Nice lodge. Good food and drinks. Go for the vibes. Obv for…read moreserious shredding, go west. Otherwise Hatley is a Nice local mountain.

From the owner: A Hidden Gem in the Blue Ridge Mountains…read more Escape to luxury and adventure at Hatley Pointe, a boutique mountain resort nestled in the breathtaking peaks of Western North Carolina. Whether you're here for ski season or soaking in the serenity of the off-season, Hatley Pointe offers a unique blend of upscale comfort and rustic charm.

This is a great ski resort for family with small kids, they have private and group ski lessons and…read morechildren and adults. I booked the private lessons for my little ones and hubby, they all learned so much and got very comfortable after 1 hour lesson, great techniques. I love that the ski resort is smaller than all the other ones, family friendly with 2 different bunny slopes, great for kids to practice as first timer. Ski rental was efficient and we got our gears quickly. I recommend to buy the tickets and reserve the lessons online so you don't need to wait there. Overall, wonderful, fun experience despite the weather was rainy and foggy. We made the best out of our time at the resort. Highly recommended!

We had a great time, we arrived 30 minutes late for our snow tubing appointment and the person…read moreassisting us was super kind by letting us in even though they were booked with appointments. I recommend this places we had a lot of fun!

One of two cabins we booked for our ski trip was through Scenic Wolf Resort (at Wolf Ridge)…read more Scenic Wolf Resort is a collection of mountain cabins located at Wolf Ridge. I'm not sure of the construction date of the cabins, but they all look relatively new. The development is a bit "cookie-cutter" as almost all the cabins look the same. Most, if not all, seemed to have multiple balconies with hot tubs and nice mountain views. We stayed in Cabin #121, which was a 3-bed, 2.5-bath unit. The cabin was clean and in great condition. It was nicely furnished and decorated. The couches and beds were comfortable and the kitchen was nice. Thermostat worked well as did the Internet Wi-Fi. Gas fireplace. Several board games, including Catch Phrase, were provided. Downstairs, in the unfinished basement, there was an air hockey table, pool table, and dart board. Then, of course, there was the covered outdoor hot tub, which several of us made good use of after a long day of skiiing. Probably my favorite part of the cabin, though, was TVs in almost every room and each had cable. My only significant complaint is that the cell phone service (for most major providers) was very bad. Most of the time, we had no signal. My other complaints are minor and mostly inconsequential. For example, the hot tub could have been hotter (we couldn't get it to go over 99 degrees). The dart board was missing darts and the provided DVD collection was a bit weak. Overall, however, I was pleased with our cabin and had a very good stay. Check-in and check-out were both a breeze. We checked in late and checked out late. This meant we never saw a single person at the Welcome Center. Instead, we used the drop boxes located outside the Welcome Center to pick up and return the key and forms. Pricing for the cabin was reasonable and the owner was accommodating to our late checkout time. The cabins are located near the top of a mountain, the base of which starts at Puncheon Fork Rd. The base to the top is a slow and windy 8-minute drive. The entire path is paved. If there is no inclement weather (snow/ice), a two-wheel drive car is fine. However, if there *is* inclement weather, a four-wheel drive car is necessary. In order to get to the Wolf Ridge Ski Resort, we had to drive down the mountain and back up another way. The drive from cabin to ski resort was about 15 minutes. Scenic Wolf Resort has a "lodge" though we never ventured inside to see what it offers. It looked dead the entire time we were there. There was also a heated, glass-enclosed, indoor swimming pool with water slide.

