bk123

We (my husband, our 7-year-old daughter and I) are looking at spending a week in Asheville this July or August. We’ve never been there, have heard great things and think it would be a fun alternative to our usual beach vacation. So far, I’ve identified two possibilities for cabin rentals, Scenic Wolf Resort in Mars Hill and Willow Winds in Asheville. Both are appealing to us – clean, modern cabins with lots of nice amenities; beautiful setting; nature trails, etc. Willow Winds has outstanding reviews on TripAdvisor. Scenic Wolf Resort has an excellent review, too, but I can’t find out much more about it because it seems to be a newer place.

So I turn to the Asheville-savvy Fodor’s crowd for guidance and suggestions…

1. If anyone here is familiar with both Scenic Wolf Resort and Willow Winds, I’d love to hear what you see as the pros/cons of each.

2. How far is Mars Hill from Asheville and would distance/traffic be a negative if we were to stay at Scenic Wolf? We usually like to “go into down” almost every day to tour, explore, shop, try restaurants, etc. A 30-minute drive from Mars Hill would be OK if it’s on good roads and we’re not stuck in crawling traffic. We also want to enjoy hiking, a family rafting trip and other outdoor activities – would staying in Asheville put us too far away from those kinds of activities?

3. I get the impression that parts of Scenic Wolf are still under construction – is that the case and if so, how much of an impact do you think that would have on a stay?

4. I will tell you that a real down side to Willow Winds for us is that it doesn’t have a pool. Can anyone recommend other places with a pool? We’d prefer a cabin to a hotel – a full kitchen is key!

Thanks in advance…

bk123

Just thought I'd try topping this to see if anyone has any thoughts for me. Thanks!

SAnParis

We tend to do most of our renting in that area from vrbo.com & typically steer clear of any Resort type settings. So I can't really speak to your lodging choices. However, other places to explore might include Chimney Rock & Black Mt./Montreat. Lake Lure (near Chimney Rock) has a beach area + you can pull off the side of the road most anywhere & jump into the creek/river. Chimney Rock has some great hikes as well.

bk123

Thanks, SAnParis! Chimney Rock looks great. I've used VRBO successfully in the past, just thought I'd try a resort this time. But I'll do some VRBO research, too.

What do you see as the down sides of a resort setting?

SAnParis

We're just not Resort types. I like to cook as well & kitchens can be hard to come by. I don't like the structure & we typically prefer to be by ourselves (particularly in the Mts.) We have two small kids as well (5 1/2 & 2 1/2). If you do go to Chimney Rock, go first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds & the heat. My 5 year old has done all the trails there, but you do have to be careful on the top loop. I'd also suggest renting "Last of the Mohicans". It was filmed there & the scenery (particularly the last 1/2 hour) is amazing. We stay out near Warren Wilson College a lot also (in Swannanoa) which is right off the Parkway & in between Asheville & Black Mt.