Location: Old Fort, Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina, USA (25 Miles to Asheville, 1.5 Hrs to Charlotte Intl Airport)
Accommodations: Studio, 1 Bedroom + Convertible bed(s), 1 Bath (Sleeps 2-5)
Keywords: Fully Furnished Loft Apartment
The Potter’s Loft is a fully-furnished upstairs studio apartment located on 5 privately owned acres two miles from historic Old Fort, NC. While visiting this scenic mountain retreat, you'll settle in and relax above a full-time working pottery studio and gallery. Folks who come to stay often find it hard to leave and more than once have extended their vacation to prolong the experience. While staying at the Potter's Loft you will enjoy relaxing mountain views and beautiful sunsets from the deck.
The spacious 720-square foot, fully furnished loft apartment sleeps 5. The Cherry bedroom suite features a queen-sized bed and a single roll-away bed. In the living area, you also have use of a queen-sized, memory foam, pullout couch. We also have a crib and booster seat if you have a little one in tow. The fully equipped kitchen offers guests the opportunity to snuggle in and cook a romantic meal in the evening, make a hearty breakfast before starting your day or pack a picnic lunch before starting off on one of our suggested waterfall hikes.
If art, particularly pottery is your passion, spend the afternoon perusing the gallery and pottery studio, get a tour of the process, watch a throwing demonstration on the potter’s wheel, or if you're lucky, witness the magic of a kiln opening. All guests receive the “Potter’s Apprentice” discount on all items in the gallery.
Use our Handmade in America guidebook to plan a driving art or studio tour or a working farm tour that combines beautiful mountain scenery while supporting local artists and farmers. Mark Tomczak, potter of Muddy Creek Pottery, can provide you with recommendations for studio tours, set up private showings with local area artists, and offer recommendations for gallery shopping in Asheville, NC.
If you enjoy the outdoors, take advantage of our guest guidebook complete with daytrip ideas and hiking maps. There are five waterfall hikes within 15 minutes of The Potter's Loft, as well as other hiking areas including Curtis Creek state forest recreation and campground area, Montreat and Warren Wilson College's hiking trails, miles of mountain biking trails and more. If you have a canoe, kayak or boat, visit beautiful Lake James just 20 minutes down the road. The Potter’s Loft is a scenic 25 miles from Chimney Rock and Lake Lure where you will find all kinds of recreational opportunities.
If mountain history is your hobby, visit the Mountain Gateway Museum in downtown Old Fort, the newly renovated Train Depot Museum, listen to live old-time mountain music or bluegrass on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Old Fort hosts a native American Pow-Wow yearly and has live music and festivals many weekends in the summer. Watch for upcoming events on our website.
We have daily, weekend, weeklong, monthly and off-season rates. Please call us to speak with potter, Mark Tomczak or his with his wife, Courtney and reserve your mountain retreat today.
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Air Conditioning
- Linens Provided
- Off Street Parking
- Parking for RV/Boat/Trailer : Please contact us to work out details.
- Gas Fireplace
- Beds
- Queen Bed
- Twin/Single Bed : Roll-Away Fold-up Single Bed.
- Convertible Bed : Queen-Size Pull-Out with Memory Foam Mattress
- Crib
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV : Direct TV
- DVD
- Video Library : We Have a variety of children's DVDs available and can assist in renting DVD's locally.
- CD Player
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen : Fully Furnished Kitchen with All the Amenities for Cooking Your Own Meals. Some Basic Cooking Materials Such as Cooking Oil, Coffee and Some Spices are Provided. Grocery Store Located 3 Miles Away.
- Cooking Utensils Provided
- Refrigerator
- Dishwasher
- Microwave
- Ice Maker
- Catering Available : Continental Breakfast Optional. Includes Farm Fresh Eggs, Seasonal Fruit, Bread, Cold and Hot Cereal, Coffee and Milk/Cream.
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill
- Balcony : Balcony Overlooks Mt. Mitchell, the Tallest Peak In North Carolina. Complete with Adirondack Chairs.
- View/Location
- Mountain View : Vista Overlooks Mount Mitchell, the Tallest Peak in North Carolina.
- Communications
- WiFi (Wireless Internet)
- Other Amenities
- Iron and Ironing Board; Robes; Hair Dryer; Completely Stocked Kitchen with All the Tools You Need to Make Your Stay Both Enjoyable and Affordable; Continental Breakfast Available Upon Request for an Additional Fee.
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Kid Friendly : Children's Swingset Available for Guest Use.
- Minimum Age Limit for Renters : We happily accommodate families.
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities
- Golf
- Tennis
- Shopping
- Kayaking
- Boating
- Waterskiing
- Swimming
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fishing
- Hunting
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Antiquing
- Live Theatre
- Horseshoes
- Horseback Riding
- Zoo/Wildlife Park
- Restaurants
- Rafting
- Sledding/Tubing
- Hiking
- Rock Climbing
- Spelunking
- Fitness Center/Gym
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Museums
- Other Activities
- We are 30 minutes from Lake James, 25 minutes to the Biltmore House and The Grove Park Inn and Spa, and within 15 minutes from 4 spectacular waterfall hikes.
