My rating for our stay at The Wells is ***…read more This was an old-school type of motel with ground level rooms in one long building. I was immediately taken by a feeling of discomfort as we entered the room, I didn't know why. But when I saw how small & cramped of a space it was, I assumed it was this discomfort of being crowded. The king bed occupied most of the small room and we had to be careful to get around the bed corners. The bathroom had a rectangular shaped sink and a nice shower. A small refrigerator was available. The bed had a tall wooden frame around it to make me wonder what purpose it served. We had reserved for two nights. The brewery next door proved to be wonderful. Great craft beer and delicious sandwiches. The Wells had a nice trail though its slightly wooded grounds that was lit with cute tiny lights at night. A stream runs through part of the grounds with a nice gazebo to sit and take in all the wonder of this nicely staged property. It was unique. The first morning I noticed the bathroom sink was not draining well as I washed up. I also noticed a slightly brown tint showing on a bath mat on the floor next to the toilet. I went for a walk on the grounds as my husband took a shower. When I returned to the room, my husband said the shower did not drain. As I looked at the shower, I noticed a definite brown color to the undrained water in the shower. By now, it was clear to me the sewer was backing up into the room. We immediately called the proprietor to report what was happening. I started packing my belongings and told my husband I did not want to stay here. I had not taken my shower, nor did I want to at this point! Other people were seen in the parking lot loading up to leave. They were victims of this event too. The proprietor stated she would be giving us a refund. This was an isolated occurrence for sure, but one I will never forget! This event happened in Fall of 2024. I hope The Wells has insured it will never happen again.

Absolutely loved our stay at Wells. We stayed at the cottage on Lance road. The hotel and cottage…read moreare located in the center of town so easy to walk to shopping, activities and dining. The cottage was well appointed, warm, cozy and had all the amenities needed. Love the local farmers market and the quaint feel of entire town. Hotel offered contactless check in and checkout but managed to make ys still feel very well looked after. Look forward to returning.

Pax loved it and so did we! Amazing hotel, I can't say enough great things! Centrally located, the…read moremost pup friendly place I have ever been, room was spacious, staff was super friendly, and we all loved the courtyard and the balcony. It just so happens we had the most incredible weather too. Pax loved relaxing in the courtyard, and no one bothered us, which was amazing! Breakfast consisted of lots of local pastries (muffins, scones, etc that were delicious). The bed was extremely comfortable and large, perfect for a dog or two and two humans. We had the perfect stay in the Highlands for our Anniversary!

Our second stay at The Park on Main, our hotel of choice now in Highlands. Don't be concerned about…read morethe pets-welcomed experience if you're not a pet owner (we haven't been in nearly ten years); The Park on Main is kept immaculately clean and odor free, and you seldom, if ever, hear a bark. This is NOT just a hotel for pet owners. And the rooms are large and well maintained, furnishings comfortable and in new condition, and complimentary breakfast is very well done. Attentive staff and very responsive. Great location. You can't do better than this! We'll be back!

Fire Mountain Inn Cabins and Treehouse is a great stay. I wanted to relax in a place with the…read moremountain outlook, and this place offers a stress-free getaway due to Scaly Mountain and Blue Ridge Mountain. Parking: One-way trail after you hit a certain point on the property. Easy to navigate. Plenty of parking in the accommodation area. Service: Matthew and Hiram follow strict COVID-19 protocol here. Guests must wear masks around the property and maintain the 6-feet social distancing. They do not enter booked rooms 2 days before and after the guest's stay. Guests must go to the front desk to get service (extra toiletries, towels, etc.), as there is no maid service currently. No complaints about the service. WIFI: It's non-existent, even though there is "free" WIFI. Connection was not great. Some cellular service may come through, but it was nice to escape from the tech world. Location: Perfect! It's about a 15-20 minutes drive into downtown Highlands. Great distance away from great hikes and views. They have an easy trail throughout the property here, if you do not want to leave Fire Mountain. Massage 1-hour (3/5): Very nice lad but wasn't the best I've had. Great view when you enter though. Clean, high windows that will let the blazing sun through, so it can get a bit hot. The lady followed COVID-19 protocol. Fire & Water Restaurant Dinner (3/5): 1. Watermelon Gazpacho (2/5): It was refreshing with the watermelon. However, the flavor was lacking for me. Bland overall. 2. Cornmeal Crusted Trout (4/5): I cleaned most of this plate. Trout was crusted perfectly without too much cornmeal. Carrots with the sweet glaze were a nice touch. The other 2 veggies were OK. 3. Peach Cobbler (3/5): I'm not a big fan of cobbler. This was just OK for me. Matthew and Hiram are genuine and knowledgeable. They do try to keep up with this place. Matthew is a great cook, as he changes the breakfast and dinner menu up here and there. Would I come back? Yes. Only thing is the restroom.... the space is kind of cramped in our room, especially the shower. I did not like that.

