Family Vacation

Indy Traveler (Greenwood, Indiana)
Review submitted: April 16, 2013   Date of arrival: April 3, 2013

This is a beautiful home with very comfortable furniture and beds - important point. Pictures are accurate; clean and well-maintained inside. There is ample room for people to spread out and have their space without being on top of each other. The hot tub did not work the entire time we were there, which was extremely disappointing because the description listed "large" hot tub so it was one reason I selected this property over others. If having a hot tub available is important, check with the owner on its status before booking or see if you will receive remuneration for any advertised amenity for which you do not have use. If you plan to cook for more than four people, bring your own cookware. There was a large griddle (I assume it works - we brought our own) and an outdoor grill; however, the other cookware was not adequate for cooking meals for a large group. One vehicle got "stuck" in the deep gravel and we had to pull it out so you may consider parking 2-wheel drive vehicles on the paved portion of the drive. Check your road maps before you venture out and you will see there are many ways to take "back-roads" from this location to get where you need to go and miss the traffic congestion around both Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. It is conveniently located. We had in our party 6 adults and 6 children. If you come prepared, you will find this a very nice retreat. I would recommend it to others.

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0

Great Gatlinburg Getaway!!!!

YveSha (Evans, Ga)
Review submitted: January 31, 2013   Date of arrival: January 25, 2013

This cabin was amazing!!! Just like the other reviews state, the pictures do not justify this cabin. We're thinking about coming back during the summer time when it is less scary. Going up the mountain were the cabin is located is no joke during the winter time! We arrived during the winter storm so we had to deal with icy roads and the power went out for 2hrs, along with 172,000 other people in the area. The person that owns the cabin kept us up to date on when the power should be back on and also definitely showed concern with making sure my guests and I were doing okay!!! The only downfall for the cabin was the parking. Make sure you do not park in the gravel unless you have a four wheel drive automobile. 2 cars, the guys had to push because the cars got stuck. Other than that we had an amazing trip! The cabin was not too far from the attractions nor shopping at the Tanger Outlet. You all will definitely receive my business again!!!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0

Trash meager concern

Sistersarah11 (Neptune Beach, Fl)
Review submitted: January 15, 2013   Date of arrival: November 17, 2012

Upon on arrival there was trash all over the left side of the house. Definitely a problem and stayed a problem throughout our whole stay.
When we arrive in the 2:30-3:00 range as my husband had told the owner we could not get in, the automatic lock does not allow you to get in before 4pm. That was our first call, which was fixed rather promptly, within an hour of our arrival. We had also informed him of the trash being broken into and all along the side of the house. We stayed at the home the entire week with our family from IL, CA and us Fl, for Thanksgiving. The owner at first was hospitable about the garbage and would have some one out but by the end of the week we had garbage piled up in the corner of the dining room, we had no place to store it outside. Talk about a pleasant smell! By Weds the owner seemed annoyed with us calling again about the trash. Besides the trash being a huge problem for my family, we did enjoy our stay at the house, even had a bear sighting one morning which was very exciting for the kiddos and us! Hockey handles from air hockey where missing, not such if they added them yet and no darks for dart board, we did get darts from Wal-Mart in Sevierville. We did some great hikes with the kids in the area and enjoyed the house overall. We have been coming up to Gatlinburg since 1995 and this is the first time we have had an issue. We will continue are ventures to Gatlinburg but not through VRBO. I think if you are going to have a VRBO home you should be aware of your property and making it the best stay for all! Parking was still a concern!

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0

Loved this cabin!!

Dawn M. ()
Review submitted: November 3, 2012   Date of arrival: October 13, 2012

This cabin was better than the pictures! It was very spacious. The kitchen was well stocked with everything you need, crockpot, coffee maker, hand mixer, blender.... All the bathrooms had hairdryers. The bedrooms were a decent size and the beds were very comfortable. Large 2 story windows for a great view from the living room to the upstairs loft. The loft area was huge. 5 of us stayed here for a ladies trip. We all loved it and would come back again. The cabin would be great for families. There is plenty of room. The cabin also has WiFi. There were lots of chairs and a table on the deck to sit outside and enjoy the views. The road the cabin is on is a dead end. The turn into the cabin is very sharp. We found it easier to drive past the house, make a U-turn at the end of the street and then drive straight into the drive way. We did the same thing when we left the cabin. I would recommend bringing extra kitchen towels.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

PARKING-- MAJOR CONCERN

DICK (GREENWICH OHIO USA)
Review submitted: July 31, 2012   Date of arrival: July 29, 2012