Scenic Wolf Resort's cabin was probably one of the nicest cabins I've stayed at. Most previous…read morecabins I stayed at were more rustic and barebones. The cabin at Wolf Creek was modern and nice. The cabin was large and we were able to fit 7 people no problem. The beds were comfortable; we had no trouble sleeping. Most bedrooms had their own TV with cable. They also had extra bed sheets in the closet. In the living room, we had a gas-log fireplace. That's cool because we didn't need to mess with getting firewood or need to start a fire. They also had a ton of DVDs and board games for our entertainment. The kitchen was fully stocked with utensils, pots, pans, bowls, plates, cups etc. The kitchen was quite nice. It provided lots of counter space to allow many cooks in the kitchen. The basement was unfinished though. It kind of took away from the whole experience. I think if they finished the basement, it would add a lot of value to the entire cabin. The basement had an air-hockey table, pool table, hot tub, and a dart board. However, since it was so cold in the basement and was unfinished, nobody wanted to go down there to play any of the games. Their WiFi was great. It was fast and had no trouble connecting. There is no cell service at our cabin. They do have a landline available in the master bedroom. So if you have to make an emergency call, you can use the landline. The bathrooms didn't have enough shampoos, soaps, or enough towels. I don't know if extra towels can be provided, but I wished they had more. If you want to come here, make sure to go to weather.com and check for ice or snow. You will need snow chains if you want to come here during snowy, icy times.

That's our second time in Catakoochee and I think we are done. They gave natural snow but they…read morecomplete with artificial one and that's fine for us. The problem for us it's they don't have an kids area, as a lot of places do. If you don't go there to show or ski there isn't anything to do, other places have like kids area that you can play in the snow or do sliding. But at least my daughter saw again snow and got the "Elsa feeling" Food was good there (burguer) but took so long to be done, prices of food were OK, for sky I considered expensive as the size of the mountain

First and last time visiting Cataloochee Ski Area…read more This place is extremely overpriced and poorly managed. Even after buying tickets online, the moment you arrive you are forced to stand in long lines. I waited only to be helped by an employee who openly stated she was new and clearly not trained. You do not put untrained staff at the front dealing with frustrated customers. That is basic operations management. I paid for full ski gear including helmets. The boots were absolutely terrible. Extremely tight and uncomfortable. Thankfully, a young gentleman from Peru tried his best to help my family and showed real effort, but even after multiple attempts the boots were still uncomfortable and painful. That says a lot about the equipment quality. The rental process is a complete mess. You go through three separate checkpoints just to get gear. For jackets alone, there was only one person helping a massive line of people. Boot rental was the worst part. The area was hot, chaotic, and the boots never fit properly. Instead of protecting your feet, they cause pain. The helmets were disgusting, soaked in old sweat and smelled terrible. That is unacceptable from a hygiene standpoint. When we finally got to the ski area, the staff provided almost no guidance. Nobody explained to the kids how to use the equipment or how to engage the boots with the skis. For a resort that clearly attracts first time skiers and families, the lack of basic instruction is shocking. We arrived around 3:40 PM and it took nearly three hours just to get all the rental equipment. By the time we were ready, everyone was tired, frustrated, and cold. I do not recommend paying for more than four hours because nobody actually tracks time, so it is basically wasted money. If you are a beginner, do not rent extra gear here. It is expensive, uncomfortable, and poorly managed. We flew from Miami to give our kids a nice Christmas experience and instead they ended up exhausted and disappointed due to the constant lines, checkpoints, and confusion. The workflow is broken and badly needs improvement. Staff training is clearly lacking, especially for helping first time skiers. Parking is another issue. You are forced to walk down a steep hill to enter and climb the same hill when leaving, which is not family friendly at all. I regret every single penny spent here. It is no surprise they force you to sign a no refund waiver. They know their operation is flawed and that customers are likely to be dissatisfied. This was my first visit and absolutely my last.