Fire Mountain is a quiet inn nestled deep in the Nantahala National Forest. From arrival, co-owners…read moreHiram and Mathew's passion for the experience is apparent. I was greeted by Mathew and their adorable dog Lily, given a tour of the grounds, and handed maps of local hikes, waterfalls, and excellent places to eat in the nearby town of Highlands. The inn itself is thoughtfully decorated, a combination of rustic and posh which is typically a difficult balance to strike. And yet, they've achieved it with aplomb. I stayed in the Nantahala room at the Inn, drawn to the extra-large soaking tub that I used numerous times. I never expect these large tubs to fill adequately, and yet there was plentiful hot water to soak my cares away. The first thing you notice about Fire Mountain is the lack of modern distractions. There are no televisions and no radios. I had about two bars of LTE (Verizon) that kicked in right as I drove up the hill, allowing me to text my partner upon my arrival and feel like I could be "connected" if I chose to. The Inn also has guest WiFi which allowed me to do basic internet stuff as I pleased. It probably wouldn't support any streaming service... then again, why anyone would want to watch Netflix up here is beyond me! The other thing you notice is the air, which is a few degrees cooler than the nearby town of Dillard down the mountain (and a proper 10+ degrees cooler than the Devil's Doorstep I came from!). The humidity is low, even in mid-July. For this reason, Fire Mountain does not have air conditioning and doesn't need it. Despite being a lifelong Southerner, I'm quite sensitive to heat, but the temperature was comfortable my entire trip. Following Mathew's recommendation, I closed up my room in the morning and opened it back up mid-afternoon, leaving it open all night so I could rest peacefully serenaded by the crickets and tree frogs. I'm no stranger to this area, so the eight or nine mile drive into town was nothing to me. In fact, the winding mountain roads, two scenic overlooks, and abundant rhododendrons made each trip delightful. Hiram and Mathew's recommendations for food, shopping, and sights helped me reconnect with the Highlands region in blissful ways. Breakfast at Fire Mountain is substantial. Each breakfast started with a plate of fresh fruit. Mathew additionally provided boxed lunches for me, perfect for carrying up a mountain or down one of the area's many waterfall trails. I only wish I could have enjoyed dinner at the Inn, which was unfortunately not available during my stay. Such is life; I'll just have to return another time! I'm running out of space, so I'll just say that Fire Mountain was a 10/10 recommend from me. I can't wait to return!

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!

I have been coming here since I was 15…read more The area is absolutely gorgeous, the misty mountains painting a perfect backdrop for relaxation and golf, if you play. We are located in n the fairway forest , off i dont know what hole, but the views here are incredible. Our unit sleeps 6, is fully furnished and oh so comfortable!

DO NOT GO HERE FOR ZIPLINING. The staff is so rude, the girl Dee was the most unhelpful person…read moreever, and the facilities are underwhelming. We ended up going to Highlands Aeriel Park instead and had the best time. It is worth the drive and the additional costs to have an amazing day in Highlands vs this place.

The Bear Cave cabin was adorable! Beds comfy, the kitchen fully stocked, full size fridge, lots of…read morefresh towels, easy in and out access, quiet!!