AWSOME HOME WITH MANY FEATURES. WOULD SUGGEST THE OWNER MAKE AN EFFORT TO FINISH THE PARKING AREA, NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TURNED AROUND TO HEAD OUT. WE HAVE ON NEARLY ALL OCCASIONS JUST BACKED IN THE DRIVE, SO WE COULD HEAD OUT. THE PARKING AREA WAS STARTED, BUT NEVER COMPLETED. IT HAS ABOUT A 6' FOOT DROP OFF AT THE END OF THE DRIVE. (YOU NEED TO BE VERY - VERY CAREFUL)

Recommended for: adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, sight seeing

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Helpful votes: 4 / 5

HuBaRu 2012 graduation trip

HUBARU (DFW, Tx)
Review submitted: June 15, 2012   Date of arrival: June 10, 2012

We had a large family gathering to celebrate a high school and college graduation. We had little kids, teens, and adults and everyone LOVED the house. We had morning coffee on the balcony, evening talks in the hot tub, family dinners in the large dining room, and enough room for everyone to spread out when needed.

The initial ride up the mountain was interesting(GPS highly recommended)... not difficult, but none of us had really driven in the mountains before. The property was very well maintained. We found backing down the driveway to be the best option for us.

The only issue was the trash bin. It was not emptied prior to us arriving...this was not a big deal, and we did see a BEAR...WOW!! Everyone was excited to see it. We stayed in the house and watched it from the balcony and the windows as it tried to get into the trash.

The area is beautiful and the location is very centrally located. Five minutes to Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg once you get down the mountain (5-10 min depending on how you drive). There is a trolley stop right at the base (visitors center) and for $0.50/ride, you can leave your car for free.

There are lots of activities in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg...do your research and make a plan. We went to Wonderworks and were able to come and go all day from 9am - midnight.

The owner was great, despit being in the hospital when I first contacted him. He was true to his word and we had a great first VRBO.com experience.

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, sight seeing

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Helpful votes: 1 / 2

35th Birthday

Jurgensen Party (Louisville, KY & Tampa, Fl)
Review submitted: April 22, 2012   Date of arrival: April 18, 2012

Thank you Leslie for allowing my group of 9 to come and celebrate my 35th birthday here. Everything was fantastic...the house is extremely spacious especially for 9 people with the plenty of privacy and activities. It saddens me to see someone give this cabin only 2 stars especially when we had no issues with the cabin at all. Everything worked, we saw 3 bears (one which came up to our front door and peered in the window). Leslie was very generous and nice to work with. I highly recommend this cabin. The kitchen is great to cook big meals in, especially with the fire going. The furniture and decor is perfect and the beds are so comfortable. The only scary part about this though is the drive way. They are adding on extra spaces however the actual driveway is very very steep. Doable if you have a SUV or 4 wheel drive, however if you have a compact or sedan, it is safer to park at the top which we did with no complaints by neighbors. Again thank you Leslie, the house is perfect and I highly recommend it. When I get a large group together again, this will be the place that I stay.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0

Unit was large and laid out well BUT..........

bill g. (Missouri)
Review submitted: February 27, 2012   Date of arrival: February 23, 2012

Just got back from a weekend at the cabin and there is good and bad with this unit. First with the good. The unit is large and bedrooms are laid out well with large bathrooms. It was mostly clean. The bad, When we arrived the alarm was going off in the house and the internet was not working. He stated that I should kill power to the whole house to reset. I did and it worked. For a while. In both lower bathrooms the duct work was removed from the vents and you could see the dirt ground underneath and cold air was rushing in. The unit was missing linens for the pull out sofas, I tried many of calls to the owner (who has a cell phone with no voice mail set up) before he finally answered one the call. Once he did he did tell me he would have the sheets there the next day by 3pm. At 5pm I called and called he finally called me back at 7:30PM and said he was getting loaded up to head down on an Hour drive to bring them. He then told me he could not look at the vents as it would be dark when he arrived. I then told him we would manage another night without the linens so he could wait till the next day to bring linens but more importantly to fix the vents. I called at least 20 times on third day and he never answered nor could I leave a message. NEVER CALLED ME BACK AND STILL HAS NOT. Also when we opened the lower fold out sofa mouse droppings went everywhere. We also saw a lot of droppings in the night stands in bedrooms. The final night we spent playing cat and mouse literally trying to "shew " the mouse out of the lower bedroom. The most disturbing part was the second day when I spoke to him he said I noticed you got the internet working because he was able to see the cameras were working again. We felt very violated about that. But besides all above the unit was decent.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 3 / 5

Wonderful cabin!

Susie (va)
Review submitted: January 16, 2012   Date of arrival: January 12, 2012

We stayed in the cabin for a belated Christmas weekend and loved it. The 5 bedrooms with king beds and private baths made for excellent privacy. The kids loved playing the air hockey table. House is fully functional electronic-wise with working TVs, satellite, and wifi. Very clean. The owner, Leslie, was very easy to work with. We will try to re-book for next Christmas. Highly recommended!

