Great location for Tail of the Dragon, and covered parking which is super important for car/ bike…read morefolks, nice place, clean, and pretty secluded.

Spent a week riding around the area on motorcycle and rented a treehouse cabin. (Poplar #3) We…read morereally enjoyed our stay in something out of the ordinary like a hotel room worrying about security or weather as parking is directly under the treehouse. The river is just a short walk down a well lit path at night deep enough to wade in with lots of chairs, fire pit and a horse shoe pit. We'll be returning when staying in that area again. Can't forget the staff who went above and beyond to make us comfortable. Thanks much Rivers Edge!!

Three stars pertain ONLY TO THE HOTEL part of our trip…read more Will we ever return to the philosophy that the customer makes everything possible? The hotel staff I encountered from the front desk to the valet exuded the feeling that I was there to serve them not vice versa. I asked for housekeeping to clean bathroom and let fresh towels and the front desk clerk told me to phone them from my room. I returned to my room (which was 700 steps away) and picked up the receiver on the 1980's style desk phone and punched the housekeeping button. I remained tethered to that 24" cord (no base speaker) for 30' and was then disconnected. I went back down and talked to a very nice young lady at the valet desk. She listened and then went to get me a housekeeping manager. Five minutes later the manager arrived and after hearing my requests, advised that the phone does not connect the dialer to housekeeping...it just rings and rings until it times out. This is not how I managed my business over my 50 year career. Now...the rest of the grounds including the casino were WONDERFUL and a treat to be there. We loved it. Just unfortunate for the one item described above. If you are going there, and, you need Housekeeping, ask to talk to them while standing at the front desk. Remember to tell them your needs and for how many days you want these needs to be addressed. You must not assume.

Disclaimer: I was here for work. I was not here to gamble, although I did play some games. As I'm…read morenot a gambler, I don't have a strong frame of reference here to judge the casino. I thought the environment was fine. However, I do have opinions about food and hospitality. Overall, I thought that Harrah's was alright. The food was good (Although the market was overpriced), but the hotel room left a lot to be desired. I'm going to bring up the conference food as part of this evaluation, and I was overall, very happy with every meal I had while there. Zero complaints. Good quality, flavorful, good variety. If you're booking an event, the in house team at Harrah's does good work. My hotel room was on the west tower and felt a bit run down. It was quite warm when I came in, although turning the AC on full blast rectified that issue. What I couldn't rectify was the rubber seal on the desk falling off, and two handles on the chest of drawers having been removed by someone else. It just felt like there was a lack of attention to detail. More annoyingly, for a 3 night stay, at no point was my room ever cleaned or the bed ever made. I'm not saying it needs to be cleaned from top to bottom, but I'm very certain that no staff members were ever in my room during my stay. If they only clean the room on request, why bother having do not disturb signs? I had dinner twice, and breakfast once at Gordon Ramsay's market. I thought the items there were fine, but very overpriced. 4 dollars for a Chobani Yogurt that you'd pay 1.39 for normally, for instance. And that's before Tribal fees. My meals were pretty good though. Pizza, and fish and chips. Overall, this isn't a bad place to stay, and as someone who doesn't spend a lot of time gambling, the casino floor had a certain charm to it. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere, but if you don't mind a subpar hotel room, the rest of the stay will be perfectly nice.

My friend just got married at Castle Ladyhawke at bear lake reserve ! It was a beautiful venue! The…read morecastle itself was impressive it felt like such a fairytale. Then when you go behind it for the ceremony space it has the most gorgeous view. It is surrounded by greenery and hilltops it is picturesque. The staff was so kind and helpful. I am vegan and they made sure all of my food was correct. Her wedding was perfection and it was such a dreamy place to be!

Bear Lake Reserve is beautiful! The views of the lake and mountains are incredible, and the whole…read moreplace feels peaceful and relaxing. Our rental was clean and comfortable, and we loved spending time at the Lake Club, hiking the trails, and kayaking. Staff were super friendly, and it was the perfect mix of adventure and downtime. Can't wait to come back!

