Vacation Rentals by Owner

Third Time's the Charm!

Guest: Silversand (Semmes, AL)
Date of Stay: 04/07/12 Review Submitted: 05/21/12

Our family has stayed at this stunning cabin for three years in a row over Easter weekend and it keeps getting better every year. Jeannette is so helpful and does everything she can to make our stay easy and hassle free. The kids look forward to gem stone mining (Rose Creek Mine is our favorite:-) every year and we even got a few to have cut and set this year! The best thing about this place is the central location to everything you could possibly want in the mountains. However, we always set aside a few days to just "chill" and enjoy the breathtaking views and peaceful quiet that this beautiful place has to offer. We'll be back again next year for sure, but maybe sooner if we can!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful Return Visit!!

Guest: Jaime S. Johnson (Greenville, SC)
Date of Stay: 04/03/12 Review Submitted: 05/01/12

We love coming to stay here, have visited several times!! Love dealing with the owner, always a great experiance. Beautiful home!! Wonderfully decorated. This home is great for relaxing on the porch with the amazing views & you never have to leave if you don't want to. But there are also plenty to do close by, if you do want to get out & about - white water rafting in the summer, snow tubbing in the winter, plus much more! Sightseeing, nature hikes. Unique shopping in/around town, including close by town of Highlands. Can't wait to come back & stay again!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Paradise In The Mountains

Guest: Dorry (Florida)
Date of Stay: 02/14/12 Review Submitted: 03/01/12

Dear Jeanette, Thank you so much for allowing us to stay at your beautiful mountain home. We were so amazed at the amount of detail you put into the home, and very surprised that you wouldn't mind sharing it with others. We are so blessed to have been able to stay there. NOW, let me tell you something to tell those folks about the road up to your house! It is not a big deal! I have never driven in the mountains before yet still wanted the beauty your home had to offer. So we took 3 different vehicles with 3 drivers of various ages to meet up at your home. I am 65 and drove a Ford Escape. My daughter is 33 and drove a Nissan Murano and my 19 year old son drove a Honda Pilot. Not one of us had any problem. We took you advice in your instructions, and just "drive it like you own it" which meant drive with confidence instead of hesitating at corners. That made all the difference in the world. I checked with a family member who owns a car dealership, about which vehicles to drive and he said most vehicles today are all "front wheel drive", which is what you need to drive up a mountain road. You don't have to have a 4 x 4 to get to your home, you just have to drive the road like you own it. So to those of you out there who are thinking about the road, check out your vehicles bar code on the inside drivers door panel or the sticker on the window when you bought your vehicle and just make sure that you do not have the old 'rear wheel drive' Most pick up trucks and vans DO have rear wheel drive so they will not be good for your road.. Any SUV will make it and any small car with front wheel drive OR All wheel drive will make it. Front wheel drive, All Wheel Drive (which is not the same think as saying 4 x 4) OR a 4x4 will make it. Its just that going up a packed gravel driveway with a rear wheel drive vehicle will tear up your road. You can still get there but it does tear up the driveway, which is what you told us you wanted to prevent. So now you have....the rest of the story!! Thanks and see you again in the fall!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Revived Renter

Guest: Jenny (St. Augustine, Fl.)
Date of Stay: 12/23/11 Review Submitted: 01/10/12

This cabin is truely a hidden treasure. From the moment we pulled up the long driveway we knew we had made the right choice. Not only was the cabin absolutely beautiful, it was warm and home like too. The kitchen with its open air designe and granet counters made me feel like I was cooking in a professional kitchen except with a warm inviting flare. Our family had our best Christmas ever! The view was awsome, the wild life exciting, and our nightly campfire gave the family time to laugh and talk about the day. We loved sitting on the porch each evening wrapped up in blankets with a glass of wine and watching the most beautiful sun sets. We can't wait to go back and try a different season next time.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful home!

