Black Bear Lodge - Studio House, Sleeps 9

The house is okay. It had what we needed for cooking. The beds were comfy. The house is very dated. The outside deck, tables and chairs were dirty so we did not spend any time out there. The stairs leading down to the dock are in dire need of repair. We all went very slow down and back up from the dock. The dock is in desperate need of repairs as well. The ladder to get out of the lake is a tetanus shot waiting to happen. There are trees leaning over the house constantly dropping debris on the roof which woke us up at night. There is no yard, I mean, there is one but you are not playing in it or walking around with your kids. There was no cell service. Supposedly there is Dish network but it was not working and instructions to call but since we had no cell service we could not do that but who wants to do that kind of adulting on a vacation anyway? Not us. It could be a great place. The homes around it are quite lovely. I hate I paid so much to stay here but hopefully the profit will be used to improve the home and yard and dock AND the stairs leading down to the dock, they really are scary. I would not rent this place again.

The check is process is cut and dry. They provide a gate code and a key box code for home access. Overall me and my wife had a great stay and enjoyed spending time on lake jocassee. The lake is truly a gem. 4 stars because we had an amazing and the location is incredible. But……. We feel the property is a little misrepresented. The cleaner must have forgotten to clean under the upstairs bed. As there was old clothes, bugs, and balls of dust in the master. The property is NOT in the condition that the photos show. The back porch, deck, stairs, and dock need some attention. Multiple boards were rotting and soft. Some of the staircase handrails were loose and the balusters on the back porch were completely rotten in sections and falling apart. The roof and gutters were completely covered with debris and overflowed into a mess when it rained on Friday. The outdoor cooking grill in the listing was not present.The listing photos clearly show a green roof pergola and table for hanging out in the shade by the waterside which was not present. We had planned lunch by the lake but decided not due to no cover. The dock is missing multiple tie cleats and the vertical rub rails are in poor condition. If you plan on docking a boat you have to get creative with your dock lines. I am not writing this as a “bad” review. But we feel there should be an immediate correction to the listing AND updated photos need to be provided. Being mislead is untrustworthy.

Worked out great!

I wanted to write a review and say that This lake is one of the best in the United States. The waterfalls, jumping rocks, islands and cove beaches are hard to beat. And Jocassee only has 60 homes on it, most of which aren’t rentals. The rest of it is state parks. So you have to go into your stay at this lodge understanding that the HIKE to the bottom is tough for someone older (possibly impossible) or not in shape/disabled. I would NOT recommend this with small kids- I would have cried if I had kids I had to carry. And there’s no way to get down to the lake any other way. We rented a boat for 4 days and the dock is minimal, VERY old but gets the job done (we prayed the post didn’t snap and our boat float off). I feel like the property advertises what it is well and that is all you can ask for. And the communication with the property manager was wonderful. If you go into this wanting a wiFi free week, no restaurants or groceries nearby, and are ok with a hike (that has motivational signs-which we loved) then you’ll love it. But this is rustic, very very rustic. Also the lake views are minimal behind trees. None of which is anything more than just the way that Jocassee is. The house itself is a cabin/lodge, which is how it’s advertised. So no complaints there from us.

Lake Jocassee is incredible. The linens and towels were clean and new. Access to the dock was treacherous. The number of stairs is not the problem. The stairs are breaking down with multiple sites of yellow jacket nests. Needs regular pest control. 3 of our guests separate times got stung when using the stairs. The dock boards are rotting with holes, needs complete demo. There are no cleats to secure your boat. Serious liability with stair and dock rot. This property is a diamond in the rough but needs attention and investment. The property management team were timely in response and kind. They remedied running water issues quickly even with remote location. The neighbor to this property, the HOA president. helped us out with trailer issues and is a class act.

We enjoyed the beautiful fall get away. We enjoyed hiking, boating, and relaxing in the comfortable setting.

Place was perfect for a girls trip. Property manager was wonderful and very quick to respond to our questions. Thank you for a great trip!

Peaceful getaway

This property is not as advertised - the back porch has a number of extremely loose boards - not safe or up to code. Property owner was made aware and states that the property boards are checked with each visit yet the boards were in terrible shape upon our arrival. The power went out in the kitchen / eating area that included the inability to use the washing machine, dishwasher, etc. This power outage lasted 1-day of our stay yet the property owner offered no concession for this. The amount we paid to stay does not match what the property offers.

Definitely rent a boat to keep at dock but was an amazing week of fun thrilled adventures. House was great, beds were fabulous and we stayed cool. No complaints here. Must stay sometime