We spent our anniversary at BlackBerry Farm and had the most wonderful time. Farm to table dishes…read morefor all three meals is something I could get used to. The beautiful fresh produce complimented the expertly cooked and seasoned proteins. There wasn't a single thing we ate that we didn't enjoy. In between meals, we made sure to stay active to earn our appetite. The property offers access to great trails in the Smokies which we took advantage of as well as a lovely outdoor pool with a view. The room itself was pleasant as well. It was hard to leave the luxurious king bed every morning. The heated floors in the bathroom and the comfy sitting area made our Holly Springs cottage suite the perfect home base. We were also assigned our own golf cart to get around the property (although we chose to walk mostly to take in the views). Service was top notch and the staff were wonderful. Every evening they surprised us with a little treat for our anniversary which was very thoughtful. We couldn't have asked for a better stay!

We have talking about BlackBerry Farms for years and that we needed to go. We knew it was…read moreexpensive, but the recounting of our friends kept drawing our interest back in. We decided to take the plunge and we are so happy we did. It's a 3 night minimum and frankly a great idea to take it all in. We enjoyed the following activities ; Fly Fishing, wine tasting , the spa , a farm tour , & tomato tasting. All were spectacular and unique to themselves. The culinary experience is nothing short of a Michelin experience for dinner. The price is all inclusive , sans your alcohol. The service is world class and the staff makes you feel so welcome. Whether it's a special occasion or a bucket list item , I would say it's a must in your lifetime !! Side note- We thought this would be a one and done. However, the level of experience and ability to unplug was extremely therapeutic. Hope you enjoy the review by LIKING it and sharing feedback :).

Internet was out. TV channels wouldn't change. No housekeeping on Wednesday, so no trash was…read moreemptied. Hot not available due to water temperature issue. We left a day early due to numerous black big ants In the bathroom and kitchen. We paid $560 for what was suppose to be 3 nights. We left a day early so only one night. We complained and reluctantly, we were given $100 credit. Will never go back.

Hidden gem! Inn keeper was fantastic. The grounds are lush and being on the river made it even…read morebetter. Will definitely be going back!

Wanted to do a quick getaway from Atlanta and chose tranquille resort. We decided to come and stay…read morefor two week nights as the prices were cheaper and with the wifi, we could work as well. It's only about a 2hr drive from where I am but there was a bit of traffic getting out of atlanta on a wed afternoon when we left so we didn't get in till dark. I called to say we might miss the office check in hours (till 6pm) so they kindly left the key in the cabin for us for whenever we arrived which was very helpful. The rooms were clean and kitchen and bathroom had pretty much everything you needed. We also utilized the charcoal grill. Only complaint was the lighting was a tad dark during the night but maybe it's to help you relax. Loved the view of the lake from the cabin, it was beautiful to wake up to. We were also able to bring our dog for a $60 fee. House rule does say no dog on bed so keep that in mind. There was a little doggy station on site and we were able to walk him around the property to potty. He enjoyed his stay and we liked going to the nearby trials in the morning/afternoon for a hike. There's an ingles nearby as well as some other restaurants if you need food options like McDonald's, Dunkin, couple of Pizza chains, and whatever a small town typically has to offer. Overall we enjoyed our stay.

Review Fall Ambiance: Check,…read more Exceptional Lodging: Check, Overall Satisfaction: Priceless The two Lakeside cabins we rented were perfectly appointed, leaving nothing to be desired. All needed kitchen utensils, appliances and housewares are available. A dishwasher and full-size washer and dryer round out everything needed for a longer stay. Did I mention the view? Start or finish the day on the back porch gazing at the mountains and Lake Chatuge. We are planning to be back during the summer to take advantage of the boat docks, on-site canoe rental, kids playhouse and a cool swim in the lake. Did I mention the staff? Everyone( Greg the owner, Jennifer the manager, Vicki and another young lady) made sure that our stay was comfortable

I remember telling my wife the last time we were here that if I could build my dream cabin-it would…read morebe the Balsam here at the lovely and cozy Swag. Two bathrooms, two steam showers, sauna, living room with fireplace, outdoor balcony with fireplace and shower, and it's right across the fence from our nations most popular park-Great Smokey Mountains National Park. We walked right out our door to hike. Nearby trials take you to waterfalls, waterwheels, and the spectacular panoramics from atop Gooseberry Knob or Hemphill Bald. We returned from one of our hikes just in time for the Swag's stellar bbq picnic. That leads nicely to the food and service which is as good as it comes-and frankly what you can expect from a Relais and Chateau. Tables with your names for breakfast and dinner, nightly bites during happy hour, and even lunches to go for your adventures. Which, for us even included horseback riding at the nearby stables. Naturally, they were waiting for us when our ride ended in one of their electric fleet of Volvos to whisk us back up the windy road into a vacation of our dreams!