Guest: Nick & Denise (Sarasota, Florida)
Date of Stay: 08/13/11 Review Submitted: 09/04/11

This was our first vacation to NC and we were extremely pleased with this home and location. It is off the "beaten path”, and well worth the minimal extra effort. The kitchen was Incredible! The house was very well equipped with every possible luxury. There were rooms where we could hang out together, or spaces (inside and out) where we could be on our own when we wanted. The screened porch with its rockers was wonderful! The flying Squirrels were a great treat for my 2 and 4 year old. Jeanette and her husband have truly created a wonderful private oasis!!!! THANK YOU!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

This Bearpaw get-away was perfect!

Guest: Trish (Washington Grove, MD)
Date of Stay: 07/16/11 Review Submitted: 07/25/11

I was looking for an elegant mountaintop retreat in the North Carolina mountains. This place is EXACTLY as advertised. The owner was extremely pleasant to work with -- please follow her suggestion of 4WD only. I do not think any other vehicle can make the steep incline. Once up at the top of the mountain, the effort would be worth it. The house was tastefully furnished, quiet, peaceful, and clean. Being a lover of mountains and nature, this place was perfect. I am a birder. I loved having the hummingbirds eat from the feeder while I was holding it. I also loved the flying squirrels who ate out of my hands at night as well. The kitchen had everything we wanted and then some. Many rentals we have experienced leave you with the bare essentials - this kitchen had all the paper products, spices, and even coffee! You can cook from the stove while looking out over a beautiful valley and the mountain ridges beyond. Having a cup of coffee in the morning on the screened in porch is just as relaxing as having a glass of wine watching the sunset later. The beds were very comfortable (although I wish the pillows were fluffier) and the jacuzzi in the master bath was used often. You can awake each morning to gorgeous views! I know of a lot of activities nearby, however, all we wanted was a relaxing getaway to enjoy the peace and quiet so we did not take advantage of the river, hiking, gem mining, or other nearby adventures. It's a great place to curl up to read a good book. We hope to return soon. Our thanks to the owners for making this a truly unforgettable vacation!!

Owner response:Thank you so much Trish! I will buy more new pillows! Also, I personally rented an all wheel drive vehicle at the Asheville NC Airport recently and it worked1 NC rental car agencies know their vehicles.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Beautiful!

Guest: Chris (Lakewood, N.Y.)
Date of Stay: 08/21/10 Review Submitted: 09/27/10

Well, what can I say that hasn't already been said! Not much. The house (and it is a house - not the typical chalet description) is everything and more - welcoming, homey, comfortable, beautiful, need I go on. It has has everything you could possibly want or need. Absolutely loved having breakfast on the screened-in deck each morning and in the evenings watching the sunsets, which were beautiful (had lots of sun the week we were there which made for some awesome sunsets), having a glass of wine and listening to some CDs. Other than watching the weather channel to get the weather for the next day, didn't even turn the TV on and didn't miss it - it was quiet, peaceful and relaxing. We were disappointed seeing only one flying squirrel, though, and was looking forward to seeing more of them - but we had butterflies galore; chickadees, etc. and a hummingbird which visited us several times a day - every day - and toward the end of the week, got brave enough to stay at the feeder while I tried to get closer. That was a treat - being so close to it. The owner was wonderful to work and she made me feel more like a friend that a business client. She was helpful with any and all questions we had and supplied quite a bit of information about the area. Jeanette - continued success with your home - it is beautiful! I wish we lived closer so we could visit again soon.

Owner response:Thank you Chris!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful, Wonderful, Wondeful

Guest: Frances and Gene (Jackson Missouri)
Date of Stay: 07/31/10 Review Submitted: 09/13/10

Our family had the pleasure of staying at this wonderful cabin, we actually hated to leave. The pictures do not do this spectacular cabin justice. The kitchen is a dream come true I enjoyed fixing our breakfast, and every evening meal. View absolutely magnificent. Flying squirrel amazing. Be prepared to take lots of pictures. Cabin is decorated super. You will spend time just enjoying the furnishing. The screened in porch was amazing and very very enjoyable. Every morning we had quite time enjoying the view and our morning coffee. Close enough to take trips to Pigeon Forge, Indian Reservation, and of course the wonderful gem mines. The train ride to Dillsboro was well worth the trip itself, and we made several trips back to Cherokee. We had a vacation we will never forget, and plan on returning if possible to this wonderful cabin. We even had a turkey that would pay us a visit almost on a daily basis. Enjoyed the firepit and the night sky. Road to cabin was not as we thought was a little rough the first time and it was getting dark with we arrived, but we put the GMC in auto and had no problems . Was totally worth the trip. Jeanette was extremely pleasant to work with, very kind and honest and answered all of our questions quickly and correctly. I cannot say enough about this wonderful property. Mountain view was super. I cannot say enough but this property is wonderful. I had looked at multiple locations before finding this cabin, when we saw it we thought it was to good to be true, and the real truth came when we arrived. My family was overwhelmed when we saw the inside for the first time, and the view. Would recommend to anyone. Hope to return very soon.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

What a week!

Guest: Sarah (Ft Mitchell, KY)
Date of Stay: 07/18/10 Review Submitted: 07/26/10

Our stay at Bear Paw was wonderful! I can't say enough about the cabin! Beautiful, immaculate, welcoming and peaceful are only a few words to describe it! My husband, 2 children and I can't wait to visit again! Being on top of the mountain, nature at your doorstep, yet not too far from town! One week was too short! Thank you for the great memories!!

Owner response:Thank you!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Honeymoon Getaway!

Guest: Doug n' Ruthie (Irmo, South Carolina)
Date of Stay: 07/11/10 Review Submitted: 07/20/10

It was our 40th anniversary getaway, and certainly one of the most special. With the Bearpaw Lodge being the only house on the ridge of a mountain at the end of a scenic ( ... and adventurous) gravel driveway, you knew that privacy wasn't going to be an issue. We had a wonderfully romantic time - eating most meals in the screened-in porch, doing puzzles, reading books, watching Jane Austen movies, and relaxing in the wonderful bedroom of the honeymoon suite. Bearpaw Lodge is a very special place ... providing the quiet environment that allows you to enjoy a symphony of nature (unusual birds singing, squirrels & flying squirrels chittering, hummingbirds humming, occasional claps of thunder & flashes of lightning, summer rain storms, etc.) And the moon and the stars in the mountain night sky, along with the 15-20 degree cooler temperatures ... really let us know that we had successfully escaped the sweltering heat of a South Carolina summer. A beautiful place! A great place to spend focused time enjoying a companion of a lifetime!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Everything promised and more!

Guest: Lanie (Baton Rouge, LA)
Date of Stay: 07/08/10 Review Submitted: 08/04/10

Wow! That pretty much sums it up! The cabin and setting were amazingly beautiful! This was a much needed getaway for me, my husband, and 2 children from the HOT Louisiana summer! We went on hikes to find some perfect mountain streams, listen to birds, and just enjoy the mountain air. The flying squirrels are hilarious - thought my husband was going to have a Chevy Chase (Vacation) moment at one point, but they just sat right in front of us, chomping away on the corn and sunflower seeds while we snapped lots of pictures. Too cute! We highly recommend this cabin for a private getaway! Thanks for opening up your home to us! We definitely plan to come back!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

Best Mountain Retreat We've Ever Rented~

Guest: The Taylor's (Lancaster, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 06/19/10 Review Submitted: 07/07/10

Bear Paw Wilderness Retreat was everything the listing indicated and more! We have rented cottages and cabins from the “northern shore” of Michigan to Cape Cod, and have never stayed in better accommodations. The location was perfect for day trips and sightseeing – Biltmore, Sliding Rock, Chimney Rock, waterfall tour and gallery-hopping, to name a few. It was always nice at the end of the day to return to such a peaceful and beautiful retreat. The house was so comfortable it was hard to get everybody moving in the morning! I would recommend Bear Paw without hesitation to anyone interested in top-quality accommodations. Jeanette and Denny, thanks again for the opportunity to stay in your fabulous home.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

The best family vacation!

Guest: Silversand (Semmes, AL)
Date of Stay: 04/03/10 Review Submitted: 04/10/10

Our family had the most wonderful Spring Break ever at your beautiful cabin in the sky! We had a few interesting moments on our first trip up the mountain, but after a few times up and down we got used to it. The most wonderful thing was the cabin and the Views! We spent a few days just enjoying the cabin, wildlife and your gourmet kitchen. We cooked most of our meals, and you had just about everything we could want or need. The daily wildlife shows were fun for the kids. We sat at the windows and tried to identify all of the birds that came up to the feeders. And while the kids loved having the loft area all to themselves, my husband and I loved the screened porch where we could watch the clouds roll by. All in all you have a very special place and we will absolutely return!

Owner response:Thank You So Much! Our home is your home:) I am so happy you agree that its worth the trip up:) Everyone tells us it is the most spectacular home they have ever stayed in! We are blessed to be able to share it with everyone.jcp

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

Guest: Bo Stanford (-)
Date of Stay: 10/31/09 Review Submitted: 10/31/09

My wife and I have been renting homes and cabins in the Smokies for over 12 years. The view from this home is, hands down, the absolute best that we have seen. You just want to stand there, look over God's creation and take it all in. There are no road noises, no vehicles passing in your view, no other homes to look down on, and nothing to interfere with total relaxation and isolation from the "rat race" we all live in. As you drive up the mountain to Bears Paw, you soon realize that this place is, up and away, "over" all other homes on the mountain. You just begin to think you may never get there, when ,you are there, overlooking miles and miles and miles of beautiful mountains. At night, the lights of Franklin blink in the distance and remind you that civilization is only a few minutes away (if you decide you just have to go there). The home is absolutely beautiful, very comfortable and so easy to fall in love with. There is incredible woodwork, tons of mountain decor, all amenities ;and, if you get bored, check out the "critters". Birds, gray squirrels, flying squirrels, and racoons come up for chow and to "just show off." What a great place. I want to thank the "Peels" for sharing their home with those of us who need a break from "stuff".............. Go and enjoy..................... Bo and Cindy Stanford

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Guest: Peggy and Rodney (Branford, Fl)
Date of Stay: 08/02/09 Review Submitted: 08/02/09

This home is absolutely gorgeous both in it's location with the awesome views and with the interior design. I don't think I've ever rented a place so tastefully decorated. And every little detail you can imagine is taken care of. You will want for nothing. Most charming are the little flying squirrels that come out at night and gobble down the sunflower seeds. One even let me pet him while the camera was running. We had a spectacular time and hope to return next year. The road to the home is a little intimidating but once you go up and down a couple of times it's no sweat. I can highly recommend this rental to anyone who is looking for a beautiful place to stay and relax and unwind. Jeanette has thought of every little detail to make your visit carefree and memorable. Peggy and Rodney from Florida

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Guest: Pam Pettijohn (Harlingen, Texas)
Date of Stay: 07/06/09 Review Submitted: 07/06/09

Hi, Jeanette. Well, we made it back to Texas, and we are still raving about our wonderful vacation. We opened a Snapfish account and narrowed our many pictures to only 95! Ha! Many you will not be too interested in, but I think you'll find some that are pretty interesting. For instance, we got good shots of three beautiful moths, as I mentioned...the Luna Moth, the Promethea silkmoth, and your brightly colored pink moth-I THINK, still not identified. I am especially impressed that our Luna is much brighter and more vivid than any I have ever seen illustrated in my books. It was a "lifer" for me and Lindsay as well. Isn't it just stunning? And, I still am so fascinated by the snake-head wingtips of the Promethea silkmoth. Such detail..snake scales even. I read that there is a caterpillar with similar markings that can actually blink the eye features. How can anyone imagine that all this just happened randomly? We are still laughing at those little clowns--the flying squirrels. After being cautious we gradually realized they were unfazed by us, and many of our pictures were taken 3 feet away. We were very careful not to frighten those precious creatures. At one point we walked back to the grill and watched them fly over your home. I was amazed at that. We absolutely loved and thoroughly enjoyed your home..do you know that we actually cooked EVERY meal there, only eating out on the road. We enjoyed your lovely kitchen, making good use of the local farmers' markets and the wealth of fresh veggies, fruits and berries. We packed our own lunches for daily excursions, and our little girls loved the picnics. We hit the local gem mines, and each of us found rubies, emeralds, saphires, topaz, and of course beautiful garnets...our favorite mine was by far Ruby Creek, where the folks not only guided us throughout our hunt, but also bagged and labeled our stones. During that warm day they also provided us with cool treats to keep us comfortable. We found tons of beautiful stones. Every busy day was ended going up to Bear Paw, looking forward to a good shower, dinner at the family table, comic entertainment under the stars and a blessed rest in wonderful bedcovers! Bill and I were awakened almost every morning by a beautiful male cardinal tapping on the high window pane..early too! You have no idea what it mean to to me to see Bill and Lindsay melt into relaxation and rest! I hope everything was in place and very close to how we found it. We were so blessed to have

Owner response:This family truly brought joy to our decision to rent our retirement home.

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Guest: Diane Brannon1 (Leesburg, Florida)
Date of Stay: 03/19/09 Review Submitted: 03/19/09

Our family was treated to the most enjoyable, relaxing and spiritually renewing week at Bear Paw. A perfect setting, high up on a mountain with spectacular views in addition to a gorgeous timber frame cabin decorated beautifully with every creature comfort. We felt like pampered royalty! Bear Paw provided something for everyone. As an avid nature photographer I was treated to many wonderful opportunities to make spectacular landscape and animal images. Being so close to the flying squirrels feeding off the deck railing each evening was a wonderful new photographic experience for me. Going into the surrounding towns to browse or to dinner, checking out the many waterfalls in the area, hiking, horse back riding or simply staying at the cabin sitting on the screened lanai enjoying the sights and sounds of the mountains was heaven. The week went much too quickly. I would be remiss mot to mention how helpful and accommodating the owners, Jeanette and her husband were. We unfortunately ran into a problem with our van going up the mountain the afternoon we arrived. Jeanette went to great lengths to assist us in coming up with a solution. In the meantime as we were working on putting her plan in action she contacted several other properties in the area where we could stay in the event we were not successful. Thankfully her solution worked as I know there is nothing in that area that could have measured up to our stay at Bear Paw. We definitely will chose Bear Paw as our first choice our next trip to North Carolina!

Owner response:*This is how we learned that Vans were not good choices for our road.

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Guest: Diane Brannon (Leesburg, Florida)
Date of Stay: 03/19/09 Review Submitted: 03/19/09

Our family was treated to the most enjoyable, relaxing, and spiritually renewing week at Bear Paw. A perfect setting, high up on a mountain with spectacular views in addition to a gorgeous timber frame cabin decorated beautifully with every creature comfort. We felt like pampered royalty! Bear Paw provided something for everyone. As an avid nature photographer I was treated to many wonderful opportunities to make spectacular landscape and animal images. Being so close to the flying squirrels feeding off the deck railing each evening was a wonderful new photographic experience for me. Going into the surrounding towns to browse or have dinner, checking out the many waterfalls in the area, hiking, horse back riding or simply staying at Bear Paw sitting on the screened lanai enjoying the sights and the sounds of the mountains was heaven. The week went by much too quickly. I would be remiss not to mention how helpful and accommodating the owners, Jeanette and her husband were. We unfortunately ran into a problem with our van going up the mountain to the cabin the afternoon we arrived. Jeanette went to great lengths to assist us in coming up with a solution. In the meantime as we were working on putting her plan in action she contacted several other properties in the area where we could stay in the event we were not successful. Thankfully her solution worked as I know there is nothing in that area that could have measured up to our stay at Bear Paw. We definitely will choose Bear Paw as our first choice our next rip to North Carolina.

