Dandridge, Tennessee
Robert’s Retreat is a one of a kind home. Both the interior and the screened porch feature tongue and groove hardwood floors. When you walk into the home, the main floor is an open living space with an “Ohhhh, so comfortable!” feel around you. Center front is a wood-burning fireplace with a surrounding seating area. The beautiful kitchen and dining areas are included in the open design so you are never away from your family and friends. The kitchen has a gas stove, side-by-side refrigerator with ice maker, dishwasher, microwave, cookware and dining utensils. Step out the back door and you’ll be surprised with a screened-in porch. This room is also tongue and groove with a large wood-burning fireplace on the interior wall with rocking chairs in front to enjoy any of those cool seasonal nights. The highlight of the porch is a queen-sized swinging bed that the owner designed themselves. What a great place to curl up and read a good book! Keep in mind, in the Summer this room may be a little warm but does have two large ceiling fans. The area is wooded so you will not have direct sunlight here. During the colder months, the screened-in porch can be heated by the wood fireplace only. The coldest months are not ideal for six people. You also have an additional eating area seating for four overlooking the lake. Raise the shades for beautiful views or keep them closed for more privacy. This is truly a one-of-a-kind home, especially with our multi-use screen porch! Now to the main sleeping area – proceed up gorgeous steps and across a catwalk to the awe-inspiring loft queen bedroom. This open space is perfect for families to be together but still have privacy. Two couples can enjoy their private space in the loft bedroom, the screen porch or, the main room. Outside, there is a covered porch with seating area facing the lake. There is a firepit area located on the side of this porch. Off the kitchen there is also a covered porch featuring a gas grill. There is access to a dock for your boat – large enough for sunning or relaxing with a fishing rod. Access to this home is by way of the owners’ driveway. Once you arrive, you will feel secluded as you are surrounded by the lake and woods. If you’re bringing your own boat, there is a designated parking spot provided located in the large concrete parking area at the beginning of the owners driveway. Please do not attempt to take boat or trailer down to the home. PLEASE NOTE: Weather, precipitation levels, TVA power needs and other factors cause fluctuations in lake levels throughout the year, particularly from September to early May. Jackson Mountain Rentals and VTrips are not responsible for lake conditions and levels nor their effects on stationary docks, floating docks, or recreational activities such as swimming, boating or fishing.
We wer a little nervous about staying at Roberts Retreat based on some of the reviews describing the terrain especially since we have three kids 5 and under but the house and location were great. It is a steep driveway to get down and we were happy we had our 4x4 vehicle. The dock and lake access was amazing. We docked our 17’ boat on the pier and swam almost everyday. The outside swing bed wasn’t really a hood spot for the kids to sleep but they loved playing on it. We ended up having them sleep on the pull out couch (good for kids but not adults). The lake temp was 83 degrees and the water level was just right. We did some research because we were nervous the water level would be way low but it seems like the TVA keeps it at a good level for the summer months. I found a website that graphed out water levers over the last several years and July seemed good almost every year. I would suggest looking into that if it is a concern. We would go back for sure.
After a frightening entrance down a steep hill and around a sharp curve on a narrow little gravel drive that had been washed out by rain, we arrived at our vacation rental only to find the lake had been drained 20-25 feet. So, the pretty dock in the pictures was left high and dry, and my husband was not able to get down to the lake to fish. (That was the primary purpose of our trip.) He had to drive around the area and locate a safer access to the lake. The only BR is upstairs which meant we had to go down a treacherous flight of stairs at night to go to the only restroom. The upstairs bed was extremely uncomfortable to us. So, the second night we tried the pull-out couch, but that bed sags badly in the middle. Finally, my husband gave up and slept in the club chair the third and fourth nights. As for cleanliness, I found food spatters on the kitchen sink & refrigerator. In the bathroom, there were toothpaste/soap spatters on the mirror frame and bathroom door. The LR rug was covered in spots from spills. One night I looked up from the couch thinking my husband had left some fishing line hanging from the balcony between the BR & the stairs. When he went up to check, he found it was hair instead. We have done vacations using Vrbo 4-5 times now, and this cabin in the woods was by far the worst we have ever experienced. We would never go back, and we definitely wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Pictures of the 3 sets of stairs, including the ones down to the lake should be included on your site. Two sets are safety hazards. One actually has a large window beside it for someone to fall through (of course, there's no handrail.). Only the steps to the basement have adequate railing and are totally enclosed so no one falls through them. The cabin is definitely not appropriate for families with toddlers, preschoolers, or elderly persons in their party. Also, if the water level in Lake Douglas is lowered like that every fall as we were told by multiple members of the community, then that should be noted as well on your site. Otherwise, someone is guilty of fraudulent advertising. Moreover, it is just a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt using one of those sets of stairs. We hope you have really good insurance.
Pros Very Clean! Great looking inside Lovely porch and view Pro/Con - depending on what you’re looking for - no wifi and you will be happy to get 1 bar on your phone. Great place to disconnect! Cons Driveway is gravel and steep Both interior stairs had issues. Stairs up to bedroom has gap between wall and stairs - you must pay attention going up and down. Stairs going down to garage has no door/break between living room and garage. Not a place to wonder around in the dark
Excellent
We had a great time, we will definitely be back! The drive is a little steep, and we weren’t sure we were in the right place but after that it was fantastic! The sunsets were amazing! And we loved fishing off the dock!!
Great place to relax! A+ ????
Great!
We enjoyed a short weekend stay at this wonderful cabin. The cabin was clean and cozy. We loved the screen porch with the hanging bed, although we didn’t get to use the screened in porch much because the weather was a little too cool.
Great experience
Your dates are Available!
Total
Includes taxes and fees