Vacation Rentals by Owner

PEACEFUL!!

Guest: david k.
Date of Stay: 04/29/12 Review Submitted: 05/14/12

Yes the road to the cabin is extremely rough but it is the mountains and you can't expect a smooth ride almost a mile up. Once at the cabin you are totally in awe of it's peacefulness and beauty. The view is just awesome. We spent the first day at the cabin. Second day we went to Waynesville which is quite charming and lovely to shop and just walk around. We went horseback riding at Queens farm riding stables off of RT.19. Most of the time was spent at the cabin walking the many roads and trails. The map Paula provides for the hike to the park is easy to follow. Never saw any bear but did see quite a few fresh track on the dirt roads. Had an Elk visit the cabin on the second day.It wasn't Edger so my daughter named him Bart.Enjoy this wonderful part of God's country in the mountains. Paula made our stay very comfortable and relaxing. Thanks, The Knotts famly

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Heaven on Earth!

Guest: holly
Date of Stay: 09/05/11 Review Submitted: 09/18/11

This was the best vacation I have ever had. Though the road up the mountain was stressful, it was well worth the trip. The view was spectacular. The cabin was like stepping into a different world. It was so comfortable and inviting, we felt right at home. It had everything that you would need and more. The hot tub was very relaxing and the air hockey table was great fun. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to get away from it all. The road up to the mountain was very steep and bumpy, but our Mitsubishi Galant made it up every time. Would recommend Mason's sapphire and ruby mine in Franklin, it was great fun. Of course, check out the Biltmore House and Jarrett House and taste some of the local fare, such as Joey's Pancake House and Maggie Valley Restaurant. There are multiple areas to check out on the Blue Ridge Parkway and wonderful waterfalls in Pisgah Forest National Park. But in the end, what I would recommend the most, watching the sunrise and sunset from the back porch of the cabin; simply breathtaking. Paula was very accomodating and very easy to work with. A word of advice, if you take a pet, please keep a close eye on them. There are a lot of different smells and sights and they could get away from you quickly. We came across a couple who were staying on the mountain and they had lost their two dogs, it was heartbreaking. All in all, I would highly recommend staying at this cabin. It was absolutly wonderful.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Amazing!

Guest: Miranda (St Petersburg, Florida)
Date of Stay: 08/30/11 Review Submitted: 11/13/11

Such a late review...but I'm putting it up now! The road up was rough, yes, but do not let that discourage you!! It is worth this Heaven on Earth. My now fiance proposed to me at the fire pit on Thursday September 1st 2011. I cannot imagine a more beautiful, relaxing, wonderful place to get proposed to. It was so romantic! We plan on coming there for our honeymoon(hopefully late April-May 2012) for a while longer than we were able to stay this time. I cannot get enough of this place. Looking at our pictures makes my heart ache. I miss the hummingbirds and the chipmunks...I was not able to see the elk though. On our last morning there I saw 2 dogs on the driveway(maybe those were the 2 dogs that were lost since we left on the 4th of September?). I must say thank you to the hostess for a very well stocked kitchen. We forgot creamer for our coffee the first morning, but tackled the road and went into town. I also suggest going to the bookstore in town and purchasing the Moonshiner's Daughter...it is a tough book but very good...and you can meet the writer! Other than going into town for a few things, we never left this "cabin"(as my fiance called it, but I corrected him. This place is HUGE!!) As much as I went up to the Smokies as a kid, I cannot remember a better place I stayed in, or a better time that was had. Our hearts are up there and we hope to move away from the city and live in the mountains for the rest of our lives. Thank you for sharing this amazing place with us!

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

A great place to rest and recharge.

Guest: Allen (Clinton, MS)
Date of Stay: 08/23/11 Review Submitted: 09/03/11

Just wanted to let you know what a wonderful time we had at your home. It was just what the doctor ordered - peacefulness and tranquility. We didn't do anything for the first three days but sit on the porch and take in the view. Our friends asked us if we were out looking at the scenery and we replied that it didn't get any better than our porch. Finally about Saturday we went gem mining, horseback riding and sightseeing. But the mountain kept drawing us back so we usually weren't gone but a few hours. Everything about your home was perfect for a vacation getaway. We even loved the drive up - I guess some people just don't have an adventuresome spirit! Thanks again for everything.

