Private Hot Tub, Fire Pit & Game Room Near Downtown Helen

Picture the evening: steam rising off the hot tub as the trees go dark, the fire pit crackling below the deck, and the crack of the break at the pool table upstairs. Oben Retreat is a two-story townhome tucked into the woods yet near downtown Helen, so a quick drive puts you on Main Street for Oktoberfest, fall leaves and river tubing, then back to your own game room and a quiet night under the stars. Come for the mountains. Stay for the soak.

THE SPACE
Two levels, two living areas and a deck made for slow evenings.

Main level
• Living room: Sink into the sofa in front of the stone fireplace and queue up a movie on the Roku Smart TV. The vaulted ceiling under the loft keeps the floor open.
• Kitchen: Cook a real breakfast with stainless steel appliances, an island for prep, a dishwasher, toaster, baking sheets, wine glasses and a drip coffee maker ready for the first pot.
• Dining: The high-top table with swivel stools seats six, so pancakes and card games happen together.
• Primary bedroom: A king bed with direct access to a full bathroom.
• Bonus family room: A second living area with a wall of windows onto the trees, a Roku Smart TV and a sleeper sofa. It doubles as a bed for guests five and six.

Upstairs
• Queen bedroom with wooded window views, right next to the second full bathroom.
• The loft game room: rack up on the pool table, set out the chess board, or pull out the board games for a family tournament above the treetops.

Outdoor living
• Deck: Fire up the gas grill, eat at the picnic table, then slip into the private hot tub, a four-person soak under tall trees.
• Covered deck: An egg chair, wicker seats and a coffee table make this the morning coffee spot, rain or shine.
• Fire pit: Follow the wooden stairs down the slope to a wood-burning fire pit ringed by six Adirondack chairs. S'mores are mandatory.
• Front porch: A small sitting area by the front door for watching the evening light.

The essentials
Wifi, air conditioning and heat, ceiling fans, an in-unit washer and dryer, iron, hair dryer, extra pillows and blankets, fresh bed linens, a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Shampoo is not provided, so pack your favorite.

LOCATION & WHAT'S NEARBY
Oben Retreat sits on a quiet, wooded street up the hill above town: near downtown Helen yet secluded enough that guests describe it as a quiet area. A heads-up from past guests: the road up is steep and curvy with no sidewalks or streetlights, so plan on a short drive into town rather than walking. Approximate drive times:
• Downtown Helen shops, restaurants and wine tasting rooms: about 5 minutes
• Helen Festhalle, home of Oktoberfest: about 5 minutes
• Tubing on the Chattahoochee River: about 5 minutes
• Georgia Mountain Coaster: about 5 minutes
• Unicoi State Park, lake and hiking trails: about 5 minutes
• Anna Ruby Falls: about 10 minutes
• Smithgall Woods State Park: about 10 minutes
• Sautee Nacoochee and the Nacoochee Valley wineries: about 10 to 15 minutes
• Dukes Creek Falls and Raven Cliff Falls trailheads: about 15 to 20 minutes
• Brasstown Bald, Georgia's highest peak: about 45 minutes
Come in October for Oktoberfest and the fall leaves, in summer for river tubing and hiking, and in winter for a fire in the stone fireplace and a steaming soak on the deck.

WHO THIS HOME IS BEST FOR
• Families of four to six: Family friendly from top to bottom: pool table and board games for the kids, a king bed for the parents and a full kitchen for easy meals.
• A girls trip: Two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, wine glasses in the cabinet and a hot tub waiting after a day of tasting rooms and shopping.
• Two couples: Bedrooms on separate floors, each beside its own full bathroom, with shared evenings around the fire pit.
• Oktoberfest and leaf-season crews: Spend the day at the Festhalle or on the trails, then come home to a quiet street instead of a downtown hotel.
• Hikers and nature lovers: Unicoi, Anna Ruby Falls and a handful of trailheads are minutes away, and the wooded setting means the forest follows you home.

GUEST ACCESS
The whole townhome is yours: both levels, the deck, hot tub, fire pit and every indoor living space. Self-check-in is simple with a keypad smart lock on the front door. Your personal code arrives the day before your stay and again on the morning of arrival. Check-in is after 4:00 PM and checkout is before 10:00 AM. Please note there are stairs between the two levels and up to the front entry.

PARKING & GETTING AROUND
Two dedicated, free parking spaces sit directly in front of the unit. There is no overflow parking, and street parking is not allowed in the neighborhood, so please plan on no more than two vehicles. The spaces aren't available before 4:00 PM check-in, since our cleaning team and departing guests use them. A car is the easiest way to get around: the road up to the townhome is paved but somewhat steep and curvy towards the top, with no sidewalks or streetlights, so we don't recommend walking into town, especially with kids or after dark. Take the drive slow after dark or in winter weather. Rideshare service in Helen can be limited, so plan ahead if you'll need a ride home after a night out. The closest major airport is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL), about a 2-hour drive.

YOUR HOSTS
We're Greg and Cindy, and we love sharing our corner of Helen. Check-in is fully self-serve, so you can settle in at your own pace, but we're only a message away before and during your stay, and we usually reply within the hour. Before you arrive, we'll send you our digital guidebook with our favorite restaurants, hikes, wineries and things to do in and around Helen. Thank you for treating Oben Retreat like your own. We can't wait to host you.