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
$85/weekdays, $95/weekends November-May
$95/weekdays, $105/weekends June, July, August
$105/night October(Leaf Season) and Holiday Weekends
$450-$700/week $1600-$2200/month
Plus 12% Occupancy Tax
$30.00 cleaning fee
$100 Deposit to Reserve Loft
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
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Credit Cards Accepted:
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Owner's Profile
Owner Description
Year Purchased: 2008
I grew up in Michigan and after graduating from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with a Bachelor's in Fine Arts, I traveled to the mountains of North Carolina to study as a core student for two years at Penland School of Arts and Crafts. There I studied with many influential ceramic artists. I followed my two years of study there with graduate school at Ohio University in Athens, where I graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts in Ceramics. While in Ohio, I met my wife, Courtney, a North Carolina native mountain-girl. After we married, we moved back to the mountains I had grown fond of during my stay at Penland. We purchased our stone Hansel and Gretel-style house in 2001, and I built my pottery studio and kiln shed just east of the house and up a rise on our property. In 2008, I built a gallery addition on the front of the studio and the Potter's Loft above. Over the last fifteen years, I have developed my work such that I supply sixteen different galleries up and down the East coast from Birmingham, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia, several galleries in North Carolina and all the way up to Michigan. Now that I have my own gallery on our property, folks come from all over for weekend summer sales and to visit us in our little mountain retreat.
The Unique Benefits of this Studio
We live on 5 wooded acres. A gurgling brook borders our house on one side and the mountains surround us on the other three. You cannot see another house from our property. It's a lush rural setting despite the fact that we are only .25 miles from Interstate 40. I hold weekend sales in the gallery. Our small farm boasts chickens and farm-fresh eggs, dogs, including our work with North Carolina's Carolina Border Collie rescue organization, and a three cats. We have a lush, organic garden, beautiful landscaping including a Koi pond with a bench swing for reading books or lounging with your sweetheart. Our landscaping is planted to attract butterflies and colorful songbirds. We love the area's natural beauty, spend many summer days cooling off at nearby Curtis Creek recreation area, hiking to local waterfalls and enjoying the mountain scenery. Folks who visit remark again and again, "You have created your own little Garden of Eden here!"
Property Photos
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- The Potter's Loft - Old Fort, North Carolina Vacation Apartment with Mountain View
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- The Gallery and Studio below, The Potter's Loft above - Old Fort, North Carolina Vacation Apartment with Mountain View
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- The Livingroom and Kitchen - Old Fort, North Carolina Vacation Apartment with Mountain View
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- The Bedroom
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- Muddy Creek Pottery Gallery
Traveler Reviews (6)
Guest: Melody Ellis
(Edwardsville, IL)
Date of Stay: 11/14/09
Review Submitted: 11/14/09
We stayed at the Potter's Loft with our two-year-old. The apartment had a great setup for us-- a portable crib, a folding screen for privacy, and all the amenities. I think my daughter would have stayed there forever if she had the choice-- and so would we! There's a lot to see and do without even leaving the property, and our wonderful hosts were able to tell us about restaurants, hikes and galleries in the area that suited our tastes. We will definitely head back next summer for a little getaway in the country!
Recommended for:
Guest: Mike Zamow
(Roseville, MN)
Date of Stay: 09/09/09
Review Submitted: 09/09/09
The place was great. Beautiful view from the deck. Mark and Courtney were extremely helpful regarding things to do in the area. I would go back again in a heartbeat.
Recommended for:
Guest: Tim and Gail Lessner
(Bryantown, MD)
Date of Stay: 08/11/09
Review Submitted: 08/11/09
We spent a night at the Potter's Loft two weeks ago while staying in the area to pick our kids up from camp. We just loved it!! What a beautiful place. Very comfortable with all the amenities. We enjoyed sitting on the deck looking at the beautiful mountains in the morning as we drank our coffee. We will definitely stay here again when we visit Black Mountain. Thanks Mark and Courtney for making our stay so comfortable.
Recommended for:
Guest: Daniel Comer
(Asheville)
Date of Stay: 08/06/09
Review Submitted: 08/06/09
If you like artistic surroundings inside, and beautifully landscaped mountain scenery outside, you have found your location! I smiled immediately upon arrival and it never left my face. It also happens to be a wonderfully central location for exploring all that the Asheville area has to offer (Blowing Rock, Grandfather Mountain, Chimney Rock, waterfalls, rafting, art galleries...)
Recommended for:
Guest: Cheryl Roorda
(Hot Springs, Arkansas)
Date of Stay: 07/02/09
Review Submitted: 07/02/09
We spent the last two nights up in the Potter's Loft, and I'm here to tell you, it was the most peaceful experience I've had along I-40 in my entire life. The landscaping is breathtaking, the loft is modern and beautiful, and the service was amazing. I feel like anyone who stumbles on this place will have found themselves a real treasure. I would certainly recommend this to my friends and family.
Recommended for:
Guest: June Smith
(Tuckasegee, NC)
Date of Stay: 06/26/09
Review Submitted: 06/26/09
The Potter's Loft is a beautiful apartment in a breathtaking setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I especially enjoyed talking clay with Mark the potter and will definitely book this apartment when I am in the area again!
Recommended for:
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #251348
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