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

Our Experience In Smoky Mountains

Jason & Lindy (Kenner, LA)
Review submitted: January 7, 2012   Date of arrival: January 1, 2012

Every year we go to Gatlinburg and rent different cabins. For the past 12 years that we have gone, I would say this would be one of our top 3 cabins that we have stayed in. The cabin is really beautiful. It is between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. We had 12 people stay in the cabin and we still had plenty of room to spare. One evening we had turkeys walking around in the driveway. The owners were really nice and great to deal with. The only scary part for us was the steep driveway. We just kept our truck parked on top the driveway the day it snowed.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

CozyCabin

Donna (Fayetteville, GA)
Review submitted: January 5, 2012   Date of arrival: December 16, 2011

My family stayed in the cabin to celebrate our Christmas. We had a wonderful time. The cabin was just as it was pictured. We had no problems getting in by using the code and the information that was given the week prior.I was worried something might not be right after reading one review, but I was pleasantly suprised. The hot tub was warm and toasty when we got there, so that made me happy. Also somethings that I wasn't expecting were hairdryers in all the bathrooms and a griddle to cook pancakes on. The cabin is in between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, so it is convient to everything. Make sure you take extra towels. There is an adequate supply there, but trust me, you will need more. The road going to the cabin in very steep. I might be concerned if there was ice on the roads.The parking in not great. The driveway is downhill and can be precarious getting into. We have 4 vehicles and just had enough room to park them. I don't know how you would get 5 in there. I would recommend this cabin to a friend and I would like to visit again in the summer sometime. Thanks for sharing your cabin:)

Recommended for: adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Best cabin we have ever stayed in!!!

Christina (Destin, Florida)
Review submitted: December 29, 2011   Date of arrival: September 10, 2010

We had the best trip to Gatlinburg that we have ever had!!! We have been to the area several times and have always stayed in cabins but never in one this nice. From the moment I called and spoke on the phone to the owners I received first class service. They were so helpful and gave me all of the information that I needed. I searched around but thankfully came back to this cabin. The cabin is better than described and is actually nicer than the pictures. We really enjoyed just being in the cabin with all of our family and spending time together. Whether we were in the living room by the fire or downstairs playing pool, or upstairs in the loft area we were having a wonderful time making memories. We will be back everytime we plan a trip to the area. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!! GREAT CHOICE!!!!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

5 STAR!!!!

Dominic G. (Marianna, Florida, USA)
Review submitted: November 15, 2011   Date of arrival: November 10, 2011

This home was perfect! Close to everything. 2 Bedrooms down stairs, 1 master bedroom w/ large jacuzzi tub on floor level and 2 bedrooms upstairs. On our second night we saw a black bear cross in front of the front steps. We went out to the back deck and watched him for at least 30 minutes. The view was great. We could have stayed there a lot longer. The driveway is tricky so becareful! We found it was easier for us to pass the house to the deadend and make a U-turn there and drive back to the house. The house is a good ways up the mountain and the street signs are not very clear especially at night. If at all possible get there and back before dark. Bring, washing detergant,hand soap, dishwashing detergant, extra wash cloths and towels, your own frying pan, griddle if you want to make pancakes and non slip floor mats for the bathrooms! The floors in the bathrooms are slippery. Also, bathing suits, we forgot about the hottub on the back deck. Food City in Gatlinburg is perfect for groceries, the Ole' brand flour tortillas are a must! There is one gas fireplace in the livingroom that you can set to stay on for up to 60 minutes. The decor in the cabin is great, everything works! I would stay there again and again!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

FIVE STAR!!!

Dominic G. (Marianna, Florida, USA)
Review submitted: November 15, 2011   Date of arrival: November 10, 2011

This home was perfect! Close to everything. 2 Bedrooms down stairs, 1 master bedroom w/ large jacuzzi tub on floor level and 2 bedrooms upstairs. On our second night we saw a black bear cross in front of the front steps. We went out to the back deck and watched him for at least 30 minutes. The view was great. We could have stayed there a lot longer. The driveway is tricky so becareful! We found it was easier for us to pass the house to the deadend and make a U-turn there and drive back to the house. The house is a good ways up the mountain and the street signs are not very clear especially at night. If at all possible get there and back before dark. Bring, washing detergant,hand soap, dishwashing detergant, extra wash cloths and towels, your own frying pan, griddle if you want to make pancakes and non slip floor mats for the bathrooms! The floors in the bathrooms are slippery. Also, bathing suits, we forgot about the hottub on the back deck. Food City in Gatlinburg is perfect for groceries, the Ole' brand flour tortillas are a must! There is one gas fireplace in the livingroom that you can set to stay on for up to 60 minutes. The decor in the cabin is great, everything works! I would stay there again and again!

