Mountain trips are almost a rite of passage in Western North Carolina, but your choice of lodging can be the difference between a good trip and an excellent trip. Thankfully, this two bedroom house helped really make the trip something wonderful!
For starters, the property itself is really more of a house than a cottage: two bedrooms, a spacious living room and kitchen with all the amenities needed for a short or extended stay. The balcony view with the sound of the creek below in the valley was absolutely fantastic both at sunrise and at sunset. The beds were comfortable with plenty of closet space for clothes and luggage, TVs in both bedrooms with a nice selection of DVDs and books for those perfect lazy days. The basement has been converted into a studio for the aspiring artists, a very cool touch. The property does have a laundry room available as well. By far the best part of this place was the fire pit though; nothing beats a warm fire to wind down and relax after the day!
This property isn't suited for every type of trip, though: the location is absolutely gorgeous with stunning vistas on the way up, but you pay for that beauty with long drives to the major attractions. The nearest town of note is a 20-25 minute drive away down two-lane, windy roads. This is definitely a locale best suited for people looking into outdoor activities at Fontana Lake: you're located near the Tail of the Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway, but the steep gravel driveway makes this locale untenable for motorcycles. You are quite isolated here too with no cell service to speak of and a landline phone that is dependent on the weather. There is internet available, but it's pretty slow, so if you have to take your work with you, be forewarned.
All in all though, these shortcomings don't diminish the quality of the location. If you enjoy outdoor activities, want a romantic location during Leaf Season or just want to get away from everything, this is an absolute gem at a tremendous price. As long as you don't mind the drives, you're going to really enjoy your stay here.