Our experience at Sugar Mountain Resort was extremely disappointing…read more We are complete beginners and had never skied before. The resort is advertised as "beginner-friendly" with good instructors, so we felt confident choosing this place for our first experience. We arrived just one hour after opening and were told there were no private lessons available for the entire day. Not only that - it was impossible to book anything in advance. If you are on vacation, apparently you have to show up at 7 AM and fight for a spot just to maybe get a lesson. It felt very disorganized. It seems like the number of instructors is very limited because it's more profitable for them to sell group lessons. Since there were no private options, we had to take a group lesson. There were 8 people in the group, possibly more. The instructor was honestly terrible. We didn't understand anything, and whenever we said we were confused, he just replied that we were "doing great" without actually explaining anything properly. It felt like he just wanted to rush through the lesson as quickly as possible and move on to the next group. We were immediately taken to a small slope, which was already challenging for people who had never even stood on skis before. No one properly explained the basics. Most importantly, we were never clearly shown how to fall safely - which is essential for beginners. By the end of the lesson, we hadn't learned how to properly snowplough stop (the pizza technique) or make snowplough turns. At the very end, the instructor took us to a slightly steeper slope and just said, "Follow me." It ended in chaos. Everyone went down however they could. I was pulled toward the magic carpet lift twice, had to take off my skis, and that was it. We left frustrated and upset. Our first skiing experience was completely ruined. We genuinely started to feel like skiing just wasn't for us. Ironically, watching YouTube videos that evening was more helpful than the lesson we paid for. Thankfully, we later went to Appalachian Ski Mountain, and the difference was unbelievable. You can book everything online in advance - lessons, equipment, everything. We initially booked one instructor because that was all that showed online, but when we arrived, they were able to find two more instructors so each of us could have a proper private lesson. The instructors there were friendly, patient, and explained all the fundamentals clearly. Within one hour we learned how to snowplough stop (pizza), make snowplough turns, and confidently ski on green runs. We actually enjoyed skiing and left happy and excited. If you are a beginner, I strongly recommend going to Appalachian Ski Mountain instead. Otherwise, your first skiing experience might completely discourage you from this sport.

Check-in was simple, code for the entryway worked with no issues. Very clean! Plenty of space with…read morealmost everything you'll need in the kitchen. Bed was in good condition overall. Games available which the kids loved. The view was great and they also have a bumper pool table in the dining room although it's a little lopsided (makes it more challenging and fun actually!) Check-out was easy as well. We are going to be coming back many more times, and hope to stay in this specific room and with this rental company as it was a wonderful experience. I highly recommend this company as well as this unit.

Really short tubing track with a very long line. The hill ends in a gravel area and an inflatable…read moreback stop. If you are lucky, you hit it from the side. If you're not, you either get pushed in half from behind or laid out as you skid underneath it. Either way, it is super dangerous. It was a lot of money for 4 of us and there is a giant "no refunds" sign on the window. Just save yourself the trouble and go somewhere else.

Great activity for the family. Staff members were helpful and very kind. 2 hour session was enough…read moreto zoom down the slope over a dozen times. Would recommend to anyone during the season. My daughter had an absolute blast the entire time!

This place is a charming, gem of a place! The customer service bus outstanding (Dave and Fred). The…read moreInn is purposely dated in decor and clean. Feels like you stepped back in time to an old ski Inn. Beautiful views and about 5 min from Beech Skiil slopes. Dave is a chef. Highly recommend the pizza. Hand tossed and brick oven baked.

I haven't been skiing in forever, and because our holiday cruise fell through, we chose to do a ski…read moretrip that was within driving distance to Atlanta, GA. Little did I know, or maybe I just forgot, that my girlfriend frequented ski resorts growing up, but hasn't been in over a decade. Having done extensive research, I chose Beech Mountain. This is a resort town and the surrounding areas felt like we weren't in the U.S. The quaint village was so welcoming and relaxing and it was amazing to hear several different languages at this resort - Ukrainian, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and more. We arrived after it had snowed so it was the perfect winter escape. I recommend renting your equipment, if you don't already have yours. We chose White Wolf lodge to rent our skis, poles, and boots and the process was quick and the workers were friendly. Heading to the mountains, we decided to do the twilight and the entire resort and property felt like a real vacation overseas vacation. They had various buildings and houses that operated as standalone restaurants, rental shops, and more. Additionally, we were so excited to be there we didn't realize we got on the wrong lift that took us up to the very top for a black diamond slope. Because I haven't been skiing as much as my girlfriend, I took her lead and followed her, which was a big mistake. Let's just say I have never had more fun then wiping out face first in front of experience skiers and snowboarders. Once we eventually made it down the slope we found a more user friendly slope that we conquered with perfection and then we upgraded to intermediate slope. We continued skiing for several hours and the night time views from the lift were stunning. The pictures here don't begin to reveal how beautiful it was. SIDE NOTE: for any beginning skiers, it is not as intimating as you may think. Just be confident, listen to instructions, and by all means don't be afraid to fall.

