Robbinsville Cabin w/ Deck: 3 Mi to Fontana Lake!

Reviews

• 5/5

• Not that great

  3/5

  The price was right. And, that's about it. This cabin is in the woods of North Carolina. As such, it takes a windy little gravel road to get there. That's to be expected. However, when we got to the house, we found out that there is no cell service, no internet, and no landline. Instructions in the kitchen on check in said that you can get cell service in emergencies by driving 2 miles to the park and ride. There is no cell service at the park and ride 2 miles down the road. And if you have a serious emergency, would you be able to drive 2 miles anyway? This is completely irresponsible, as I had my elderly father with me on the trip, and who knows what could have happened? I thought it was due to the remote area, but other cabins in the area at least had internet. (Satellite internet is apparently available in the area.) Also, this cabin appears to be set up for the winter season. There was no shortage of mention of heaters, fireplaces and blankets. However, this was July, and there was only a wall air conditioner for a 3 bedroom, 2 story house. Thankfully, we were out of the house most of the time for a wedding that we were attending, but we couldn't have stood it if we were there during the day. If you are not marketing a house for a summer trip, don't have it available in the summer! The cleaning was unacceptable: the few towels that were available were dirty, there were cobwebs everywhere, and the corners had never been swept. Also, the water heater is inadequate for 6 guests...the breaker was turned off when we got there, which we didn't know, and there was only enough hot water for 2 showers after it had been turned on. There were minimal basic necessities in the kitchen, including rancid vegetable oil in the cabinet. There were tripping hazards everywhere, especially the front deck and the stairs down to the basement level. (Again, elderly father.) After a 30 minute drive to Robbinsville, we were only able to compensate for some of these shortcomings. (The Dollar General has towels for $7/towel.) The coffee maker worked. The microwave worked, although the turntable did not. The beds were comfortable. The couch was comfortable (in case you need to sleep directly in front of the air conditioner.)

  Manager's Response:

  Hi Dana, the right vacation home is everything, and we're disappointed if this wasn't the one for you. We followed up with the homeowner after reading your feedback, and they wanted to share the following:
  - We apologize for any discomfort caused by the lack of cell service and internet. The cabin's remote location in the woods does make these amenities challenging to provide, and we do clearly mention the lack of wifi and spotty cell service in the listing prior to booking. This property serves as a remote escape for many guests.
  - Cell service at the park and ride is typically reliable, and we're sorry it did not work during your stay.
  - We regret that the wall A/C unit did not sufficiently cool the house during your visit. We also mention the lack of central A/C in the listing so you know before booking.
  - We are addressing the cleanliness issues you mentioned. Our cleaning team has been notified to ensure that towels are clean, cobwebs are removed, and all areas are thoroughly swept.
  - Kitchen supplies will be reviewed, and any expired items will be replaced to ensure that only fresh provisions are available.
  - We will assess and address any tripping hazards on the property, particularly on the front deck and basement stairs, to ensure safety for all guests.
  We appreciate your feedback so we can continue to improve and help this homeowner provide guests with the 5-star service they are known for. Thanks again, and we hope that you keep us in mind for your future travels!

• Nice Home, but Poorly Maintained

  3/5

  The owner was quick to respond when we were able to get to a location that had service to let them know the downstairs toilet wasn’t working upon arrival. They were also quick to fix the broken toilet, which was nice. Not having a landline or cell service makes it a little annoying that there is no way to contact the owner until you are out, and then you have to sit and pause your vacation to text back and forth. And for us it was more like 12 miles that we had to drive before we could get cellular service. The place was not well maintained. The smoke detector was beeping when we arrived, there were several bulbs out, the microwave didn’t work properly, there were a few dirty dishes, and there were no pillowcases for the pillows for the pull out sofa. The cobwebs from other people’s reviews were still a problem, webs going from light fixtures down to the dining table and webs on every blind you tried to open. There were mouse droppings under the kitchen sink. At night there was some large rodent that would scratch and gnaw on and off all night long. There were no cleaning supplies and no dishwashing detergent, so you pretty much have to bring your whole house. If you don’t want to clean on your vacation or are a light sleeper this is not the house for you. The house seems like it could be really nice if the proper care was given. The location was good. In the description of the house it stated the there was access to a hiking trail on property, I wish there had been some sort of directions on how to locate this trail. It also stated there were spices in the kitchen, and there was only salt and pepper. I did read the reviews before hand, but I also thought that if a problem was drawn to the owner’s attention that they would take care of it. That clearly isn’t happening here. I do think this could be a relaxing vacation, I just hope they take the recommendations from these reviews. I did appreciate the quick responses to our text messages. The owner was very nice and did try to make it up to us, it is just frustrating when you think you are going somewhere to relax. I wouldn’t say avoid the place just come prepared and maybe to clean.

  Manager's Response:

  Hi Courtney, we want our guests to rest easy when they stay with us, and we're sorry that you experienced some issues during your trip. We followed up with the homeowner after reading your feedback, and they wanted to share the following:
  - Unfortunately, the absence of WiFi and the unreliability of cell service are factors beyond our control. We provide this information in our listing and pre-stay communications to ensure guests are informed before and after booking. Additionally, there's cell service available at the park & ride located 2 miles south on Highway 28, as indicated on the welcome sheet in the cabin.
  - Thank you for your feedback regarding maintenance items. We've taken immediate action to address them by replacing the smoke detector batteries, and burned-out lightbulbs, resolving the issue with the microwave tripping a breaker and confirming that pillowcases for the pullout sofa are stored in the bathroom closet.
  - We've scheduled a deep cleaning and pest control visit to address cleanliness and pest concerns.
  - We provide dishwasher pods and liquid dish soap under the sink, along with a starter supply of toilet paper, paper towels, and soap in the bathrooms.
  - We offer salt, pepper, and various spices left by past guests for added convenience. 
  - Although there are no hiking trails directly from the cabin, the Appalachian Trail can be accessed approximately 3 miles away, up Highway 143. 
  - We're currently reviewing our listing description to ensure clarity regarding the provided spices and hiking information. Additionally, we're in the process of updating the cabin and carefully considering your feedback, as well as input from past guests, to enhance the overall experience.
  Thanks for your valuable feedback as we continue to improve for future guests.

• Mountainous get-away

  5/5

  The person that cleaned the kitchen neglected to wipe up the orange juice that was spilled and left on the counter that the cutting board was sitting in. Other than that, the place was clean. It is a mountain cabin. So, if you cant handle seeing a couple of spiders, its not for you. All that being said, we absolutely loved the place and would love to go back one day!

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

• Fontana cabin

  5/5

  Had a great time with my daughter and grandkids. Convenient spot to make as your base camp to enjoy outings in Graham County and surrounding area

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo