Entire home

Grand Lodge - Welcome to your private Smith Lake retreat

Photo gallery for Grand Lodge - Welcome to your private Smith Lake retreat

A two-story house with a deck, outdoor seating, and a covered patio.
A spacious living room with a stone fireplace, leather furniture, and a high ceiling with exposed beams.
A spacious interior with a wooden staircase, stone pillar, and a view through a large window.
A wooden staircase leading to a grassy area with a path and trees, overlooking a body of water.
A kitchen with a wooden island, green cabinets, and a large window.

Reviews

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful

Highlights

  • Family fun awaits
    Top-rated for families.
  • Arcade/game room
    A rare find - fun for all ages with on-site arcade/game room.
  • Centrally-located
    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.
  • Discover nearby landmarks
    Close to Lewis Smith Lake

Popular amenities

  • Balcony
  • Arcade/game room
  • Barbecue grill
  • Pet-friendly
  • Air-conditioning
  • Refrigerator

Explore the area

View in a map
Arley, AL
  • Place, Lewis Smith Lake
    ‪10 min walk‬
  • Place, Natural Bridge Park
    ‪55 min drive‬
  • Place, Heritage Park Cullman
    ‪58 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

7 bedrooms (sleeps 20)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 4

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 5

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 6

2 Single Bunk Beds

Bedroom 7

1 Single Bunk Bed

4 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Toilet

Bathroom 3

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 4

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 5

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Balcony
Dining area

Add dates for prices

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About the area

Arley

Located in Arley, this holiday home is on a lake. Houston Historic Jail and Clarkson Covered Bridge are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Lewis Smith Lake and Tiger Field. With fishing and swimming nearby, you'll find plenty of adventures in the water.
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Map
Arley, AL

What's nearby

  • Lewis Smith Lake - 10 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Natural Bridge Park - 55 min drive - 74.6 km
  • WildWater Cullman - 57 min drive - 73.5 km
  • Cullman County Museum - 58 min drive - 74.5 km
  • Heritage Park Cullman - 58 min drive - 74.6 km

Restaurants

  • ‪Jack's - ‬18 min drive
  • ‪Subway - ‬19 min drive
  • ‪Cujos Pizza - ‬16 min drive
  • ‪The Country Basket Restaurant and Grill - ‬18 min drive
  • ‪Soda Shop 41 - ‬18 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Grand Lodge - Welcome to your private Smith Lake retreat pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Grand Lodge - Welcome to your private Smith Lake retreat?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Grand Lodge - Welcome to your private Smith Lake retreat?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Grand Lodge - Welcome to your private Smith Lake retreat?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Grand Lodge - Welcome to your private Smith Lake retreat located?

Situated on a lake, this holiday home is steps from Lewis Smith Lake and 7.4 mi (11.9 km) from Tiger Field. Houston Historic Jail and Gamble Park are also within 20 miles (32 km).

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 23 out of 32 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 32 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 32 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 32 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 32 reviews

8.0/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

9.6/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.0/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful and plenty of space! Properly cooled, clean enough. Couple of issues with doors to outside that are hard to shut, a noisy oven, a right middle drawer under the stove that liked opening itself and a missing ballast to keep the boat secure at the dock, but those were the only issues. Great time, and may be back!
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 21 Jul, 2026
Thank you for the 5‑star review. We're glad Grand Lodge's space, cooling, and cleanliness helped make your stay enjoyable. Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate you choosing Smith Lake Rentals and would welcome you back.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Family trip 2026

