Hot Tub + Game Room: Mountain Retreat in Otto!

Location and house was accommodating but host was not responsive. Insisted there were blankets in a closet and even when I sent a picture there was no response. No response to my picture about dirty items in the kitchen or that the towels smelled like cigarettes. I won't be staying again.

Left much to be desired. Messaged our “local host”several times with a question but received no response. The house is much smaller than the pictures let on and quite old. Very few blankets which was a bummer especially considering it is a mountain cabin - my brother slept on the pullout and was very cold.

The views of the Smokey mountains are breathtaking! There was 8 of us 3 couples and 2 teenagers. The house was the perfect layout. My husband and I upstairs with a king bed and bath, my cousin and his wife on the main level with a queen bed and the two girls shared the twin bedroom on the main floor. My parents took the downstairs king bed and bathroom. We all had plenty of room to spread out and also eat together at the 8 person table. We enjoyed using the gas grill and eating breakfast together.

The cabin is a great size for large families with lots of space and activities, has a beautiful view, and is quiet. Overall it was perfect for our needs and we enjoyed our stay! The carpets are not in great shape, which I suppose is why they allow pets, and there were a few things not clean. The host was responsive before our stay but didn’t respond to my texts during the stay. Luckily we didn’t have any major problems.

This is one of the first mountain trips we've taken where the property manager didn't allow the trees to overtake the mountain view. Beautiful property. Same view as shown in pictures.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip! My youngest would literally live in the National Forest if he could. ?The house was great for our family, and we do not regret it. Not perfect, but what is, right?The driveway is pretty steep and narrow, but definitely manageable. Thankfully no one was ever trying to use it at the same time as us. I loved that we could open lots of windows and doors to let some fresh air in. The gas fireplace was super cute, and the downstairs was more spacious than I expected. We chose not to use the hot tub because of the smell, but if chlorine doesn't bother you, then go for it. (And what are they gonna do, not have chlorine in it? So yeah, not a complaint at all, just sharing our experience.) The beds were comfy, games were great, and the decks were new and nice. The upholstered furniture could use an update. (I thought I wasn't gonna make it back up out of some of them! ?) Kitchen was well-stocked and I want an oven like it now lolOverall, very satisfied and thankful for this opportunity!

It was a nice place but I have tons of issues. First, I connected with the property owner after Hurricane Helene to ensure the property was OK and accessible. I told the owner the reason for my trip and where we needed to be. (My sons wedding in the next town over). She said it was fine, which the house was fine. Once I paid in full and received the address, I checked the distance between where the house is and where the wedding was and it was a 55 minute trip. She failed to inform me that the road between Otto and Highlands was damaged and closed and turned a 25 minute drive into an hour. Secondly, upon arriving, the road leading up to the house was completely covered with leaves, not normally an issue but this road is steep and every truck had issues getting up the road. At one point we were literally stuck on the road and couldn’t get up bc the leaves had gotten damp. My friend and I had to clean off the road by hand to try to get the truck up the road. I had luckily called my other son and had him bring his large blower so we could clean off the road and make it easier/safer to drive on. When I connected with the owner about this basically the property manager that’s here in NC said it was bc we needed new tires (his truck tires were brand new). These issues just put a damper on the whole weekend. When I contacted VRBO they were largely useless and said she had no obligation to tell us about road closures. I’m definitely disappointed.

First, we could get no contact from the agent at arrival. Second, the trash can outside was full and we just had to throw ours on top.Third, it would be better if they had some better pots and pans.Other than that everything was great.

Our family came together to spend 2 nights at this lovely home. The cabin was spacious, clean, had beautiful views and the host was very kind and accommodating.

The Hidden Gem was a gem for sure!! The home was comfortable for our family of 8, with a great basement space for the kids to play video games and pool. There was plenty of space for rounds of cards and our family traditions of puzzles! The hot tub was perfect, overlooking the mountains. The family room had breathtaking views of the mountains and was a relaxing space for the family with a cozy fireplace! This home is convenient to many antique stores and fun stops for the whole family!