We have just enjoyed a wonderful fifth annual July visit to The Swag to celebrate our 56th wedding…read moreanniversary. The Swag is a premier lodge nestled on a mountainside in the Smoky Mountains high over Waynesville NC. It offers spectacular views, immediate access to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park by simply walking through a gap in the fence outside the main lodge, fine dining, pickleball courts, a spa, and a small gym and pool. An expert naturalist is often in residence and conducts a variety of activities, including organized hikes, talks about wildlife (bears, coyotes, bioluminescence and other interesting aspects of the natural world).  Other activities include a presentation on coffee making by their barista and wine tasting sessions. But if all you want to do is just have a wonderful place to  relax and enjoy being in the great outdoors, The Swag is one of the best places you can go. The Swag is a Relais and Chateaux resort so accommodations are excellent and range from a comfortable, well furnished bedroom for two to a cabin suitable for an entire family. À la carte breakfasts, packaged lunches (including backpacks and water bottles if needed), and four-course dinners are included in the daily rates. The lunch and dinner menus change daily, but dinner entree choices typically include beef, seafood, poultry and vegetarian options. On Wednesdays and Saturdays there is a mountain top lunch picnic with abundant food. Thursday evening is barbecue night. Food at The Swag is locally sourced and quality standards are exceptionally high.  Service at The Swag is truly exceptional. Every employee is focused on making sure all of your needs are met. The kitchen tries to accommodate any special requests. Much of the resort's clientele return year after year, and guests are automatically offered a return reservation for the same time and accommodation next year at the time of checkout. This is great for established clients and has allowed The Swag to build a large band of loyal followers, including us, but this does make it harder for first-timers to get a reservation for a time and accommodation they would like. My advice is just keep trying!  We got our first reservation after many tries when someone cancelled while we were on the phone with the lodge trying to get one. Tradition means a lot at The Swag, and that is a good thing. My only suggestion to them is to consider adding an à la carte section to the dinner menu as many other fine dining establishments do. It would give the kitchen more opportunity to try out dishes before adding them to the prix fixe choices and allow guests who may not want a full four course dinner every night an alternative. I realize that this would complicate the traditional pricing scheme, but that should be manageable.

Lisa and her staff were top notch. The lodge was amazing along with the location and views.read more

Our visit to the Lodge was FANTASTIC! The scenery was beautiful, the staff was great, the food was…read moreexcellent and the Lodge was awesome. Nancy and staff went out of their way to make us feel not only at home, but part of their family. Breakfast was very good and made to order. The rooms were clean and very nice. Sitting on the porch, rocking on a rocking chair and watching the incredible view was relaxing. You can bring your pets, but if you don't, there is Ethel. She is the "pet" chicken! She is friendly and loves to be held and petted. As you travel up to the lodge, you may see turkeys and deer. We also heard an owl and a coyote in the evening while sitting on the porch. A surprise was watching at least eight hummingbirds feeding on the flowers from the porch. The staff will cook supper for you or give you dining suggestions in nearby towns. It is just down the road from Cherokee, and just a few minutes away from The Great Smokey Mountains Railroad. The railroad trip is worth the time and money. Rafting is just down the street along with guided fishing tours if you want to check them out. Overall, it was one of the best travel experiences we've had. We travel out of town about every other month. We are already making plans to return to the Lodge soon!

