Vacation Rentals by Owner

A week of heaven

Guest: Danielle (Lexington, KY)
Date of Stay: 08/20/11 Review Submitted: 08/31/11

My husband and I just spent a week at the Mountain Magnolia. What a fantastic week. Besides the perfect weather, the Mountain Magnolia was a home away from home. It had everything that we were looking for in a week-long getaway. It is nestled in the hills with a beautiful view of the Smoky Mountains and completely private. We will definitely rent again and recommend it to our friends.

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

Had a great time !!

Guest: Mike (Miami Fl.)
Date of Stay: 08/09/11 Review Submitted: 08/18/11

Had a great time at Glorias cabin! Clean and nice just like photos on site. Saw a Bear.Thanks Gloria.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Great location, but not up to our expectations

Guest: Jan (Trussville, AL)
Date of Stay: 07/22/11 Review Submitted: 08/11/11

After all of the five star reviews here, we had very high expectations for this rental. For the cost, it was a pretty good value, but it definitely needs improvements. The owner, Gloria, is very personable and easy to work with, but she is managing this rental from quite a distance away and told me she depends on her housekeeper and renters to let her know about any issues, which we did. On a positive note, the location is excellent. It is very close to Gatlinburg, yet private and secluded. A grocery store is minutes away and the property is very convenient to anything you may want to enjoy in the area. The house is tidy and the bathrooms and counter tops were all very clean. Though it is pet friendly, there were no odors or indications of any pets having been there, which was quite nice. On the down side, the sofas and mattresses were extremely uncomfortable and badly in need of replacement. TV watchers may be annoyed at the main TV remote, as the channel search button had to be held down for several seconds to get a response, plus we had to buy new batteries for two remotes. The inside of the kitchen cabinets needed to be cleaned and lined, to the point that though the dishes were probably clean, we felt we should wash them again before use. Don't plan to do much cooking unless you don't mind using pots and pans that are in terrible condition with the Teflon scraped out of them. The tableware was down to just a few pieces so that we had to use plastic a lot of the time. It was nice to have the compact washer/dryer, but it is in the half bath which made that bathroom very cramped. The toilets are smaller than standard sized, so larger adults may find these uncomfortable. We had concerns about the structural integrity of the deck, especially with the weight of a heavy Jacuzzi. We had hoped to use the community pool. It can't be seen from the road as it sits high on a mountain side, but you do see the Condo Clubhouse which you go through to get to the pool. The Clubhouse is in such disrepair, so dilapidated and terrible looking that we couldn't bring ourselves to go to the pool. We made the best of our stay, glad for a private, convenient, pet friendly rental. We depend on the candor of VRBO reviews and wanted to share our honest opinion - this is a decent place to stay but not a five-star rental. We've expressed our concerns to Gloria and, no doubt, she is looking into these matters. Just know the pros and cons before renting.

Recommended for:Pet owners

Location, Location, Location!!

Guest: thewholefamily (Royal Oak, MI)
Date of Stay: 06/20/11 Review Submitted: 06/27/11

This was the first family Vacation that my family was able to take in over 3 years. We were looking for something affordable, but nice. This was it! Only a few minutes away from gatlinberg/pigeon forge. The owner was great to work with. Fast communication! When we checked in one of the TV's in the bedrooms was not working, she had a repair man there in no time and fixed the TV, the kids were happy. Clean, and had everything we needed to prepare some of the meals in the cabin to keep costs down, including a grill. Very happy and looking forward to returning!

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

Debbie and company June 17-19, 2011

Guest: Debbie (Dayton Ohio)
Date of Stay: 06/17/11 Review Submitted: 07/16/11

Relaxation and more! I have been to the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area many times, but this was the first time that I have rented a cabin. It was the best time that we have had. It was very private and away from all of the traffic and tourist noise. It was great to be in the hot tub and look up to see the stars and the view. For us it was perfect. The cabin was very clean and Gloria was such a pleasure to work with. She got in touch with me right away and treated me like a friend, not a customer. Cabin rental is the way to go!

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Mountain stay

Guest: TN Visitor (hendersonville, tn)
Date of Stay: 05/25/11 Review Submitted: 06/07/11

We had a great stay. Gloria was wonderful to work with, very accomodating. Felt like I was dealing with a friend and not an owner. Cabin is clean, well maintained and perfect for our stay. Close enough to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge but still far enough away to relax. We really enjoyed the hot tub on the deck and the view was great. Nice to be able to take our small dog. Kitchen had everything we needed. Would love to come back again. Thanks for letting us use your cabin.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Dog Vacation with the Humans Feb 18-21, 2011

Guest: Bobber, Sherry, Shilo and Rosie (Clio, MI)
Date of Stay: 02/18/11 Review Submitted: 03/08/11

Breathtaking view. Everything you could ask for. VERY CLEAN!! The weather was perfect!! We will definately be back!! The dogs loved it along with their human companions. No bear sightings but we figured they were having their babies...maybe next time.