Owner response:THANK YOU DIANE! Yes, this is where we learned our lesson about VANS being heavy in the rear and having only rear wheel drive. So we discuss with each client that VANS are not suitable for mountains as high as ours:)

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Guest: Jennifer Munzert (SImpsonville, SC)
Date of Stay: 03/05/09 Review Submitted: 03/05/09

What an absolutely wonderful house!! I had such a wonderful time and it felt so homey, there was nothing I wanted for the entire stay! Having my morning coffee on the beautiful back porch with that amazing view was just priceless, the bed could NOT be any more comfortable! The kitchen was out of a dream! I would recommend this beautiful home to absolutely anybody, the privacy was a very welcomed bonus, my only gripe was that I didn't want to leave! Thank you for sharing your amazing home with me Jeanette! Can't wait to come back!

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Guest: Bonnie Byers (Greenville SC)
Date of Stay: 03/05/09 Review Submitted: 03/05/09

Our weekend (unfortunately that was all) was pure heaven. High up in the heavens over looking the world. So peaceful and beautiful. The home was just perfect as it had everything you could need. It felt like home except that I never wanted to leave and cannot wait to go back.

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Guest: Jaime S. Johnson (Greenville, SC)
Date of Stay: 03/05/09 Review Submitted: 03/05/09

WOW! What a beautiful place! The pictures do not even do this home justice, I was blown away from the first moment I walked in the door! This felt like the Wilderness Lodge at Disney with all the great decorations & furniture (loved the chair with bear carvings!!) And the view was absolutely breathtaking - especially at night seeing the town below lit up! Spent most of the time on the wonderful screened porch (never even had a desire to turn on the tv, too much nature to watch!). It was foggy & rainy for some of of our stay, yet even that was beautiful & so pretty to watch the fog roll out over the town below. Loved that this rental home felt like such a HOME (well a really really NICE HOME), not just a rental, with all the soft towels, sheets, comfy beds, stocked kitchen, etc. Cannot say enough about how great this trip was at BearPaw - thank you for opening your home & sharing - WILL DEFINITELY BE BACK!!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/17/08 Review Submitted: 12/17/08

My family (6 adults) had a fabulous time at Bear Paw in October 2008. Definitely the "Ritz Carlton" of cabins!! Lots of space to be with each other and lots of space to get away from each other when desired! :-) If you are thinking about booking Bear Paw in the future, do not hesitate. It's AWESOME! Dr. C.

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Guest: Richard Reis (Lake Worth, Florida)
Date of Stay: 11/13/08 Review Submitted: 11/13/08

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our one week stay during late October 2008! A very comfortable, romantic and private getaway with spectacular views. We were fortunate to wake up to a white blanket of snow one morning. Good location...close to Franklin, Highlands/Cullasaja Gorge, Waynesville and the Smoky Mountains National Park.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/11/08 Review Submitted: 11/11/08

"Bear Paw" what a fantastic retreat!! Jeanette, thank you for sharing you wonderful home. We have vacationed in many rental properties and I can truthfully say that your home is one that we will come back to. I am a vacation rental agent that manages 30+ rental homes. I would love to have "Bear Paw" in my rental program. Your home is very warm, inviting and offers all the comforts of home, the gourmet kitchen is great. Once you arrive you don't want leave. The Mountain Views are just awe inspiring, nature abounds here. Feeding the tiny flying squirrels is such a treat. You have done a fantastic job furnishing this home, rarely do you see such attention to detail and this caliber of furnishings in a rental property. Thank you for the specific details and instructions on arrival and getting to the house, we experienced no difficulties in reaching our destination, the Bear Paw indicators along the way guided us right to Bear Paw. Franklin is such a charming place to visit, there is much to see and do in the beautiful Smokey Mountains. This is definately a place that we will return to next year. Alicen & Gary Crosby

