LGBTQ+ travelers steer clear I chose to stay at the Iron Mountain Inn on a recent trip back to my home state because it looked like a chance to meet some of the locals in a beautiful location. That turned out to be true: I was given the Green Room, which overlooks Cherokee National Forest, and each morning Joni made some of the best food I ate on my whole trip. That being said, about 24 hours after I arrived, I overheard the owners having a conversation in which they both voiced their disdainful views of the LGBTQ+ community. As a gay person traveling alone in this remote, isolated area, I felt shocked and terrified. It brought back all the painful feelings and memories I felt as a gay kid growing up in TN and reminded me why I had to leave the South in order to feel safe. It took all my strength to get through to the next morning so I could leave. Joni and Bill, I appreciated your hospitality, but I was very hurt by your words. I pray you will reconsider your views about my community after meeting me. We are everywhere, we are human beings, and we deserve respect the same as anyone else. read more

Joni and Bill bought the Iron Mountain Inn three years ago. I stayed there last week. They are great caring hosts who were very nice with lots of good information. The mountains and the views were majestic. The breakfast was excellent and the Inn was very clean. I will be back every eight weeks or so. read more

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This is the place to be for tranquility. Imagine waking at dawn's first light to the smell of fresh baking. Watch the sun crest over the mountains creating a masterpiece on the the fall's remaining leaves, golds, reds and burnt orange as the fog rises silently in layers. Hear twigs cracking and gravel shifting as fellow boarders head out on the trails around the Inn to make the most of the mountain air... THIS is Iron Mountain Inn B&B. Vikki, the fascinating and energetic Octogenarian who built the Inn 20 years ago and still runs it, says one day she hopes 'to retire' but one gets the impression, if she does, it will be a retirement along the lines of her famous grandmother Grace Fortescue who learned to water ski at 75 and paraglide at 87!!!! Now for the reason it was 4* instead of 5: Cleanliness of the carpeting and ladybugs in the room. The carpet on the stairs and landing was pretty bad, in fact rather yucky to say the least. Not a deal breaker as we always bring flip flops for the rooms and bathrooms, however it must be noted as you can't miss it. The other issue was a major infestation of ladybugs. We understand that this is par for the course in this area at this time of year and Vikki DID vacuum them all up while we were out to dinner, so once again, not a deal breaker by any means but must be noted in all fairness. Overall from the fantastic great room to the lovely familial books, antiques and curiosities that decorate Iron Mountain and everything in between (the Keurig on the landing, the fresh cookies in the room, chocolates on the pillows and the full steam showers) treat yourself to this getaway, it's well worth it. read more

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Where should I begin? The good: Vikki is awesome! She's a sweet lady with a lot of knowledge and experience. She is a good cook and was really helpful when giving directions and recommending places. She's also pretty funny. Unfortunately she was only able to stay one night as she had to go to a convention, but she let me know this ahead of time before I even paid, so it was all good. Now, her assistant who took over... I'll get to her in a minute. The views from this place are spectacular whether on the main deck or the one off of our room. And staying here was like staying at home, so it was pretty comfortable. Sitting by the fireplace was nice. My b/f and I were the only ones here, so it was pretty dope. We stayed in the Green room and it was clean and I like the added touches of the little bowl of treats by the bed and plethora of beauty supplies in the bathroom. The bed was fluffy and comfortable. Every morning breakfast was different, so you're not going to get the boring waffles,pancakes, sausage, and eggs like you get at a hotel; and that was refreshing.... Like Mom giving you a hearty meal before you set out on your day. It's nice to have coffee and hot chocolate upstairs. I liked the touches of Vikki's family history through portraits and the library of books to read.... The mugs for sell to commemorate our trip. The Bad: I gotta be honest...no shade to Vikki... Her assistant was maybe sick? She kept coughing all around the food and she picked her nose in front of me... Ugh. Her assistant talked a lot.... No... I mean A LOT! I couldn't understand her that well either so it was a bit difficult, but she seemed pretty sweet. However, I just wanted to have a nice conversation with my man. Isn't that the point of the trip? Bonding? The tub in our bathroom was stopped up, and this could have been fixed... But honestly I was distracted every time I came downstairs and conversed with our lovely B&B host. If it was cleaned, wouldn't someone notice the water filling up without the stopper in? I should have done a little more homework, as I didn't realize how far this place is from everything. Everything was about 45- 1 hour away. Best bet is for 2-3 couples to stay in one of the cabins she rents; where you can make your own food and relax in peace, in what seems to be a secluded spot. Maybe going hiking and drive into town one day (would need to be a day trip) read more

Wow, what a gem! Nestled away at the foot of the Appalachian Trail in Butler, TN within easy driving distance of lake Watauga for boating or about a half hour or so to Johnston city for a little brewery art and food action, this homey b&b is a treasure. Vicky the owner is incredible and so dedicated, she makes you feel like a visiting relative, not a customer! She was a great guide to the area and even followed us with our car to the trail head and drove us back so we could leave our car there for after a 9 mile hike on the trail the next day! She cooks luxuriant food for breakfast and treats throughout the day and even shared wine cheese and crackers. The views from the porch of the mountains are lovely and even if you aren't up for hiking the Appalachian trail, you can still get plenty of pristine hiking done around her property. The room was nice and well stocked with warm beverages and treats. We will be back and can't say enough what a great host Vicky of Iron Mountain Inn was! read more

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Just returned home after 3 nights at the Iron Mountain Inn. Good lodging in the Mountain City area can be challenging and as we began our trip, we had no idea where we were going to stay. Our first stop in the area was the Watauga Winery where Wayne was very helpful. We asked him where to stay and he suggested the Iron Mountain Inn. He promptly call Vikki the innkeeper and introduced us to her. Vikki was great and a very interesting lady to talk to. When we got to the Inn it became very obvious that this was just what we were looking for. The views were incredible and the rocking chairs on the porch were calling to us to sit a spell and watch the sun and clouds play on the mountains in a most relaxing way. Vikki gave us a tour of the Inn and the different rooms. After we settled in, we quizzed Vikki about the area and she was extremely helpful in guiding us through a most enjoyable visit to the area. When we planned our next day, it became obvious that we would be up and out early to explore the area and Vikki accommodated our need by arranging an early breakfast for us. We had a great time and I especially enjoyed the steam shower! Looking forward to returning again in the not too distant future. read more

Re: Creekside Chalet Rental We booked this log home for over a month in mid July & had previewed it the year before. It is run & owned by the same proprietor, Vikki Woods , as her B & B, also on-site. She had our hefty payment, in full, since May. Upon arrival, the home was absolutely filthy: a severe live mouse infestation, bait boxes & feces all over; crumbs on dining & living room tables, dirty countertops, encrusted oven, full freezer with old freezer burned meats, unusable grill with totally rusted out bottom etc. etc. Before we even attempted to move in, we had to heavy duty clean. We even thru out a large garbage bag of old foodstuffs, from the refrig./ freezer. As we opened a dresser drawer, a large fat mouse jumped out. There were also piles of loose bait all over, on the beds, in kitchen vases / containers. We never unpacked. The owner was not on the property. She was well aware, since February, that we had a small terrier ( ratter ). The home was not safe for her,( poisonous bait/ live mice) nor any human,nor any romantic weekend, for which it is known. We booked it for 33 days, & had to evacuate. There were other issues, but basically filth. The owner owes us $1400 (about half the total fee, which she had up front, from Feb. thru May), and refuses to remit. We will pursue legal action. We could not even give this property a half star. It was a severe disappointment & shock, as we lost our fully planned summer vacation. The Kirchers read more