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

Fabulous !!

Guest: NC wannabee (NJ)
Date of Stay: 05/09/11 Review Submitted: 06/01/11

We arrived during the day, as we had been instructed, and wow... that is some road ! Our suburban had no problem with it, we even had a VW golf make it up there.. interesting, but not impassable if you take it slowly. The cabin was stunning... the view even more so! It had everything you could ask for in a cabin, the fireplace (which we used on the chilly evenings), the hot tub (which we used no matter the weather) the porch with the magnificent view, which was perfect for the first cup of coffee in the morning or evening cocktails, we even had Edgar the Elk show up for a visit! The cabin was immaculate, just as described by the website & the other reviewers, in fact it exceeded our expectations. We loved Maggie Valley, the people were very friendly & we ended up with lots of great places to hang out. We found a home away from home at Hurley's. The food was excellent & the people even nicer ! We went white water rafting, went to the casino in Cherokee, hiked and shopped at all the local and eclectic places.. the weather was beautiful, around 70-80 all week, but cooler in the evenings allowing us to sleep with the mountain breeze. Great area, great people, awesome cabin. We will be back for sure.

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

Fall 2010

Guest: sweetb319 (Chicago, Illinois)
Date of Stay: 10/16/10 Review Submitted: 11/01/10

This house and the view exceeded our expectations in every respect. The house is well maintained and more than comfortable for 4 adults. The view - simply spectacular. The road up and down, nerve-racking the first time, was just a typical mountain dirt road by the end of the week. The owners were excellent to work with and very responsive. I wish we could say that we were all totally relaxed by the end of the week, but the Maggie Valley/Asheville area is so full of things to do that we were on the go from morning to sunset and beyond. Barely able to keep our eyes open in the evenings. That road up is truly challenging the first time. We were glad to have taken the owner's advice and arrive during daylight. The signage is a little difficult to make out from the road and we kept stopping at the wrong house the first 3 times up. Just be patient. It's worth the drive and the bumps. An all around excellent vacation.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Heaven on Earth

Guest: Mary Anne3 (Pompano Beach, FL)
Date of Stay: 09/26/10 Review Submitted: 11/10/10

It was a dream come true to be in such a beautiful and peaceful place. The cabin has anything you might need to have an awe inspiring vacation. Lot's of wildlife, right in your backyard. Not to mention a fantastic view. Perfect setting for a couple or family get together. Lot's of nearby activities, anytime of the year. The road to get there is an adventure all in itself. Check it out, you won't be dissappointed!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

John & Eric Vacation 2010

Guest: johneric (Richmond, VA)
Date of Stay: 07/31/10 Review Submitted: 08/10/10

The pictures do not do the cabin justice. We have been coming to the smokies for nine years now and this is the best cabin we have rented.Paula has thought of every detail to provde a worry free, relaxing, and peaceful vacation. Thank You !!

Recommended for:Tourists without a car

Guest: John & Sallye (Columbus, OH)
Date of Stay: 06/13/09 Review Submitted: 06/13/09

My wife and I stayed at the Ponderosa last week, 5/30/09 - 6/6/09. The house and view were worth every bump and bounce up the mountain. We have a Hyundai Sonata so it was pretty slow going and rough but we made it. The house is beautiful and all the furniture is comfortable for lounging. Every morning we enjoyed our coffee on the deck as the sun lit up the valley. This is a great place to just kick back and unwind. The owner was easy to work with. We scheduled our stay about three months in advance so we didn't have to rush anything. As a result, everything went off without a hitch. We are already talking about when we want to come back.

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What a gorgeous cabin

Guest: pb222 (Colorado)
Date of Stay: 05/11/09 Review Submitted: 05/14/09

This is our second trip to the Ponderosa. What a gorgeous cabin! The interior decorating of the cabin is wonderful. This cabin has many embellishments that you do not find in other rentals. Very cozy. Very romantic. The view from cabin is breathtaking. We spent the night in the hot tub taking in the beautiful wooded trees around us and gazing at the mountain range and stars. You can see Lake Junaluska lights at night. Of course we did stare into each others eye too. :) The hummingbirds were very busy at your feeders and great entertainment. Took a walk up to the smokies with map Paula provided; There are also numerous recent DVD movies to watch on that new TV . And Paula and Jim do an excellent job and the best owners I have dealt with. Thanks again for sharing your piece of heaven. Most important thing, I have to say is that I am the foosball Champ.

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

Guest: pb222 (Colorado)
Date of Stay: 05/06/09 Review Submitted: 05/06/09

This is our second trip to the Ponderosa. What a gorgeous cabin! The interior decorating of the cabin is wonderful. This cabin has many embellishments that you do not find in other rentals. Very cozy. Very romantic. The view from cabin is breathtaking. We spent the night in the hot tub taking in the beautiful wooded trees around us and gazing at the mountain range and stars. You can see Lake Junaluska lights at night and the hummingbirds were very busy at the feeders. Took a walk up to the smokies with map Paula provided; There are also numerous recent DVD movies to watch on that new TV . Paula and Jim are the best owners I have dealt with yet. Thanks again for sharing your piece of heaven. And most importantly: I am the foosball Champ.

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Wonderful secluded getaway!

Guest: DanaDD (Raleigh, NC)
Date of Stay: 10/19/08 Review Submitted: 10/28/08

My husband and I stayed at the Ponderosa for a week and found it a serene retreat from all the activities we tackled during the day. The cabin is so very secluded, very quiet and peaceful, and was well-appointed with everything we needed for "at home" comfort. We could have easily invited 3 or 4 other visitors, but I'm glad we had the hot tub to ourselves. The leaves in October were like tiny prisms that greeted the sunrise each morning, and we were truly able to relax while having coffee on the porch and watching the birds at the feeder. We had only one day of rainy weather, and with the Internet access, DVDs, game tables in the garage, and puzzles handy, we made the most of the uncooperative weather. Our only complaint was the somewhat steep gravel road used for access, but we would simply leave out in the morning and return before sundown, since there's no streetlights and the road is a little narrow. We sat on the front deck area watching shooting stars one evening, and my husband is glad he brought his telescope. I would certainly recommend this property to others who really do want to "get away from it all", but would suggest a 4-wheel drive vehicle, if you have one. My Volvo S80 managed OK, but we kept it in low gear coming up and going down to the main highway. The owners did a wonderful job of staying in touch to make sure we had everything we needed - made it really difficult to leave and come back to face the "real world".

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

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/01/05 Review Submitted: 09/11/05

We just returned from a 3 night stay in the Ponderosa. This house is very nice. The drive up the mountain to the house is a little rough but well worth it once you arrive. The house is very modern and comfortable. The view is breathtaking. The house is located to many attractions. We enjoyed a drive down the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway and dinner at Mt Pisgah Inn.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/01/04 Review Submitted: 08/29/04

Two thumbs way up for the Ponderosa!! Kathy and I have stayed in bed and breakfasts and vacation condos literally from coast to coast and the Ponderosa ranks as probably one of the best places we've ever stayed based on comfort, amenities, inside beauty and surrounding scenery. Kathy has an extensive background in working in one of the top hotels in the nation and she just loved the Ponderosa. Good job and as Arnold once said "We'll be back!!!"

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Guest: Donna
Date of Stay: 05/18/04 Review Submitted: 05/17/04

Just wanted to let you know, I have mailed you the key back to the Ponderosa. By the way, you got an absolute "glowing" report from everyone on the cabin, views, hot tub and your attention to little details, like your in-depth instructions, abundance of needed items (utensils, lighters, salt/pepper, flashlights, etc.) and the quality of the cabin itself; my husband was totally intrigued by the buck stove - he could not believe how well that worked. My sister and I just loved getting in the hot tub on cool nights. All of our college-aged kids really enjoyed the cabin, the tour of the Biltmore and most of all, I think, Chimney Rock Park. We were in awe of the beauty surrounding us in the NC mountains, and now we are all talking about taking a rafting or a train trip for our next adventure there. If we do, I will definitely see if the Ponderosa is available. Thanks for going "above and beyond" as it is so rare anymore.

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Guest: Debbie
Date of Stay: 05/11/04 Review Submitted: 05/10/04

Thanks again for everything. I have to take 5 minutes to sit down tonight and e-mail you pics from the trip. We had a blast and have been bragging this week about your place and showing pics. The whole VRBO experience has been a good one. I thanked my friend for recommending it. She has rented 4 places in the past 4 years with great results.

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