A unique opportunity to stay in an architectural gem on Center Hill Lake! The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge is a 3200 square foot 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath house situated on 5 acres of mostly wooded land overlooking beautiful Center Hill Lake. The house comfortably sleeps and entertains 14 people. Enjoy your morning coffee or afternoon glass of wine on the gorgeous deck with views of Center Hill Lake with no other homes in view!
Bring your boat! CENTER HILL LAKE ACCESS is a 1/2 mile down the road!
Hot tub! Two Roku televisions--log on with your accounts or use ours: Hulu, Disney, Peacock. High Speed Internet. Fire pit. Ping pong table, basketball goal, tree swing, foosball, and corn hole! Board games, movies, and many books for the entertainment and enjoyment of you and your loved ones.
Do you like to cook? The chef's kitchen at The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge will thrill you! Double ovens, cooktop, two refrigerators (kitchen and garage), and dishwasher. For coffee lovers, choose from a traditional coffeemaker, Bodum French Press, Hario Pour over, or Keurig coffee for your morning wake up. Weber grill on the wrap-around deck. Leave your cookbooks at home! The house is stocked with over 20 cookbooks. Plenty of dining seating inside as well as outside on the deck.
Designed by renowned Lake Tahoe architect James Morton in 1978, this house is unlike any other on Center Hill Lake! The house is constructed entirely of California Redwood, Western Cedar, and Mahogany.
SLEEPING ACCOMODATIONS Master Bedroom- King size bed, Woods/lake views, desk, loveseat, two full baths en suite (main level)
Bedroom 2- King-size bed and twin-size bunk beds (upper bunk weight limit of 165ibs, intended for kids/teens), fireplace, loveseat- direct access to hot tub patio (downstairs). Bathroom across the hall.
Bedroom 3- King-size bed, direct access to hot tub patio (downstairs). Bathroom across the hall.
Bedroom 4- Twin bed and set of bunk beds with full bed on bottom and a twin on top (upper bunk weight limit of 165ibs, intended for kids/teens) with en suite full bathroom (downstairs)
Secondary sitting room- Full Sofa bed (main level)
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The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Strip any used beds and gather used towels
Remove personal items, remove leftover food and drinks and take out the rubbish
Turn off the lights and lock the doors
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
Important information
You need to know
Property # 1229632vb
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
About the area
Sparta
Located in Sparta, this holiday home is in a rural area. Smithville Golf Club and Southern Hills Golf Course are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Hurricane Bridge Recreation Area and Center Hill Lake. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing and waterskiing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking/biking trails and hunting.
Fall Creek Falls State Park - 39 min drive - 57.7 km
Cummins Falls State Park - 57 min drive - 65.8 km
Restaurants
The Twisted Oar - 36 min drive
Little Dodge - 42 min drive
Hillcrest - 6 min drive
Turtles Bar and Grill - 13 min drive
Craft Cafe & Catering - 33 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much is parking at The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge located?
This family-friendly Sparta holiday home is located in a rural location, within a 10-minute walk of Center Hill Lake and Caney Fork River. Joe L Evins Park and Burgess Falls Lake are also within 12 miles (20 km).
Reviews
9.6
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Stayed here because it offered plenty of space for four friends who hold an annual golf trip. We all had our own room and bathroom and it was very comfortable. House was clean and spacious.
We had a great stay at the lodge with old friends. Plenty of space to spread out. Great gathering spaces, spacious kitchen, plenty of bedrooms/bathrooms, a porch with a beautiful view! It was the perfect spot for a weekend away.
Jeff M.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Oct 2021
I am so glad you enjoyed your stay! I hope you make plans to visit again soon!
The view was wonderful! The house was bigger than expected. It was well stocked and very enjoyable. We will stay there again. It would be wonderful for a huge family get together.
Gina M.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Oct 2021
I am so glad you enjoyed your stay! I hope you make plans to visit again soon!
Verified
6/10 Okay
Kevin M.
23 Oct 2024
Liked: Check-in, location, listing accuracy
Large home with lots of beds.
Overall, house could use a good cleaning and updated lighting.
Best rental we have ever had. Want to return in the future
We have never had a better experience with renting a home. Everything was as described; the house was well stocked and clean. Very professional. We had a question and Ashley got back to un in a timely manner and was very helpful. Would love to come again someday.
Billie M.
Stayed 6 nights in May 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Oct 2021
I am so glad you enjoyed your stay! I hope you make plans to visit again soon!