We had a magical evening dining at snowbird after our lake elopement. It was the perfect ending to…read morea perfect day and we were blown away by our dining experience. Right from the start we were greeted by Rosa who immediately made us feel right at home with her warmth and humor. Chef Andrew is an incredible talent. Everything was just extraordinarily delicious! We started with a very yummy chili with cornbread followed by the best pork belly we have had with a yummy almond butter sauce (lord!!) and then finished it off with perfectly cooked flatiron steaks with yummy cowboy butter! Oh and Chef even brought us some crispy cilantro rice that was also just a masterpiece of flavors. I don't know how many times I stopped during our meal to exclaim "this is SO GOOD" ....but it was many. That was the food- the people and service were as if not more impressive. Taz, the innkeeper who served us was incredibly kind and friendly and even brought us a complimentary champagne toast, which was so nice and appreciated! Again Rosa was hilarious and so sweet to us and then we met Shannon who brought us our desserts at the end of our meal and also made us feel like old friends. It was so over the top good that I feel we will be forever spoiled! We definitely will be coming back to stay. Many thanks again

We did not stay at the lodge--we only made dinner reservations (which have limited seating). We…read morearrived early to walk the grounds of the historic property, which are quite nice. Our party of four (two couples) showed up ahead of our reservation time, but they would not seat us early even though the dining room was mostly empty. There was one hostess at the desk and what appeared to be only a single server working the floor. They bring bread and water at the start of the meal. Be careful if you want to save your roll for later--they only allow one per person. The soup course that followed was the best part of the meal for me. After that, a couple of us ordered the mixed green salad (my wife said it was the highlight of her meal), while one of us had the Caesar salad with anchovies (which he removed). For the main courses, two of us ordered the grilled chicken, one had the steak, and I had the quail. The grilled chicken lacked flavor beyond the crust, the steak was overpowered by marinade so the meat itself was hard to taste, and the fried quail did not pair well with the grits for me. For dessert, two of us had the peach cobbler with ice cream, one ordered the key lime pie, and the other had the Almond Joy cheesecake. The peach cobbler was nothing like a good home-cooked version, the key lime pie was extremely tart, and the cheesecake was the only dessert that was actually good. Overall, the experience was not pleasant. There were very few people in the dining room the entire time--never more than three tables seated. It was uncomfortably quiet; you could clearly hear conversations from other tables. It felt like eating dinner in a musty library. We've eaten at a number of higher-end places across the South, but this is one I cannot recommend.

My husband had business in Atlanta and we decided to add on a few more days. After searching hours…read moreon the internet I came across Innisfree Inn,. It had a 4 Star rating with AAA and it looked beautiful so I made the reservation. We were looking for a place to relax, do some hiking and look at nature and that is exactly what we got and more. When we got there Henry and Clare, who own this beautiful Bed and Breakfast, made us feel welcomed immediately. The grounds and the B & B are breathtaking. We stayed in the Lord Tenneyson Room. The lake nearby is Lake Glenviille which is incredible. They had a champayne cruise on the the lake and the next day evening drinks. They also served a full breakfast daily in the room. Clare and Henry gave us a map of hiking trails. They recommended Rainbow Falls and Whitewater Falls. Great hikes and even better scenery. This facility is well worth the 4 stars. Their service is just as good as any 5 star resort. It is romantic and well worth the trip.

My husband and I stayed at the Innisfree back in October of 2017. I was five months pregnant and am…read moregoing to blame pregnancy brain on my late review(due any day now). So the inn is a gorgeous property and the fall air made everything so crisp and beautiful. Claire and Henry welcomed us so warmly and made everything special. They were so kind to upgrade us to the Emily Bronte Suite that we loved! The room was warm and cozy, I loved the bathroom!! Lol. My husband really enjoyed that they brought breakfast to our room. He had never stayed in a place that did that for guests. It was always delicious and got us ready for a day of exploration. We went to the hospitality hour almost every day. Claire and my husband talked about craft beers and she was such a sweetheart to remember what kind of beers he enjoyed and had them at the next days hospitality hour. We took all of Claire and Henry's recommendations on things to do and good places to eat. Which included; the Champagne Cruise (lots of fun, Claire brought those delicious crackers she makes) different waterfalls to go see, and going to see the Biltmore in Asheville. Long story short we loved this bed and breakfast and if given the opportunity we would gladly go back. Thank you Claire and Henry!