Amazing experience thanks to lovely people. Our ski instructor, Peter Soria, was absolutely…read morefabulous today. He demonstrated the utmost patience and exceptional guidance with our children. He truly went above and beyond to accommodate our family and ensure that our kids had the best day possible on the mountain. It was a very chaotic day, and without Peter, I can't imagine how it would have gone. Skiing with four young boys is challenging, to say the least, but Peter handled everything with calm, kindness, and professionalism. He is phenomenal and deserves to be celebrated all year long at Beech Mountain.

Our kids try skiing and tubing and Sugar Mountain Ski Resort delivered on the activities with a few…read morecaveats. If you're expecting a ski-town vibe like Breckenridge, Colorado, this isn't that. Sugar Mountain is a practical ski resort. The skiing terrain is best suited for beginners to intermediate skiers and is not ideal for Olympic-level skiing. Most people on the mountain appeared to be beginners, which actually made the environment feel low-pressure, relaxed, and family-friendly. We enrolled our kids in ski lessons through the ski/snowboard school and that was a highlight of the trip. The instructors were patient, knowledgeable, and very kid-friendly. The kids also went snow tubing, which they really enjoyed. Ski/ snowboard school spots and tubing sessions fill up quickly. Book in advance. It's also a good idea to pick up rental equipment the day before lessons to avoid long lines. Kids get a cubby at ski school, so sending them with a water bottle and an extra snack is helpful, especially for the 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM sessions. Parents can watch from the upper deck or the Last Run Lounge, which serves adult beverages and has excellent views of the ski school area. It's a great spot to watch the kids while enjoying a drink and a meal. The resort does get crowded for its size, and parking fills up quickly, so arriving early is important. You are allowed to bring your own food and drinks, though food options are available on site. Pro tips: wear sunscreen and UV-protective sunglasses or ski goggles (even if you're just watching), and bring small bills if you plan to tip the shuttle drivers. Overall, Sugar Mountain is a beginner-friendly, family-oriented resort that works well if you plan ahead and manage expectations.

Sugar Mountain Ski resort is a no-frills ski mountain, so if you're expecting a ski town vibe like…read moreBreckenridge, you'll be disappointed. Sugar is no pressure, most people out here look like they're beginners. We enrolled our kids in ski lessons through the ski/snowboard school. The instructors were patient, kid-friendly, and knowledgeable. Kids had a blast. Kids also went tubing, which they enjoyed. Both tubing and ski lessons must be booked in advance, and for ski school it's best to pick up rental equipment the day before to avoid long lines. Kids get a cubby at the ski school, so send them with a bottle of water and an extra snack if they're doing the ski school from 10 AM to 3 PM. Parents can watch their kids while in school from the upper deck or stay warm in the cafeteria. Upstairs is Last Run Lounge (adults only). The resort does get pretty crowded for its size, so plan accordingly. Parking fills up fast, leaving early helps. You're allowed to bring your own food and drinks, though there are food options available for purchase on site. Pro tips: wear sunblock and UV-protective sunglasses or ski goggles (even as a spectator). Bring cash (single dollar bills) tip the shuttle drivers. Overall, Sugar Mountain is a practical, beginner-friendly option that works well if you plan ahead and manage expectations.