After two years apart due to covid we all gathered. Three generations celebrated 2 - tenth anniversaries and a fiftieth anniversary that occurred during 2021 and a seventh birthday while we were there. The layout of the house worked well and the view was spectacular any time of day. There was ample parking and many a scooter loop was made around the driveway. We hope to be back!
Super WOW!! I can't stop raving about this house, I'm definitely staying here again. We woke up and went to sleep to a beautiful scenery all around. So many sites to see but this home is sooo cozy and has so much space that we didn't want to leave. We stacked up on groceries for 8 days, the Walmart is about 12 minutes away. This home had extra of everything, linen, towels etc....the kitchen had all kinds of different cooking essentials, we love this home!!
Sandra M.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 29 Mar 2020
I'm so glad you enjoyed your stay! I hope you will consider The tulip Tree Bay Lodge for you 2020 travel plans!
We had a wonderful time and rented both the main house and the cottage and it's a great place to accommodate many "sleepers" Nice to have the basketball net for the teens and the ping pong, etc. Used the floats for the water too! Plenty of supplies in the house so you don't need anything like paper products, etc. Owner is easy to reach and responsive to things you need! Love seeing all the deer feeding on the lawn and the trees too!
My family and I gathered here from states in every direction. We had a wonderful time. It was the perfect space for our five families. There is plenty of room to spread out and have some time to yourself or to all join at the table for some card games and dominos. The scenery is beautiful. The boat and beach access were just down the road and very convenient. Ashley was very responsive to any needs we had although there weren’t many at all. The home provided all of our needs for linen, bathing, cooking, and fun. The garage has several games to play for outdoor fun as well. Thanks again for having us at your lodge!
Our family enjoyed the stay very much. The property had the bed space for 12 of the 14 of us with the other two using air beds to supplement. The kids had a great time in the garage with the ping pong, fooseball, and corn hole games. Truth is, even we adults joined in at times as well. Having that space included in the air conditioning is a huge plus. The only flaws in the property center around the bedroom on the main floor. This room has no drapes or blinds on the windows to block out the early morning sun. My wife and I used this room and that made it difficult to sleep beyond about 5:00 am. The second flaw in that space is that when we went to bed at night, we closed the door and that took away two of the five bathrooms for the rest of the family. A sliding door or even some drapes to close off the sleeping area from the hallway leading to the bathrooms would go a long way towards solving that problem. Otherwise this was a great place for our family gathering. There is plenty of space for all and we never felt cramped.
This was my third time staying in this house, and for good reason. Ashley, the owner, is a wonderful host, and she's thought of all the things to make her guests feel at home. The kitchen is a wonderful place to cook, with high end cookware, all the gadgets, and a view to die for. If I had a view like that to eat my breakfast, I'd never leave the house. The beds are comfortable, and there is plenty of space to spread out. Visiting during the winter was totally fine, because we didn't mind being inside here. I will absolultely be stayin here again, and again, and again, any time I visit the area. Thank you, Ashley!
Lindsay V.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Oct 2021
I am so glad you enjoyed your stay! I hope you make plans to visit again soon!
This was our 3rd trip here and is perfect for larger groups. We typically have about 8 ladies but this year many could not attend due to issues NOT related to Covid-19 (Thankfully!). Social distancing made easy as each of us had our own bedroom and bathroom. The weather was unseasonably warm & we spent a great amount of time outside, beautiful lake view, fire pit aglow at night and gorgeous fall colors with magnificent sunsets. We enjoyed some friends who came to visit. We love the big kitchen and numerous dining areas for our Friendsgiving Dinner each Fall. We made a trip to Short Mountain Bible Camp where some of the girls attended when they were kids. The view from there was beautiful!
Pat K.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 8 Apr 2021
Always so happy to host the Gals of '74!!
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Pat K.
1 Dec 2018
Our 2nd stay this year!!
We love this place and Ashley is great! The kitchen was perfect for our annual "Friendsgiving Dinner". We even invited the Rutherfords, friends from neighboring Riverwatch. We went to a fabulous barn sale near Sparta, watched movies, played ping pong (we need more practice), shopped numerous wonderful boutiques in Sparta & Smithville and we got our pics with a parrot at Harmony Ln. Farm & Creamery. Our weakness is the Foglight Foodhouse, a must for dinner every trip!! This home is ideal for us gals. Clean, extremely spacious, movies, books, ambience, tons of linens & throws, plenty of comfy beds, 4+ baths and a chef's dream kitchen. The fall colors outside & lake views were our favorite especially with evening cocktails. We stoked the bonfire most all weekend. We even had morning coffee while relaxing in the hot tub! Like going to a mini-Lake Tahoe! 5 STARS!!!!!