Rating Details: The property manager was very helpful. The vacation rental was very clean. I was very happy with the location. I was more than satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental. Overall, I recommend this vacation rental. Reviewer Comments: This was our 2nd time back to Lewis Smith lake and the location of this house was perfect. We had 14 people, the house had great spaces to hangout, cook, sit outside, or play pool in the lower level. Questions were answered in a timely manner and would definitely recommend this property for larger families
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great vacation home
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 6 Oct, 2025
Thank you for staying with us and for your rating! We’re glad you enjoyed your visit. We hope to host you again soon!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Our extended family of 15, ranging in age from 10 to 77, all loved this property! The location on the lake and views were amazing! The layout of the house was perfect for our group….the game room and 2 bedrooms with bunk beds were all downstairs and all of the other bedrooms were on the top two levels, so the kids felt like they had their own little hangout, and when they stayed up late and got a little loud, it didn’t disturb those who liked to get to bed early. The house was stocked with everything we needed for an enjoyable stay. The lake water was very clear a comfortable temperature for swimming and enjoying watersports. We brought inflatable paddle boards and rafts with us and rented pontoon boats for exploring the lake and pulling the kids on tubes. A great time was had by all and we are already talking about coming back sometime soon!
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 15 Jun, 2026
Thank you for the 5-star review. We're glad the home worked so well for your extended family of 15 — the lake views, layout, game room, and downstairs bunk bedrooms sound like they were a perfect fit for kids and adults alike. It's great to hear the house had everything you needed and the water was clear and comfortable for swimming and watersports. We appreciate you choosing Smith Lake Rentals and hope to welcome your group back soon.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful family venue.

Perfect size for our current family and dock was great for swimming, shade for enjoying views and breeze, and, obviously, docking the rented boat, which was a short distance from the Grand Lodge. Great time together.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great lake stay!

Our entire family (ages 1-63) loved this place! Great layout with big family areas and quiet areas for solitude. The outdoor areas were fantastic, with a grassy lawn, lots of trees, shallow areas for the younger kids to play in, a great dock for fishing and for the pontoon boat we remted, and multiple decks for viewing all of it! Duncan Bridge Marina was less than 10 minutes away.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness

Beautiful home will be back soon

Everything was absolutely beautiful Great view of the lake. Easy access Good parking Upkeep of home good Fire the cleaning g crew
Stayed 5 nights in May 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Aug, 2023
Thank you for your 5 star review and the positive comments on the property...it is a great lake house. I apologize for any cleaning issues. We pride ourselves on the cleaning and have addressed the issues reported.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

While attending a volleyball tournament at Curry High School

Rating Details: The property manager was very helpful. The vacation rental was spotless. I was very happy with the location. I was very satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental. Overall, I recommend this vacation rental. Reviewer Comments: I brought my volleyball team to this area to play in the Smith Lake Volleyball Tournament at Curry High School. This location was perfect and the house was unbelievable and very accommodating. We would love to come back again next year!
From a partner site

8/10 Good

Late July 2026-Grand Lodge

Rating Details: The property manager was very helpful. The vacation rental was very clean. I was very happy with the location. I was more than satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental. Overall, I recommend this vacation rental. Reviewer Comments: Grand Lodge is perfect for large gatherings and is well provisioned. Only think missing is a crockpot! The location is close to a lot more than I would have thought - the Foodland next to the DGMarket (15 minutes) is very good as is Son's down in Jasper, 30 minutes. There is also a butcher before you get to Son's. The kitchen is awesome and the bedroom set is very good and a rarity of the lake, a screened in porch! The water is clear and comfy, but be aware that Friday afternoon thru Sunday traffic in the summer is very busy around the point the house is on. Gets a bit choppy, but our older 6 year old grandchild and her siblings and cousins had no issues. The view more than makes up for this! The house does need some cosmetic love as other reviewers have noted, but the place was clean when we arrived and we left it that way too. Garbage is limited to one can at this time, very odd for a large house like this but SLP told us other cans are on the way. Dumpsters are in the area, like at the Texaco and Ace Hardware. Just go in and ask. Duncan Marian and the smith lake pontoon rentals were awesome too. Best swimming hole on the lake is the next slue north on the east side marked by a dock with orange/red canopy. Go to the back of that slue and you will be in a pool surrounded by rock cliffs.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Grand Lodge Arley

