Scheduled a weekend getaway as a jumping off point for a weekend of wine tasting in and around the…read moreDahlonega, GA area. In summary, what a beautiful setting, excellent service, delicious food, charming drinks, with every one of the staff members (owners included) just waiting to coddle and take care of your every whim and desire.
Finding the Lodge the first time was a little challenging but just trust the GPS even though it looks like you're heading onto someone's property, stay on the road until you reach the top. Once there, be prepared to be pampered. The road up is a tad narrow, and when we arrived it was covered in leaves (we hit prime color change/leaf dropping) but it's not bad. The rest of the time the road was well cleared with turn-outs obvious and useful if needed (we didn't need one during travels in and out).
We stayed in a room on the 1st floor at the end of the hall with a nice sitting room and patio with a beautiful view of the wooded hillside. The room was nice, fully functional and one nice feature were motion lights under the bed such that if you get up during the night you're not stumbling around to find the bathroom door. Loved that.
They have a bar with well made drinks and a nice cozy sitting area with a fireplace and comfortable chairs we used to chat with the staff who helped fine tune our winery stops. They have a 'snack bar' (my term) complete with various snacks, cold drinks, a coffee drink, and freshly made cookies each day. Oh, and they will point out a nice little file box with room numbers with homemade candy that magically appears each afternoon! A delicious and generous breakfast is included that is FAR from the typical powered scrambled eggs, paper thin bacon (you know what I'm talkin' about!). No, this is a freshly made frittata, the best home fries I've ever had, fresh cut fruit and more. Great start to each day!
They have an outdoor seating area complete with lights, an abundance of bar height chairs/tables, Adirondack chairs, and fire pits. A great way to spend an evening at sunset sipping your wine/cocktails and talking the evening away.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention that we opted for the five-course prix fixe dinner in their large communal dining area known as "Wit & Wisdom". It was a great way to mingle with other guests, share stories, compare winery travels, and just share time and conversation. This alone was worth the price of admission! We added the wine pairing so we went all in, and we felt that we certainly got our money's worth out of it! Kicking it off with an Amuse-Bouche and wrapping up the next five-courses, while they appear small, we were absolutely stuffed when we were done. The wines were outstanding and it turned out to literally be the perfect ending to our glorious stay with owners Tommy & Heather and the entire staff that made sure we were fed, comfortable, and part of the Mountain Top 'family'. As I loaded the pictures, I realize I have to give a shout-out to Topher and the crew in the kitchen! You all demonstrate exceptional service and skill. Well Done!!!