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Guest: lillie and monty montgomery (cocoa beach, florida)
Date of Stay: 09/01/08 Review Submitted: 09/01/08

Our 8 day stay at Bear Paw was everything we'd hoped for. The house is beautiful, the mountain view lovely. For nature-lovers, it's a paradise, made even more special by a wonderfully big, new, log home in an unusually private location. We marveled daily at the numbers of birds which came to the feeders and thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the elegant screened porch, watching them. The tiny, shy, flying squirrels which came every evening were a delight. Being up on top of Jeanette's mountain made us feel as if we were in our very own royal domain and we loved every minute of our vacation there. We hope to go again.

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Guest: Monty and Lillie Montgomery
Date of Stay: 09/01/08 Review Submitted: 08/31/08

Dear Jeanette, I am unable to access VRBO to accept my house commentary. I'll type it into the body of this email and, if you're willing, let you put it on your website for me. Our 8 day stay at Bear Paw was everything we'd hoped for. The house is beautiful, the mountain view lovely. For nature lovers, it's a paradise, made even more special by a wonderful, big, new home in an unusually private location. We marveled daily at the numbers of birds which came to the feeders and thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the elegant screened porch, watching them. The tiny, shy, flying squirrels which came every evening were a delight. Being up on top of this mountain made us feel as if we were in our very own royal domain and we loved every minute of our vacation there. We hope to go again. I filled in the necessary info --- Monty and Lillie Montgomery, Cocoa Beach, Florida --- but the first effort was refused with an 'insufficient data' message. The second and third efforts were met with a message saying there was an error on the website and would I please report it --- or something similar to that, anyhow. Could you enter my commentary for me? From Jeanette: Done! Thank you Lillie. Hope to see you again soon!!!!

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Guest: John and Nancy Waller (St. Louis, MO )
Date of Stay: 06/09/08 Review Submitted: 06/09/08

This was by far the nicest vacation home that we have ever stayed at. The view is outstanding and so relaxing. It makes you forget about the hustle and bustle of the city. The home is not far from the city of Franklin with all of its amenities. Plus all the comforts of home, satellite TV, DVD, and surround sound, gourmet kitchen, screened in porch, and the views from the deck cannot be describe, because they are to grand. The owners made us feel welcome and very easy to talk to. She was able to provide us with some brochures about the surrounding area gem mines and restaurants. She even called while we were there to make sure we had everything we needed. It is so nice to get the personnel touches. We had great time gem mining and visited the Biltmore house. The Fun Factory was a great place to visit for the family and eat. We also visited the waterfalls near the Highlands. I wished we could have stayed longer, to try some the trout fishing. These were some of the activities that we did to give you an idea what Franklin has to offer.

Owner response:Thank you John and Nancy! jcp

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Guest: Malinda1 (Fort Smith, AR)
Date of Stay: 05/15/08 Review Submitted: 05/15/08

My husband and I had the privledge of being the first guests to stay at Bearpaw and we are still in awe of its beauty and tranquility. We have stayed in some beautiful places before, but the views and furnishings were amazing. The beautiful decorating was so well done that we felt at home, not at someone else's home. The kitchen is to die for... gourmet chefs would be at home in this kitchen. The drive up the road to the house is a "bear" but that is the only drawback about this property. The flying squirrels and raccoon are a delight to watch every night. The photos do not do it justice, this is a perfect adult getaway. We didn't want to leave! I highly recommend this property for a private getaway. We were so refreshed and renewed after our stay that we look forward to going tto "Bearpaw" again.