The property is beautiful and well appointed. The only thing I would suggest is it could be cleaner, especially the kitchen. It was very dusty and the cabinets and drawers were not that clean. I am sure you are paying a cleaning company well and you may want to doa spot check. Also - no hot pads and need a few new cookie sheets(rusty.)
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Large house, needs a little TLC

The house has a good layout and good location. The teenage boys all stayed in the lower level with the games. The house needs minor repairs, updating, the trees trimmed. Some of the bedrooms didn't have blinds, some didn't work. The patio furniture needs replacing. It only has one smaller oven on the main level. The AC didn't cool evenly on the second level. It was nice having two refrigerators and a separate ice maker. I would love to see the house updated and repaired because it is a nice house with great potential. The rental company was very friendly and responded to an issue at the house quickly.
Stayed 5 nights in May 2023
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness
Nineteen family members ages 13 months to 71 years spent 4 nights at the Grand Lodge. We had a wonderful time on Smith Lake out in the water on pontoon boats and jet skis as well as fishing (caught 1 fish). Loved the dock and swimming area. The house was the perfect size and the layout was great — we especially enjoyed having the basement area for the kids to hang out. The large kitchen and eating area were great.There were a few disappointments - number one is the lack of smoke detectors - we are a family of fire fighters and this is very concerning. In addition, the Lodge was not as clean as I would have liked (crumbs dustbunnies and spider webs specifically) and there were numerous lightbulbs out all throughout the premises. When we took some dishes, pots and pans and cutlery out, they were dirty so we had to wash before using. The door from the kitchen to the deck would not stay closed unless locked and there was a screen door that wouldn’t stay closed so a squirrel came to visit! Basically, the property is beautiful but needs a deep clean and some minor repairs done. On a positive note, the AC worked great! So, overall my family gives it 4 stars and we would go again. Shout out to Squirrel’s Boat Rental and Smith Lake Marina for Jet Ski Rental!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 6 Oct, 2025
Thank you for your detailed feedback! We’re so glad your family enjoyed the lake, the dock, the swimming area, and the spacious layout of the Grand Lodge. It sounds like you made some wonderful memories on the water! We also appreciate your notes regarding cleanliness, minor repairs, and safety concerns. We’re addressing these issues, including a deep clean, replacing lightbulbs, and checking doors and smoke detectors, to ensure future guests have an even better experience. We’re glad the AC worked well and would love to host your family again!
Verified review

4/10 Poor

Liked: Check-in, communication, location
Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy

Disappointed

Love the location of the property. The community grocery store, Sons of Arley was very convenient and equipped with all the basic necessities for the long weekend. The most important focus of the weekend was family. However, The property is in need of updating, thorough cleaning and all the deferred maintenance needs to be addressed (wood rot in the lower level bath, and around door frames, windows/screens in need of cleaning/repair/replacement, burnt out Light bulbs replaced, storage closet full of junk and disorganized. Under the kitchen sink-the smell was indescribably awful) My sons boat and my car were visited by ants. Deck Patio furniture/cushions off bedrooms were mostly broken or risky to sit on. Kayaks were either broken or full of dirt/spiders. For a classified Premiere property this was the farthest from the truth. We won't be back.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Aug, 2023
Thanks for you review and I am glad your family enjoyed the stay at Smith Lake. I do feel that the review is unfair. This is one of our most popular properties because of its size, location, views, . Is it perfect...no, are the imperfections priced in...yes. If this property was perfect it would be another 50% higher in price. On the cleaning, we take pride in keeping the houses as clean as possible. You visited at the end of the season so I am sure there are things that could be cleaner and will be addressed in the seasonal deep clean (without details we are not sure what you felt was not clean). The wood rot is from years of water getting around the shower curtain and, I agree, could be replaced but does not affect the enjoyment of the property. This is the first we have heard of the smell under the sink...we will check this out and rectify. Ants around the lake can be crazy at certain times of the year. The good news is that they were NOT in the house which tells me pest control is doing their job. The patio furniture off the BRs is rustic looking (see pics) but it is sturdy. The cushions could use replacement as they have had a long season. We will take a look at the kayaks, they get a lot of use so no telling. I hope those that are reading this will balance this with the other reviews.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Stay every year. Love
Stayed 5 nights in May 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 21 Jul, 2026
Thank you for the 5‑star review. We're glad you love staying with us every year. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to welcoming you back.
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location
Disliked: Listing accuracy

