Asheville, topping so many “best” lists, recently received the dubious distinction of being listed on the Huffington Post’s “terribly overrated destinations.”

David Landsel, contributing editor at airfarewatchdog.com who wrote the story and composed the list, included Asheville with nine other disappointing locales, including Buenes Aires, Argentina; Berlin, Germany; Chicago, Costa Rica, Colorado, Vancouver, B.C., Canada; the Caribbean, Austin and San Francisco.

Regarding Asheville (rated ninth worst), Landsel wrote, “This physically and emotionally fragmented mountain town full of people who seem really annoyed by everything — including your presence here — is no fun anymore. The traffic can be atrocious, the main attraction is the soulless estate of yet another Vanderbilt, those famous hotels are sadly average and overpriced, the food is just fine.

“The worst bit, though: Asheville today is the furthest thing from relaxing. A Hamptons with no beach, it has become a bottlenecked blot on a lovely landscape, seething with urban stressites searching fruitlessly for somewhere to park their Georgia-plated Hummers. Next.

“Instead, try... You probably came for the mountains. So go to them. Start with magnificent Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi, running an impressive 6,684 feet above sea level. Next, hop back on the Blue Ridge Parkway — which runs straight past Asheville — and head down to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of the very few places in this country where sitting in a ridiculous traffic jam is worth your time and trouble.”

In our view, Landsel is mostly right on the mark, while at the same time we think there’s something wonderfully lovable about our eccentric, eclectic  Asheville.