Owner response:Thank you! As we thought, and talked about prior to the rental, our private mountain road does require front wheel/all wheel or 4x4. I thought rear wheel drive trucks would have a hard time. Thanks for helping us determine that rear wheel drive trucks and/or any type Van are not suitable for this location. SUV's, sedans w/front wheel drive or all wheel drive, or a 4x4 are needed. JP

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Guest: Lisa & Steve Herzog (Cape Coral, FL )
Date of Stay: 03/17/06 Review Submitted: 03/17/06

We have been coming to the Western NC mountains for many years. We have stayed in hotels, another rental home and a Bed & Breakfast. I have to say out of all the places we have stayed, The Elizabeth House has been the best. It really does make us feel like we are in our own home. It is so comfortable and relaxing to be there. We have stayed there in July and watched the beautiful birds in the morning outside the living room window along with a daily visit from a squirrel who took a few nibbles of the bird food as well. We have also been there in February, which turned out to be a surprising winter wonderland for a few days. It was beautiful. Plus, they cleared the road in the morning so there was no problem getting out and about. The property has great mountain views and is close to everything there is to do in the area. We will always stay at The Elizabeth House when we come to Western NC as long as Jeanette owns it.(or sells it to us! hint hint) Thanks for sharing your home - it truly is a home away from home, I highly recommend it!

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Guest: Jim Martin3 (Bartow, FL)
Date of Stay: 08/22/05 Review Submitted: 08/22/05

This house was outstanding. Attention to EVERY detail was taken to make visitors feel welcome. Just bring your clothes means "just bring your clothes" The house is centrally located in Western NC making day trips to major attactions possible. We enjoyed the serenity and solitudde on those day we chose to go no where. 10 Minutes from town and shopping this is an ideal location. Our next trip to NC will take us back! We promise. Thanks Jeanette and Denny for sharing your home with us. Jim and Kelly

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Guest: Jim and Laura Dahne (South Florida, Florida)
Date of Stay: 08/21/05 Review Submitted: 08/21/05

Dear Jeanette, I just had to personally take the time to sit and write you a special thank you for sharing the Elizabeth House with us. From the moment we pulled up I kept saying to Jim, "Are you sure this is the house?!" I mean we expected lovely, not beautiful! But sure enough the sign read "The Elizabeth House' and we knew we were home, at least home for the next 5 days. I wish you could have seen our faces when we walked in. Yes, it looked just like the pics you emailed us, only better. And sparkling clean! "My house should be so clean!" I say to Jim. We oohed and aahed all through the house, marveling that there was not one thing we had need of. We had already shopped at Ingles for a few days worth of food but was still amazed at how many wonderful things were there. Wine glasses for our Biltmore wine? Check! Candles in case the lights go out? Check! Check! Check! Check! Half of the fun was reading all the literature of places to visit and menus to consider. But the best of all was the Peace of God that resides there! I have to admit that it was a little spooky to me the first night but the Lord comforted my heart by reminding me that that house had been dedicated to Him from its start and that His Peace and Protection lived there. And does it ever! The Elizabeth house will live in our hearts always! What a place of beauty and rest! By reading through the other guests raves and messages I understand that the Elizabeth House also has a sad tale as well, I sensed that perhaps it involved your daughter. I'm so sorry for whatever tragedy took place. Perhaps you would like to share the heart of the Elizabeth House on a plaque. That would not sadden anyones visit, just cause them perhaps to love the House even more. Just so you know, when we left, Jim and I took hands and prayed over the Elizabeth House; her owner, her upcoming guests and for all that would ever enter there. We pray that one day God will send us back! Gratefully yours, Laura Dahne

Owner response:(Note to readers: Comments prior to 2008 are for our first home, The Elizabeth House. We have sold this home and started a new one, "BearPaw". This will still show you the accomodation to detail and personal touch that we pride ourselves on. Thanks) Dear Jim and Laura, thank you for your wonderful response. This home was oour designed by a wonderful young artist, Elizaheth, whose life, tragically, was ended too soon by an auto accident on the actual day of our agreement to purchase. The home is dedicated in her memory, "The Elizabeth House". Jeanette Peel, RN

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