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Helpful votes: 0 / 1

AMAZING!!

Christina (Destin, Florida)
Review submitted: September 12, 2011   Date of arrival: August 14, 2011

First off, Let me say that my family frequent the gatlinburg area at least twice annually and I must say this is the nicest home my family has ever stayed in here. Everything is just as you would expect to have in your own home. The owner/ Manager is super nice and easy to deal with. From the booking to departure, He made everything super easy for us which speaks volumes about how the property is managed. I just cannot say enough about this home. There was plenty of room for my family of 15 with room to spare. With more than enough servingware and cookware to accomodate a huge party such as ours (Which is rare in rentals) The beds were very comfy, The bathrooms were large and the house was very well taken care of and very tastefully furnished and updated. Flat panel televisions in most every room was a nice addition as well. At the end of a long day of Hiking, The hot tub was AMAZING for all of us. and gameroom was nicely equipped as well with a nice pool table and Fullsize air hockey table (My Favorite). We will definitely be back later this year and every year to come as there just simply is no nicer home in gatlinburg that we have found and the owner is, To my understanding making even more upgrades by years end such as a movie theatre which would definitely make this home the total package.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0

So very nice!

KT (Oakland, TN)
Review submitted: June 22, 2011   Date of arrival: June 16, 2011

This was the perfect place for our family vacation and one of the easiest rentals I have ever experienced. From my first contact with the property manager, I knew this was where I wanted to stay. He was great, very attentive and quick to respond prior to the rental and with a quick question we had while we were at the home.

As for the home itself, it was very spacious, comfortable, clean, high-end, and well maintained. The pictures really don't do it justice. There is no doubt the owners want this rental to be a comfortable home--a home away from home. Can't wait to come back!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0

Awesome experience!

Brian (Houston, TX)
Review submitted: April 20, 2011   Date of arrival: April 11, 2011

Upon arriving at the cabin we noticed the High quality of all the appliances and furniture as opposed to several other rentals we had stayed at in the same area. The owners definitely did not skimp on furnishings. All the rooms were very spacious and the beds were some of the nicest I have ever laid down on. Very comfortable. The kids loved the gameroom located in the basement which is where they stayed the majority of our stay. Also The hot tub was very spacious and very nice for a rental. With a waterfall and massaging jets, We stayed in for hours. Again, No skimping here. As far as furnishings such as dishes, cookware, utensils, spice rack (Very rare in rentals) We had all the ammenities of our own home but nicer. All in all, It was a beautiful getaway and we will definitely return here again this year and hopefully many more to come.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Thanksgiving 2010

Peggy (Nashville TN)
Review submitted: February 18, 2011   Date of arrival: November 27, 2010

I have waited until Feb. to write a review of the worst rental experience I have had in over 15 years of renting in Gatlinburg. Upon arrival to a beautiful chalet, we were shocked to be unable to enter. We could reach no one on the emergency line. Finally, we found a back door open to one of the bedrooms and entered from there. We replaced the battery in the keypad from our own supply and continued to try and reach the owners and their daughter (in charge of rental). The place smelled as the last tenant's trash was inside the kitchen and the place had never been cleaned. The owner's daughter finally called and said it should have been cleaned. By this time, we had swept and cleaned the refrigerator in order to get our food in and feed the children. The cleaning crew did come and clean the place which did not allow us to relax or get the kids in bed until late. Interestingly, the cleaning crew said they were never notified of a need to clean the unit. We also had to put our trash outside on the balcony, along with the former tenant's as they had no trash pick up. I asked for some kind of refund, not expecting the entire amount, but at least one or two nights. I was told we could stay an extra night but that was not possible due to work schedules. The daughter said she would have to talk to her parents about it. I explained I would be writing my review based upon the outcome. Needless to say, I have heard nothing from Jammie. This is a beautiful chalet but unless it is bettered managed, I wouldn't chance it. Such a shame, as we would gladly have returned this year and possibly other times in the future.

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Helpful votes: 8 / 8

Barry and Cara Moore (Cincinatti, Ohio)
Review submitted: August 17, 2008   Date of arrival: August 17, 2008

Wow!!!! What a place to stay!! We have been coming to Gatlinburg for 7 years now and this by far has been the nicest cabin we have stayed in. Everything was exactly like it stated but better! We will be back next year for sure. The pictures don't do this place justice. This truly is a keeper!!! Thanks for sharing your beautiful home with us.

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Helpful votes: 6 / 7

Angela & Martin Egan (Las Vegas, NV)
Review submitted: July 1, 2007   Date of arrival: July 1, 2007

This really was an AWESOME getaway. We loved the mountain setting and the cabin was amazing! I would highly recommend this cabin for anyone wanting a peaceful, beautiful getaway.

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Helpful votes: 7 / 7