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

Great place to stay !

Guest: AJG (Enterprise, AL )
Date of Stay: 02/04/11 Review Submitted: 02/11/11

We had a great time, we loved the view. We loved that we could bring our dog, he had a great time as well. A very good price on a great place.

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

First White Christmas Away From Home

Guest: Kim (Columbus, NC)
Date of Stay: 12/22/10 Review Submitted: 02/02/11

We stayed here during our first Christmas vacation spent away from home. This also happened to be Our First White Christmas:) We originally planned to leave the day after Christmas, but due to the snowfall and dangerous road conditions we were stuck for an extra 2 days. Although we missed time from work and payed for the extra days- it was a wonderful vacation. The cabin is clean. Very close to town. The hot tub was great. It is very peaceful and the cabin is not "stacked" right on top of another. The owner is sweet and very attentive. Do beware- we had a pickup truck with snow chains and were still unable to get down the mountain and even had trouble getting down the driveway on the day we finally left! The roads during this time in the immediate neighborhood were not attended to in a timely or satisfactory manner! So if you are traveling here during snowy weather, please realize you may have trouble getting around. The grocery store is about 3 miles away (walking distance) if you have to and we had to! Despite, getting stuck here- it was great. I loved the snow. We made the most of our days. This is a great place we plan to visit again and again. Our 4 year old daughter enjoyed herself immensely. We built a snowman, soaked in the hottub with snow falling, took short nature walks, snapped some great photos and made memories to last a lifetime:) If you stay here, you will not regret it!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

November 21 to Nov 24 2010

Guest: Pat (Loretto, TN)
Date of Stay: 11/21/10 Review Submitted: 12/02/10

We decided at the last minute to go to Gatlinburg for our 20th Anniversary. Gloria was wonderful! We arrived at the cabin late at night to find everything just as she had told it would be. We however didn't see any bears. awww. Even though this was a last minute thing this turned out to be the best anniversary ever. Thank you Gloria for all your help and for sharing your wonderful cabin with us.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Another Great Stay

Guest: Mary & Bob (Hilton Head, SC)
Date of Stay: 08/20/10 Review Submitted: 08/30/10

We missed staying last year but we liked your redecorating and improvements. It was quiet and secluded as usual. Convenient to everything the area has to offer.

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

Secluded

Guest: Schmidt Family (Lowell, IN)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 08/27/10

The location is perfect...it is super close to town...but so very peaceful! The view from the balacony are breathtaking! It needs some updating and I think a new cleaning crew. The pool was nice to chill by til you hit the town.

Recommended for:Families with young children, sightseeing.

Palmer Family Vacation (L.R., AR)

Guest: Deloirs (Little Rock, Arkansas/ USA)
Date of Stay: 06/05/10 Review Submitted: 06/13/10

My husband, 2 daughters, 3 grandchildren, ages 7,9 &12, and myself had the privilege of staying at Ms. Gloria's Mt. Magnolia. The view is just as it shows in the picture, spectacular! The cabin had lots of room for us all. The drive was beautiful and we saw lots of wild life every time we went out and came in, bunny rabbits, squirrel, raccoons, etc. We never saw a bear by the cabin, which didn't disappoint me at all. The kids loved the pool and the girls loved the hot tub. There were plenty of towels as there was a Washer & Dryer. All the activities that are available are mind boggling. We wished we could have stayed another week. I would recommend the Dixie Stampede to everyone, all ages. The Aquarium is awesome, the drive through Cades Cove is beautiful and full of history and wild life, we saw a bear in the forest, he was well away from us, but we got out of the car and watched him rolling over logs and eating something he'd found, it was very exciting. I would recommend this cabin to anyone and everyone. All ages and genders. The Great Smoky Mountains are just that, Great! Anyone who visits them and stays here will not be disappointed in any way. Just bring your sense of adventure and enjoy. Dave & Brenda,I have been renting houses and condos for my vacations for about 10 years and you always furnish your own dish soap, paper goods, toiletries, charcoal, etc. As for bugs, Mosquitoes love me and normally wherever I go I can't go out after dark but I was there for 7 days and never had one bite. The only bugs we saw were white moths and if you turn off the porch light and just use the motion light they will stay by it and not bother you. The cabins are not close together peoples voices just echo through the hills. I guess you just had some rowdy neighbors luckily we didn't, it was usually so quite we could hear the wind blowing through the trees. It was wonderful. We rented Ms. Gloria's condo in Florida last year and it was just as nice as the cabin. They are both very well kept and furnished with comfortable furnishings and nice decorations fitting the surroundings. They are both very well equipped with all the amenities and appliances you need for a vacation get away. Its like a home away from home and she makes you feel very welcome. Sure beats a hotel room!

