breakaway for a spiritual reset. read more

Been coming to this place since we were kids. Love the location in the mountains and camp vibe.

personel not so nice, check in was a joke, buidings are old, and unsafe. Actually saw boards holding up a set of stairs to the second floor rooms. No TV's in the rooms, not sure how that brings people closer to Christ, sure would like to see the local weather. In 3 buildings only one working ice maker, yep, no refridgerators in the rooms. The rooms were smelly and old. I'll keep God in my way, this is pure $$$$ in the owners pockets with very little maintenance. Did I mention the feces in the stairwell, yea it was that bad. BTW I stayed there because they were the host hotel for a half marathon. read more

I've been to Ridgecrest Conference Center many times over the past 25 years. But in he past 10 years they have made tons of updates. New Hotels, remodeled rooms, remodeled conference rooms and auditoriums. In the past 2 years, the food has improved as well. There is a new remodeled coffee shop with lots of seating. An executive chef was hired as well, and you can tell at every meal. Of course there are still some old buildings, but all have been updated to feel new, comfortable and clean. Perhaps the most impressive update has been their staff. They care for all of us so well. Cleaning up after us, smiling, and taking care of anything we ask for. Impressive. Great job Ridgecrest! I'll be back! read more

I stay here while my friend goes to camp. It's clean and Nibble Nook is right outside! On some Sundays during the summer, if you look out the window you can see the campers getting into the buses for Crestridge. read more