Today we’d like to introduce you to Anne Stewart.
Hi Anne, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Some homes seem to hold their breath until the right people arrive. For us, that place was an 1895 Queen Anne in the heart of Saluda. NC — a house that has been welcoming guests since 1906 and feels as alive today as it did more than a century ago.
Our path to Saluda has been anything but ordinary. After long careers in healthcare — Tom as a Social Psychologist and me as an Orthoptist — we spent years living and working around the world. Our journey began in Charleston, South Carolina, where we both worked at the university medical school and raised our four children. When the last one left for college, we felt that familiar pull toward something new. That pull took us first to Freetown, Sierra Leone, where Tom taught at the university and I worked in the country’s only eye clinic. From there, we moved to Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, continuing our work in medical education and hospital care. Each place shaped us, stretched us, and deepened our appreciation for community and connection.
Eventually, we traded desert landscapes for vineyards and stone cottages, purchasing a small property in the Loire Valley of France. We renovated it and opened a Gîte Rural, discovering how much joy we found in welcoming guests, sharing stories, and creating a sense of home for travelers from all over the world.
After years abroad, we felt the mountains calling us back. Saluda had always been a place of renewal— a town where we have spent countless summers with family and friends — and returning here felt like coming full circle. Today, we’re opening our historic home to guests once again, continuing a tradition that began more than 120 years ago.
What we’ve learned through all our travels is simple: hospitality is universal. Whether in West Africa, the Middle East, the French countryside, or right here in Saluda, people are drawn to a warm welcome, and a place that feels like it was waiting just for them. That’s what we hope The Oaks of Saluda continues to be.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Our road has been unique — it’s been surprising, and at times challenging. Living in other countries gave us experiences we could never have imagined: moments of wonder, moments of growth, and moments when the distance from family tugged at our hearts. What stayed with us most, though, was the richness of diversity — learning to embrace other cultures, tasting new foods, and adapting to ways of life so different from our own. Those years taught us how expansive the world can be, and how deeply connected people are no matter where they call home.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Over the years, we’ve both had the privilege of working in our chosen fields in ways that inspired us and connected us with remarkable people. Tom’s career has taken him from the Navajo Nation to university leadership, and eventually to medical schools around the world. His work has always centered on understanding people and helping them learn, no matter the setting.
My own path has been rooted in caring for visually impaired children and adults — work that has been both profoundly rewarding and deeply challenging. Each patient, each family, each small victory reminded me why I chose this profession in the first place.
We look back on our careers with a quiet sense of pride. In different corners of the world, in different roles, we’ve each given a piece of ourselves to helping others. Those experiences shaped who we are today and continue to guide the way we welcome people into our home.
What are your plans for the future?
Today, we’re happily settled in Saluda, embracing both this remarkable house and the community around it. There’s a deep sense of contentment in being here — getting to know our neighbors, and welcoming guests into a home that has held so many stories before ours
Our greatest joy, though, will always be our family. With four children, their spouses, and ten grandchildren, we feel endlessly grateful for the lively, loving circle that surrounds us. They are our pride, and our reminder of what truly matters. As we look ahead, we’re filled with anticipation — eager to see how life continues to unfold here at The Oaks of Saluda.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theoaksofsaluda.com