Truly not what I expected, in the best way possible…read more We stayed in the Raccoon Loft through LivingSocial, which has a lofted "bedroom" upstairs over a living room, kitchen, dining room, bathroom, and another bedroom with a door. There were raccoons everywhere! From the lamp, to the salt and pepper holder, to every figurine, to the beanie baby hanging off the curtain rod... there was no mistake where we were! We had a great porch with a grill, and then next to the cabin was an outside area with chairs and a fire pit. Oh, and our cabin had the BEST MOVIE COLLECTION EVER. If you don't agree with me, there is also directv. As comfortable as our loft was, I could not get over the nature trails. We stumbled upon one after finding the tree house, and couldn't stop searching. So much thought throughout the whole area, I loved it. I commented immediately on our arrival how I thought someone had sprinkled the whole area in silver confetti (I believe thanks to the micah), but honestly, I would not put it past the owners to have sprinkled it themselves. So you can pan for gold in the "river", hang out on groovy way, play checkers in a hen house (beware the fox!), and oh, so much more. I think my favorite may have been the tree of prehistoric creatures... not to ruin too many surprises. it was a little odd being the only ones on property during the offseason, but during its peak times I could see some great times for kids as they make new friends in the common areas, playing horseshoes or checkers. Seriously, so awesome, I definitely could have stayed much longer! And I can't wait to return! Cell/internet was definitely spotty, so if you're looking for that type of seclusion, you can get it here!

Came here as a guest of a member while visiting highlands. We started playing pickleball (shout out…read moreto JT who was an awesome instructor). We got about 15 minutes into playing when there was thunder and we had to leave the courts. We ended up at the restaurant and were waiting out the rain. I appreciated their dedication to safety. Our waitress was nice but didn't mention they were out of multiple items until we tried to order them, which was frustrating. And then we found out the bar was still serving the items we tried to order. It was a bummer but in general a small annoyance in an otherwise pleasant afternoon

Wowza, what an experience!! We just left this morning and are already missing our friends at HH!!…read moreEvery detail was perfection- from the gorgeous decor and rustic, sumptuous rooms, to the stunning scenery and myriad of activities, and of course the absolutely perfect meals!! To top it off, every person on staff made us feel like family. The spa experiences and wine tasting are not to be missed! Kelsey does an incredible job with the perfectly curated beverage program! This place is a hidden gem but I doubt it will stay hidden long!

We are wyndham owners and are thrilled to have a resort we can come where there is no sales or…read more"updates" meetings being pushed on us! Pam checked us in and was fantastic filling us in on the places/trails to check out! The room was nice with the layout. Bedroom was large and the bed was incredibly comfortable! Everything was clean when we checked in the room. I did forget to take photos of the inside but definitely time for some updates as there's still popcorn ceilings, and counters are stained from use. We will absolutely be back again! We had a view of the bunny slopes from our deck.

We used this resort as a base for our 5-day plan to do some waterfall hikes in the Sapphire Valley…read more This was our second visit to this resort; the first was more than 5 years ago. We are not owners there. Location. The resort is in the mountains of North Carolina, with the main highlights being the wonderful natural attractions of the area. There are many hikes within an hour's drive to waterfalls in local state parks, on National Forest Service land, and even a walk around a Wyndham-owned lake. Note that while the mileage may seem short, most of the roads are mountainous and curvy. There are a few restaurants nearby, and an Ingles grocery store a few miles from the resort. The resort is in a quiet location; our enclosed back deck faced the woods. The area felt safe. Our one-bedroom unit was spacious, clean, and comfortable, but dated. On the plus side, it included everything we needed -- a comfortable bed, full kitchen, television, internet access, and laundry set within the unit. We also enjoyed having the enclosed back deck. However, as mentioned, it was somewhat dated though some things (such as light fixtures had been updated). A few concerns. Noise traveled from our neighbor's unit, even when they spoke at normal volume. And, there were no handicap-accessibility fixtures (such as grab bars) in the shower. We appreciated the *free* activities available at the resort, including indoor pool, wet and dry saunas, jacuzzi tub, miniature golf, and the hike/walk around the lake down the street. While most of our time was spent exploring the area, we also participated in an hour of bingo at the resort. Together, my husband and I played 4 cards for $10; I won the final (of 8) games and got back our $10. There were other activities too that we passed on.