Pat K.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 29 Mar 2020
Love your group and hope you will schedule a 3rd stay with us sometime!!
The property had plenty of large rooms to gather for Meals / games. Everyone enjoyed having all the large rooms to enjoy our time together. Plenty of bathrooms..... with large groups.... so important to have plenty of bathroom accommodations.... this place checked that box for sure in bedrooms / bathroom accommodation. The Kitchen has everything we needed.... again also open and convenient for everyone to move around and not be very crowded when cooking/prepping food. Loved the deck with the Lake view......Loved this place and would book again !
Couple of small things to check into regarding g the house prior to next family/ Group coming.....
1) Microwave wouldn’t always work..... outlets in Kitchen are not well connected to wall and could frighten people if plugging in appliances.... would check those out..
2) Gas Grill has very low gas propane in the tanks.... we grilled 2 of the 3 nights..... we went and did an exchange at the marina for a full tank of propane gas. Also cleaned burners on the grill.....lot of burnt build up on the grill burners.....
John P.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Oct 2021
Thanks so much for your feedback! Glad you enjoyed your stay.
Verified
6/10 Okay
Albert G.
30 Sept 2023
Liked: Check-in, location, listing accuracy
Time Out to Refresh and Relax
Five senior women came to relax and enjoy the fall weather and view of the lake. There's not much of a view because of the overgrown trees.The outside looks uncared for. Not particularly welcoming.
The house is very dark inside. Lighting needs attention. Hard to find wall switches and many don't work. Bad hall connection near upstairs bedroom.
Kitchen is well stocked, and spacious. However, ceiling fan is coated with caked on dust. Certainly hasn't been cleaned in a long time.
The house has a moldy or musty smell as though it hasn't been used or occupied in quite some time. One guest was congested by the smell.
The back deck railing is in poor repair with rotting wood making it dangerous.There was no notification as to where we could find cushions for the outdoor chairs.
We followed the check out rules but there was certainly plenty of old items in the pantry. And there was no trash can outside so we carried it home to be disposed of.
When I was there 6 years ago it was a new listing and lovely. The owner needs to do some work to make it inviting to the guests.
We had a good time because we were there for a quiet getaway but it would have been nicer if it were fresher and more inviting.
Albert G.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 28 Feb 2024
Hi Marguerite. Thank you for sharing your concerns. I am sorry the house is as not as you remembered it and that you did not enjoy your time. Some of your concerns could have been alleviated with a quick message to me or review of the guest book provided. We have since had some trees removed so as not to obstruct the view.
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Pat K.
16 Apr 2018
This home has ALL We Wanted plus extras !
All our wishes were granted here! Unlike the Smokies, we get 4 extra hours to relax!
Day 1: Nice lunch at Smithville's Sundance, quaint shops on the square & dessert at Webb's Pharmacy till check in. Wow, lots of parking & level entry. Well adorned kitchen! Massive fridge, & an extra ice maker. Large inside dining sat us all & more room on the large deck. OMG, the view! Craft makers’ dream. Relaxed in rockers for cocktails. Loved the seclusion. Gorgeous flowering landscape. Laughed long & loud by the new fire pit. Beds were super comfy, a ton of closets, storage, linens, towels & 2 bedrooms access the hot tub!
Day 2: Crafts, Burgess Falls, reading novels, & simply relaxing. We grew to 9 guests today, still plenty of sleeping room. Getting ready for dinner at the Foglight Foodhouse was a snap with 4 1/2 baths! (Go early for best seating, great food!)
Day 3: We saw glass blowing, metal & wood working demos and bought pottery at the Appalachian Center for Crafts. Snow flurries arrived. So we all nested comfortably for movies in the big den with a nice fire & the ambience of this lovely Lake Tahoe inspired home. This gem bears quality craftsmanship throughout, views toward the lake in every room. The owners kept its glory plus all the upgrades! Another small den w/ TV is comfy for 5. A nice laundry room is near the enormous heated garage with ping pong, darts, bean bag toss & room for a car or a boat! Tons of cushions stored here for the inviting deck furniture. I saw only 1 chipmunk scamper to the lake & 1 mighty moose head impressively posed over the stairs.
We can't thank Ashley enough for the best mini-vacation ever! She professionally ensures everything is "spot on" for our enjoyment. Superbly stocked, amenities abound, abundant quality kitchen-wares, extremely clean, & secure. All appliances, hot tub, TVs, internet worked great. She immediately responded to 2 items for maintenance later which didn't affect our wonderful stay. Much respect & appreciation to Ashley & her Tulip Tree Bay Lodge! Enjoyed all our conversations. We're boasting our fabulous experience, just save us a spot for our return! Lastly, we enjoyed Blue Water Grill for Sunday lunch.
