This is by far the best house we have rented in this area. The view is spectacular and I'm sure the flower gardens are nice in the spring. Hiking trails are close and there are wild animals are in the area. We saw several wild turkeys and a grouse. We even had one day of snow while the sun was out. The house is clean and well maintained. Take paper products as it doesn't have a dish washer. Our children loved the widow's watch as their private nook. The hot tub is labor intensive so we didn't try it. This is a great place to relax or to get out and hike. The waterfall is close and is gorgeous. Cherokee is close and Bryson City is only about 35 minutes away. Good restaurants in Bryson City. I would love to stay here again.
AnonymousThe listing information and pictures are accurate, the home is clean, well-maintained and has everything you need for a great get-away. Kitchen is clean and fully stocked (pots, pans, coffee maker, crock pot, but take your own paper plates, etc.). The gardens are beautiful. We did not try the hot tub, it's labor intensive Take marshmallows for the campfire, there is plenty of ready-to-burn wood already cut and waiting. Every room in the home has a great view of the mountains. Owners are readily available by phone to answer questions, we have already recommended this property to friends. Thanks for a great weekend.
JanieWhat a way to relieve stress - back to nature. Wonderful hiking and spectactular 360 views wherever you looked was amazing. hit the fall color just right. The home is exactly that - a home not just a rental. Wonderful kitchen and the master bedroom - what a treat to wake up to such a view. The hot tub was fantastic after a day of hiking - just get the fire started go hiking and 5 hours later it is nice and toasty. We will definitely be staying here again.
Island DwellersLocated on top of mountain, this awe-inspiring peaceful retreat is the perfect escape. With million dollar views from every corner, lush gardens, hummingbirds galore, and comfortable furnishings, my family and I did not want to leave. An interesting and delightful collection of books, CDs, and DVDs awaits. Hike to a waterfall, and return to a good soak in the cedar, rustic hot tub located under the stars. We did not leave the homesite for the first 4 days of our week long vacation, finding plenty to do include family bonding over puzzles, cards, and boardgames. We do recommend Smokemount Stables for excellent trail rides and Tuckaseegee Outfitters for white water kayaking or rafting. For souvenirs, I recommend the Qualla Co-op. This is across from the Cherokee Museum (a must do) and offers true Cherokee art, etc. Most of the trinket places around Cherokee offer junk made in China. Did not visit Harrah's...not our thing. Remember Cherokee is a dry reservation, so buy your wine and beer prior to arrival. Water rock is well stocked with all cooking gear, etc and we made wonderful meals every night. Very slim choice of restaurants in town and you won't be able to beat the views from the dining room or the upper deck at Water Rock. The drive up to the house is very long but beautiful. Relax and enjoy the ride. We certainly did. Water Rock was a truly amazing experience...zen-like, ethereal, rejuvenating. We cannot wait to return. As a final note, the owners of this property are wonderful. All plans went without a hitch, and all promises kept. Thanks again.
HeatherA bunch of buddies rented this house in the early fall (September 2011) and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The road (if you haven't read the reviews) will surprise you as it states does take 3.7 miles and about 15 miles to get up. Once you get to the top of the road you can see FOREVER. So beautiful. I am NOT a mountain person, but even I enjoyed this place. They have a great hot tub overlooking the mountains of TN, they have a great steam room mixed in with your upstairs shower, the kitchen is huge, the place is comfortable all the way around. I had the priveledge of sleeping in the loft the first night (I would call first dibs on another bed if you are NOT a morning person). We went to Harrahs Cherokee every night for gambling and drinks and had a good time. ( I lost, but it was still fun ) Harrah's is packed every night and is about 10 minutes from the place's driveway. You can get the best of both worlds (Casino-out with lots of people and crowds and Home-away from everyone except who you come with) I would recommend this property to anyone and if you would like to email me to ask questions I am sure I will be willing to tell all. Also the others would probably too!
AnonymousI stayed at this house with some friends for a long weekend and I cannot rate the experience high enough. The property is beautiful and the mountain views are breathtaking. While most mountain houses have a view of a mountain or two, this house provides a view of multiple mountain ranges. The sunset is amazing. We hardly drove anywhere the 3 days we were there. One understated aspect of this place is the awesome hiking that is available. The Black Rock peak is only a 2 mile hike from the front door and there is a nice waterfall less than half a mile away. Black Rock peak is a must see if you are comfortable hiking moutain trails. 360 degree views of all the ranges and towns. We grilled out in the evenings and made full use of the hot tub and fire pit. As mentioned in other reviews, if you are expecting all the amenities of modern homes, like dishwashers and Internet, then you will be disappointed (I will mention that Verizon gets enough of a signal to surf the web, however AT&T cannot place a call). I highly recommend this property for anyone looking for an awesome nature experience.
ToddWater Rock looks great online but it is so much better than the pictures. The owners of this home/property have thought of everything and it shows in the home's layout and the grounds. The view is spectacular and the sunsets cannot be described in words. Unbelievable. The multiple entries to the house make it easy to access from any point in the yard. Even different areas of the yard have multiple access points. The grounds are wonderfully landscaped with rock gardens, water features, a Zen garden, and the neatest hot tub we've ever seen. We spent hours in the hot tub looking up at millions of stars. Spectacular! Every room in the house has wonderful views. The library of books, CDs, movies, and games/puzzles is huge. The house is fully stocked with linens and cookware and utensils and plenty of wood for the firepit and hot tub is provided (so convenient!). The location is perfect for pet owners. It is secluded so our dog ran free and he has not moved a muscle since arriving home this afternoon because he is exhausted from all his exploring. His favorite lounging spot was in the Zen garden next to Buddha, which made for some great photo ops! Both bathrooms are wonderful, with a clawfoot tub in one and a fabulous steam shower in the other. The slate and hardwood floors throughout the house are beautiful. The lookout room was a huge hit among the children and adults alike with 360 degrees of mountainous beauty. The room contains two children's beds and our children were very comfortable sleeping there. The road leading to the house was long but as the web site describes, it is easy to travel. Some of our family arrived after dark but using the detailed directions provided, had no problem getting to the house. This is the first home I have visited that has been done exactly the way I'd do it if I had the know-how. The Dickersons' attention to detail is apparent in every square inch of the property. Thank you so much for sharing your home with us. We could not have asked for a better weekend
AnonymousThe views from the mountain top are gorgeous. Our large group found plenty of space and the wood stove(and electric heat) made the whole house cozy. There is a telephone land line and Verizon works, but we were happy to be a little less connected to the outside world. Instead we hiked, enjoyed the wood fired hot tub and made family meals in the large kitchen. A great way for our family to reconnect! The owner is a pleasure to work with. I would highly recommend this property.
Lucinda W.We stayed here a couple of days around new year and had a blast. The property is exactly as described by owner, and I will have to agree with all positive reviews before us. If you love the outdoors, messing with small fires, hiking (long or short), incredible views from everywhere, and the luxury of a well equipped home which is still very much in harmony with the seemingly untouched nature all around, this may be for you. The design of the place is pretty cool too. This place must be even more awesome in the other seasons. We were lucky enough to have snow, which indeed calls for a 4WD or at least a car equipped with proper snow tires and snowchains available. We stayed with 4 adults and 4 kids, ranging in age from 8 weeks to 5 yrs old, and that fitted well. Wood fire hot tub under the stars (in the snow) was epic. Cell phone: there was Verizon coverage, no AT&T. No 3G on Verizon so internet a bit slow, but hey, you like to be in a remote place or not. Owner is super friendly and responsive. Highly recommended, hope to go back some day.
BenOur stay was wonderful! We have great memories of our weekend at this beautiful home. The house was absolutely perfect and had plenty of room. We all loved being away from it all for a long weekend. The weather was also perfect and allowed us to do everything we had planned. We hiked to the waterfall, fished the trout waters and sat outside by the fire every evening. Thank you so very much for providing us the perfect place to truly experience the beauty of the mountains.
CLTThe house and gorgeous views did not disappoint. One of our favorite things was the large dining room table so we could all eat together for meals. The hiking trails while beautiful can be challenging as they are mostly uphill. Be prepared for a workout and to get dirty (especially if it's been raining.) As a side note, I would definitely recommend that at least one car in the traveling party is 4-wheel drive if there is any chance of rain while you're staying there because getting up the gravel road could pose a challenge. Finding a grocery store proved to be tricky so come prepared. All in all, our group of friends had a great time and would stay here again.
Courtney H.The views are amazing from this property. The road leading up to the property is long and in some places a bit bumpy, but we were able to travel this road every day without a four wheel drive vehicle. I might add, the journey was worth it. The house some age to it, but was very well suited to us. The only thing I would add would be cable. As much as I liked lounging and watching the sunsets, I am ashamed to say I missed seeing what was going on in the world. Thank you for a relaxing vacation, we hope to be back!
Melissa E.We had a wonderful family vacation here. Beautiful location with stunning views. Had a great time hiking to Black Rock. If you want to get away from it all this is the place for you. We were a group of 12 so a shower in the downstairs bath would have been nice.
AnonymousThe drive up the mountain was a great adventure that was the end of a five hour drive from our house. My husband was seeming concerned. Then we arrived! It was breathtaking to say the least. We were met by a large flutter group of butterflys beconing us to share their lofty hideaway. The house felt like home the second we came through the door. We toured around the property for the next hour just getting a glimpse of the hidden treasures that seemed to await us at every corner. The amazing sunsets taken in at the upper deck.... the view of the mists and clouds on the surrounding mountains in the morning. All rare gems that cannot be described... they are to be experienced. Our entire family enjoyed the hot tub and the roasting of hotdogs, marshmallows and smores at the fire pit. Breakfast cooked on cast iron and games without electronics! A very overdue vacation! There are plenty of attractions very nearby... Cherokkee and the Blue Ridge Parkway to the west, and Maggie Valley to the east.... but the best attractions were those spent enjoying our time at Water Rock. We are already planning to visit again. If you enjoy the outdoors, there are tons of beautiful places and this place is one of them. There were beautiful flowers, wild edible berrys, butterflies, creeks and more to see just in the yard of a beautiful house perched upon a majestic view. Nothing like waking up above the clouds. With the internet and basic phone we were able to connect to the outside world, but otherwise we were secluded into a piece of heaven. It was a great time had by all.
Heidi T.Had an amazing week long stay at Water Rock. Once you reach the house, it is secluded and offers so much with the views, trails and a garden (tomatoes were delicious) that you just don't want to leave. On the days that we did leave the house, we found it was excellently situated for Clingman's Dome, Catalooche Valley and Bryson City. The interior of the house is well furnished, with some nice touches (steam room with shower and standalone bath). Finally, the owner (Tama) is relaxed and helpful, he was available via phone and email to answer our questions. Highly recommended for anyone who loves mountains and/or nature!
KevinBest getaway we have had in years. Can’t wait to go back. Huge place and very comfortable. We had 10 and it was perfect. Long drive up the mountain but that's the only way to get a view that amazing. The host was amazing and made sure we had everything we need. Get there in the daylight the first day and put a fire in the hot tub first bathing. Its a learning experience but proved to be fun. Enjoy. We will be back for sure. We led to go skiing but you really don't need to. Enjoy.
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