ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Sometimes the best vacation plan is to do a little less.
For travelers looking for a place to slow down, Asheville apparently has plenty to offer.
A new analysis of more than 9.5 million Airbnb reviews ranks Asheville among the 10 most relaxing vacation spots in the country and the highest-ranked North Carolina destination.
The analysis, published by SudokuBliss, examined Airbnb reviews from 100 U.S. cities, searching for mentions of 45 keywords related to relaxation. The percentage of reviews containing at least one of those keywords was then used to rank the cities.
Asheville ranked No. 9 nationally, with 59.64 percent of Airbnb reviews mentioning a relaxing experience, according to the analysis.
Asheville also topped the list for the best combination of relaxation and value.
For that ranking, SudokuBliss standardized each city’s relaxation score and average guest value rating, then averaged the two to create a “value-relaxation score.”
Asheville had the highest score at 1.60. Its Airbnb rentals also had the highest average value rating among the cities analyzed, at 4.88 out of 5.
Across the country, the three most-used relaxation-related words in Airbnb reviews were quiet, cozy and peaceful.
The study found that 43 percent of Airbnb rentals across the U.S. were considered a relaxing stay based on past guests’ reviews.
That may not come as a surprise in a city where visitors can spend the morning wandering downtown, the afternoon on a mountain trail and the evening sitting on a porch with a view.
Asheville wasn’t the only North Carolina destination to make the list
Two other North Carolina destinations landed among the nation’s 100 most relaxing vacation spots.
The Outer Banks ranked No. 32 nationally, with 50.14 percent of reviews mentioning a relaxing experience.
Wilmington ranked No. 63, with 37.42 percent of reviews mentioning relaxation.
North Carolina ranked ninth among states for relaxing vacation destinations, according to the analysis.
California dominated the national list, with 17 cities in the top 100. Florida followed with 12, while Colorado and Texas each had six.
Sonoma, California, took the No. 1 spot nationally, with 68.29 percent of Airbnb reviews mentioning relaxation. Santa Fe, New Mexico, ranked second at 65.75 percent, followed by Sedona, Arizona, at 64.88 percent.
For Asheville, though, the appeal may be less about checking off attractions and more about finding a place to breathe.
The study’s findings suggest that, at least according to Airbnb guests, a relaxing Asheville getaway might be as simple as finding somewhere quiet, getting comfortable and taking your time.