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

Tammy's Getaway

Guest: Tammy's getaway (Independence, LA)
Date of Stay: 05/22/10 Review Submitted: 05/26/10

Ms Gloria, the cabin was just what we needed. It is secluded from the other cabins and the view of the mountain is perfect...The cabin linens and towels were just right for 4 people...the cabin is located close to town and up a very winding road, but it is still perfect...I will definately be staying again and I will be going back in the fall...Thanks again Ms Gloria...P.S. Others have complained about the ice maker it works fine and keeps lots of ice...While we were there we wanted to see a bear but none visited only a lonely house cat...

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

A nice retreat

Guest: unit 12 (Indiana)
Date of Stay: 04/30/10 Review Submitted: 05/10/10

The cabin was a good value. The decorations are cute. It is very secluded while still relatively close to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and the Park. Everything seemed to work. The fridge and stove are new, but the ice maker does make lots of noise. However, it doesn’t make near the noise as the fans in the bathrooms. Fortunately, these can be turned off. The place show signs of wear around the edges. One bed is pretty firm, the other is not quite as firm. The views from the deck and two person hot tub are great! When the trees have leaves you cannot see any neighbors, but when they get liquored up, you can hear them as they are pretty close. There were just two of us on this trip, but towels and linens are probably acceptable for four. If you plan an extended stay, bring some dishwasher detergent and laundry detergent. Additional paper products may also be needed. We didn’t use the fireplace. If you do you will need to supply the firewood. The grill was old, but serviceable. You will need to supply charcoal and lighter fluid as well as matches! As with any place in the mountains, bug spray is important, both repellant and insecticide. There are newer accommodations available, but all told, I recommend Mountain Magnolia and I think we would stay here again.

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

Guest: Shayla (-)
Date of Stay: 02/17/10 Review Submitted: 02/17/10

We stayed in "Mountain Magnolia" over Valentine's day weekend and could not have asked for a better experience. The cabin is exactly what we were looking for; a private relaxing getaway with a beautiful mountain view from the hot tub! The cabin was extremely clean. When we come back to Gatlinburg we hope to stay here again.

Recommended for:

Great Vacation Place.

Guest: Gary & Julia (Milton, Ky)
Date of Stay: 06/28/09 Review Submitted: 06/09/10

My husband and i stayed from May 28 - June 5 and it was just right. a great value, we were looking for a place that was private but yet just minutes from every thing. and that is just what you will find at Mountain Magnolia. We had plenty of towels, washer and dryer was nice to have to keep things up with. view from deck was nice, very quite never heard anything but the sweet sounds of the birds. We had a wonderful time with our stay there and will stay there again when we go back.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Spectacular View and Quiet

Guest: RoseyJake (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Date of Stay: 02/28/09 Review Submitted: 04/17/10

The place is up a very windy road, but it is definitely not next door to the other chalets. It's view is just let us say tremendous. We went in February 2009, but I didn't see the reviews until now. She was offering a special that I couldn't pass up for my husband and I for a romantic week away! The view and the hot tub didn't disappoint!!! The beds and the bathes were good/average. The snow storm was amazing...We'd love to provide a picture! But, don't count on getting out the hills if you have a car that gets stuck easy. I WAS impressed the roads were cleared of the 8 inches of snow the morning after the End of the storm. This made it even more romantic and FUN! The kitchen is suitable except for the very very noisy fridge. I wasn't impressed to know when the lights went out there wasn't anything to light! Kerosene or candles in an emergency location nor was their wood when the power went out....Thank goodness the power was only out until dusk and we didn't have to endure the cool long! We'd luckily bought charcoal and had dinner on the grill. It'd still stay there again! I'd ask if the fridge to had been fixed and get wood for the fireplace! Just they didn't have an emergency set-up for a power outage.

Owner response:2009 had the largest and the longest string of snow storms since I've owned this cabin. I'm glad the owner enjoyed the beauty of it all. I must say the snow plows are out early and the power rarely goes off, but Sevierville Elec.is efficient to get everything going, their business and tourism is at stake. About the fridge. It is about one year old. I think the surroundings of the cabin are so quiet that the ice maker was just a bit noisy I know mine at home is noisy. I don't think it is in need of repair. I agree there should be an emergency package at the cabin. Candles & kerosene scare me because of fires but flash lights and lanterns would work, I'm in the process of getting that type of package together. Fire wood is hard to keep at this cabin, everyone needs firewood at this time. I encourage guest's to purchase a $5 rick of wood before arrival. The grocery store is minutes away. I hope these guests come back, going in a storm is exciting but not for everyone.

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