The Lodge That Ruins Every Other Rental For You | Laughing Bear Lodge

This Rent In Highlands vacation rental home is pet friendly for one small dog, under 20 pounds. Pets must be pre-approved. An additional non-refundable pet fee is required and is not included in the rental fee. Please call our office for approval and to pay the pet  fee. Failure to adhere to this policy will result in a $1000.00 fine.

Only adults (25 years old and older) may reserve this property and an adult must occupy the property at all times.

Fair warning: after a few days here, ordinary vacation rentals are going to feel like a letdown.

This is not an ordinary vacation rental.

A 23-foot vaulted great room with a stone wood-burning fireplace. Original fine art on the walls. Period antiques that actually belong. A wormy Chestnut kitchen island. A library stocked with books and games. A wraparound covered porch with two dining tables, a wood-burning stone fireplace, a porch swing, and a private hot tub under the open sky. Mirror Lake a short stroll down the road, where the Canadian Geese and Mallards have long since decided this neighborhood belongs to them.

This is the kind of lodge that makes you wonder why you ever stayed anywhere else — and start planning the return trip before you've unpacked.

A Great Room That Commands Attention The moment you step inside, the architecture makes its case. Twenty-three feet of vaulted ceiling overhead, gleaming hardwood floors underfoot, a massive stone wood-burning fireplace filling the wall in front of you. The great room here isn't a feature — it's a statement about what this entire property values: space, warmth, and the kind of refined comfort that doesn't require explaining. Fine original art and carefully chosen antiques give the room a soul that no amount of interior design budget alone can manufacture. It simply took time and taste to get here.

The fully equipped kitchen anchors one end of the main level with the same quiet confidence — a wormy Chestnut island that's as beautiful as it is functional, and a layout that makes cooking for a crowd feel less like a production and more like part of the evening.

Two King Suites. Neither One a Compromise. The main-level king primary suite offers a walk-in closet, a walk-in shower, and a jetted soaking tub — the kind of bathroom that changes how you feel about mornings. Upstairs, the second king primary suite matches it stride for stride with its own walk-in closet, walk-in shower, and a soaking tub built for two. A third bedroom with a queen bed completes the upper level for additional guests. Three bedrooms, three distinct experiences, and enough bathroom luxury distributed across the house that no one feels like they drew the short straw.

The Library, the Porch Swing, the Hot Tub The handsome library — stocked with books, games, and the kind of atmosphere that makes an afternoon disappear — is the room that surprises people. It's easy to walk past and then find yourself still there two hours later. But the wraparound covered porch is where this property truly distinguishes itself. A porch swing at the front for slow mornings. Two dining tables and new patio furniture for meals that stretch long into the evening. A wood-burning stone fireplace for when the mountain air turns cool. And a private hot tub positioned for maximum star visibility — because a soak under a clear Highlands sky is the kind of experience that doesn't translate in photos but stays with you for years.

Just off the kitchen, a screened-in porch adds another layer of outdoor living — comfortable seating, tranquil views, and a seamless connection back to the wraparound porch so the whole outdoor circuit flows without interruption.

Mirror Lake, Minutes Away Stroll down to Mirror Lake and let the morning find its own pace. The resident Canadian Geese and Mallards are reliably charming, the landscape surrounding the lake is quietly stunning, and the walk back to the lodge — knowing what's waiting on that porch — is one of the better short walks you'll take all trip.

Downtown Highlands is minutes away. The restaurants, the shops, the waterfalls, the trails — all within easy reach. But between the library, the porch, the two fireplaces, and that hot tub, you may find the outside world requires less attention than you expected.

Come for the mountains. Stay for the lodge. Leave already negotiating dates for next year.

What our guests are saying…

"Laughing Bear Lodge is the perfect home away from home. The bedrooms are spacious with very comfortable beds. The living area s perfect for a family gathering. It’s a quiet neighborhood with beauty all around. The home is ideally located close to shopping in the quaint town of the Highlands, national park trails and restaurants." - Rent In Highlands Vacation Rental Guest, Katherine W.

Rent In Highlands Vacation Rental Cancellation Policy

Policy (A)  for reservations less than 20 days:
A reservation canceled between 0-45 days prior to arrival is not eligible to receive a refund. If more than 45 days notice is given, the renter shall receive a refund of all payments made, less a cancellation fee of 10% of the Total Cost of the Reservation.

Policy (B) for reservations of 20 days or more and reservations made 6 months in advance:
NO refund is given unless the property is re-rented under the same terms (Trip insurance is available and recommended to help protect your trip).

Special Amenities:

Covered Deck
Hot Tub
Screened Porch
Outdoor Wood Burning Fireplace

Please note: The "swimming pool" amenity refers to access to the Highlands Recreation Center pool, a short drive from the property — not a private pool on-site.

This home is professionally managed by Rent in Highlands, a division of Country Club Properties. Your premier source for Vacation Rentals in Highlands NC.