Great but needs some maintenance

The size of the house is wonderful and the water is wonderful. However there are some maintenance needs that need to happen in the off season. 1. The Toilets are wobbly and are prone to stopping up. 2. The air conditioning is not sufficient for the summer in Alabama. At times during the day it was up to 80 in the house and you couldn't turn the air lower than 76 at any time because it could freeze over. 3. Some kitchen Appliances were broken or struggling. The wine fridge didn't work and the kitchen fridge froze all of our vegetables and drinks. We tried to turn it up put the fridge wouldn't let us. 4. The lighting on the dock doesn't work. 5. The speakers either didn't work or the instructions were wrong 6. The carpets were badly stained in the upstairs rooms. 7. The light fixture in the living room needs new lightbulbs and a good cleaning. Lots of spiderwebs. 8. Water pressure in the master bath was low. It is a nice house and it fit what we were doing. However it could have been amazing and you could charge more than a 1000.00 a night if you fixed those few maintenance problems. The kitchen serving ware and other appliances were great. The grill was great. The dock during the day was good. Huge house and the game area was fun. But the air conditioning is a major deterrent.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Smith Lake College Graduation Weekend

Phenomenal weekend with family and friends!!!!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wedding Stay

Hosted the bridal party for our daughters wedding, a total of 14 people. The property worked out great for us as a home base. Plenty of hot water, AC worked well, mostly on heat during our stay. Ample kitchen space on main level. Master B/B very nice and on main level away from other bedrooms located on lower and upper levels.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Jones and family

It was a great property. Kitchen was phenomenal. We had around 7 women cooking at once and it went great. There was some wear and tear on the property but all in all wonderful stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fall break!

Beautiful and spacious property. Ideal for a gathering of multiple families.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing house, incredible location!

The pictures don't do this beautiful house justice! The house is HUGE and incredibly well furnished. The downstairs is a movie room and game room that will keep you entertained for days! Kitchen is amazing, bedrooms are clean and comfortable. The dock is a great place to hang out, and the lake is crystal clear! I had high expectations for this house, and my expectations were exceeded!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2020
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

All in all a good experience

The house was found as described. Having a pier and banks in certain areas around the house property that allowed smaller children to wade in the water without having to jump in was a big plus for our family. The only downs were that the TV did not work and attempts by the management company failed to get it working. This was somewhat missed by those who wanted to just sit in and relax. Upon arrival there was some dirty dishes left in the sink from previous renter. Other than that, it was generally clean.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2020
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

June 2020

The house & lake are beautiful & had everything we needed for an extended weekend! The grounds were unkept & need work. There is a wonderful sandbar on the side of the home but it is almost unreachable due to overgrown bushes. All in all it is a beautiful lake home!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2020
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful home, beautiful view!

My extended family shared this home for Christmas and absolutely loved it. There is plenty of room for large groups to spread out and the common areas are also large enough for everyone to congregate together.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful Stay

My family and I had a wonderful time in this home on Thanksgiving 2019 weekend. Plenty of room for everyone, great Smith Lake views, and an awesome level back yard. The ice maker downstairs is currently not operable, but we made it fine without it. Convenient to pontoon rentals! Would love to come back for another stay! The Ward Family
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2019
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Arley

Nice house, needed curtains or shades on most all bedroom windows. Grass needed mowing and weeds needed pulling.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Aug, 2023
Thanks for the feedback. Yea, our landscaper had changed jobs and not told us. We got this corrected. We will take a look at bathroom windows. Thank you for the 4 stars.
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