- We unanimously LOVE this place,
- The Gals of '74
Pat K.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 29 Mar 2020
Pat, you and your friends were such a delight!! I am so glad you enjoyed your stay! Thank you for such a glowing review! We have worked hard to make this vacation home comfortable, relaxing and restful for all who visit! I hope you and the rest of The Gals of 74 return soon!!
Verified
6/10 Okay
kelly h.
22 Mar 2021
Liked: Check-in, location
Disliked: Communication
Spring break Family Style
Ok I will tell you the good and the bad. Starting with the good-
The good- the size of the cabin and the view was perfect and amazing! Plenty of room for all of us and all our stuff. The view was amazing with a great size porch. Loved the location. Loved the basketball hoop and loved going for walks around exploring around the cabin.
Bad-
The pictures are definitely not current I took pictures but not sure if I will be able to post.
When driving up the cabin looks stunning until your closer and the window coverings in both garage windows are ripped. Very simple fix but really changes your first impression of the cabin.
We noticed a few things right away I messaged the owner and she was very fast to respond. I just didn’t want to be held responsible. She said the things would not be a issue.
The toilet seat down stairs was halfway on (my dad fixed it not a big deal but when it’s added with rest slightly more annoying with the price we paid)
The plug in the kids room was coming out of the wall and one in the kitchen also was. Definitely a safety issue.
The toilet paper roll in the same bathroom was broke.
Towel holder in the 1/2 bath is broke and looks awful on the wall. Simply removing it would make the bathroom look better.
The fire place would not work I messaged the owner the first night and did not hear back for a few days when I did she asked if I would like her to send someone to look at it I said yes because we had rainy cool weather and really was looking forward to the fireplace but I never heard back after that. If it was not possible just letting us know would have been appreciated.
The switches definitely should have a paper some where it took us for ever to figure out you had flip a switch out in the main living space to make the bed room lights work.
Decore- If your looking for cabin mountain cozy decor that is not here. Nothing was wrong with the decor just not what we have seen with cabins we have rented in the past. We love the cozy mountain camping decor. Even a picture of their view in the living room would be stunning.
We loved the hot tub but the cover was so water logged and looked awful and was difficult to move.
Over all we had a great trip the stuff wrong did not affect us having a great time we were just bummed a lot of the stuff would be a weekend of simple repairs or updates and the cabin would be worth every penny.
kelly h.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 8 Apr 2021
Hi Kelly. I am sorry you guys were so disappointed in our space. It has been a challenge to stay on top of smaller repairs during Covid, as we try to keep repair folks only making visits when guests are not there. I think after a surprisingly busy winter season, you guys arrived when a few things happen to have gone awry, including the fireplace. I apologize for that. The decor of the home is in keeping with the mid-century design of the home, and it is definitely not your standard mountain cabin, but instead an architect-designed home that is one of a kind on Center Hill Lake. We love how distinctive the design and architecture of our home is and try to maintain a similar commitment to style throughout the home as much as possible. Best, Ashley.
This is the ideal place for our annual fall trip. This is our 4th visit, so that says how much we love this place. Plenty of room & amenities especially for cooking a big Thanksgiving meal. The weather, the fall foliage & the view from that deck were spectacular!! We love the additional ice maker & double ovens. We visited the Twisted Oaks for our 1st dinner (great service & food) and really enjoyed Smithville's 3rd Annual Pumpkin Festival on the town square. We met friends in Sparta for shopping and we highly recommend The Coffee Collective for a great caffeine break!! We can't say enough good things about the owner, Ashley. She's a fabulous host and makes our trips the BEST here!!
Pat K.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Aug 2023
We love repeat visitors and are so glad you and your friends come back year after year!
About the host
Hosted by Ashley French
A native Nashvillian with roots in Smithville, TN, who loves sharing the beauty of Center Hill Lake with her guests!
Why they chose this property
Blame is all on my roots... My mom was from Smithville, TN. I spent every holiday and more visiting family in this area. Now I bring my family here for holidays and vacations, sharing it the rest of the time with rental guests.
What makes this property unique
The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge is unique among homes in the area as it is the only architecturally significant home on Center Hill Lake. Designed in the 1970's by famed Lake Tahoe architect James Morton, the Midcentury style and California wood from which the home is constructed is unlike an other home in the area.
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests