Private Retreat with Gorgeous Mountain Views

2 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 4111 sq m

Popular amenities

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

Air conditioning

Mountain view

Explore the area

Balsam, NC

Blue Ridge Parkway Balsam Entrance8 min drive
Wheels Through Time Museum27 min drive
Maggie Valley Festival Grounds28 min drive
Asheville, NC (AVL-Asheville Regional)55 min drive

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Double Bed

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio

Kitchen

Dining Area

About this property

Looking for a peaceful mountain getaway with gorgeous scenery? BalsamSKY is a perfect couple’s retreat! This modern vacation rental home, located on 30 private acres, offers guests sweeping mountain views of the Black Balsams and spectacular sunsets over Water Rock Knob. Guests experience absolute privacy in a comfortable home filled with fine art and local crafts. The property is conveniently located near the Blue Ridge Parkway, between the historic mountain towns of Waynesville and Sylva.

The cottage is one level (4 steps up the deck to the front door). Children over twelve years old are welcome. Small non-shedding dogs considered. The entire property is non-smoking. The location is convenient to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Asheville, Cherokee, the Biltmore House, rafting, fishing, hiking and shopping.

Please ask relevant questions BEFORE you request to book, and make sure that you indicate exactly how many guests and whether you are traveling with a pet.

Property manager

Beverly Rhoads

Amenities

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

Air conditioning

Mountain view

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

Air conditioning

House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 30

Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 13–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

Pets allowed: dogs less than 50 lbs per pet (limit one pet total)

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

No smoking anywhere on the property.

No motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, OHMs, golfcarts or any other non-automobile wheeled vehicles allowed.

No parties or gatherings.

No guns.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

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 deadlock

About the area

Balsam

Located in Balsam, this cottage is in a rural area and in the mountains. LoneBackpacker Gallery of World Photography and Oaks Gallery are cultural highlights, and some of the area's attractions include Barber Orchard Fruitstand and Waynesville Recreation Center. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Smoky Mountain Jumphouse or Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center. Fishing offers a great chance to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with mountain biking, hiking, and hunting nearby.

Balsam, NC

What's nearby

Blue Ridge Parkway Balsam Entrance - 8 min drive
Waterrock Knob - 21 min drive
Wheels Through Time Museum - 27 min drive
Maggie Valley Festival Grounds - 28 min drive
Western Carolina University - 30 min drive

Getting around

Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) - 55 min drive

Restaurants

Taco Bell - 13 min drive
Papas & Beer - 13 min drive
Clyde's Restaurant - 13 min drive
Hardee's - 12 min drive
Furman's Burger Bar - 14 min drive

9.4

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Claire D.

1 Oct 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

5 minutes to the spectacular Blue Ridge Parkway!

We enjoyed our stay at beautiful BalsamSKY, aptly named as the views of the mountains, valley, and sweeping sky provided a gorgeous backdrop for our visit. Bev and Claire's home is sparkling clean, with comfortable beds, original art, a soaking tub, and two separate sitting areas -- the living room facing the sunrise and the "sunset" room facing the west for sunset. We also enjoyed spending time on the deck, watching the clouds move over the mountains. It's a peaceful place to relax, but also conveniently located to the cute mountain towns of Waynesville, Sylva, Maggie Valley, Dillsboro, Cherokee, and Bryson City. The Blue Ridge Parkway is just down the mountain, a short five minute drive! Lots of overlooks and trails - you may want to pick up a hiking guide at one of the bookstores or shops in Waynesville before you hit the trail. We look forward to returning soon.

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Claire D.

27 Sept 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Gorgeous and Private Setting, Convenient to Blue Ridge Parkway

We loved our stay at BalsamSky -- the house is pristine, with thoughtful "mountain" touches like handthrown pottery, baskets, books about the area, and original artwork of the surrounding mountains. We had everything we needed to make our own gourmet dinner, and enjoyed toasting the evening with a glass of wine as we sat on the deck and enjoyed the view of the Smokies. Hiking on the trails off the Blue Ridge Parkway is a short 20 minute drive from the house.

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Donna P.

21 Dec 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Mountain getaway

I spent a long weekend at Balsam Sky mid-Dec. for a hiking vacation. My first visit to the property was several years ago, but I couldn’t return before now because Bev had a full-time renter. I’m glad it’s back for short term renting. The property is really a great location for exploring the area, but the views from the house make it hard to want to leave at all. Bev is a responsive host. She made everything from check-in to departure seamless. I found the house sparkling clean, cozy and quite comfortable. The soaking tub was a real treat after hours on the trail. Can’t wait to come back again.

Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

6/10 Okay

Carl S., Orlando, FL

4 Jan 2018

Owner takes fussy to a new level

We are a coupe in our mid-50’s and have rented many, homes all over the world and many in the U.S. More specifically we have rented in the Smoky Mountains every Christmas in Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Hendersonville, also three times in Maggie Valley. To say that we are very experienced renters is a qualified statement. We have never had an issue and have always received our deposits back in full upon completion of the rental. This home has some nice positives. The home is clean, very clean and tidy. The kitchen is well appointed with plenty of glasses, plates, bowls… etc. The bed we slept in was comfortable and the bathroom was nice with a big tub and decent shower. It is rather remote on a mountain top, but that has it’s advantages as well. The views are stunning as the mountains seem to change hourly. There is no cable/sat TV, but the owner provided access to Netflix and wireless internet and that was just fine. The property was ultimately not our issue, it was dealing with the owner in the end. We are very responsible renters. In this case, we never cooked in the kitchen. We cleaned and put away all dishes, took the trash off the property to the transfer station, etc. I’d describe our leaving the property fairly clean. We specifically asked when renting the property if our dog was allowed and he was approved. However there came message after message about keeping the dog off furniture, bring a dog bed or dog crate, two mentions of wiping mud off the dog’s feet with a towel. Always have the dog on a leash. Looking back it was adding up. Our black lab is nine years old, not a puppy. In all of those places mentioned above (in the U.S.), over the past 8 years we have brought along our dog with zero issues. He does shed some hair. He was not allowed in the bedrooms or furniture. We brought his dog bed. But in the end, we were charged additional fees for pet fur cleaning. Our dog sheds about half a lose handful of fur every week in our house. The owner made a dramatic and absurd claim that the cleaners had to “empty the vacuum twice, and that was in a small house”. I would recommend if you rent this property, you do not bring your dog. The owner is like a grandmother who invites you over and then complains about your children. She has your deposit and she is the judge and jury about giving it back… minus what she sees fit to keep. Would I rent from this owner again? Sorry, but no. Good luck to you if you do

Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2017

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Peggy J.

8 Nov 2017

Excellent property for 2 couples seeking to explore the region. Fully appreciate the comfort.

Comfortably secluded in a beautiful mountain region.

Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2017

About the host

Hosted by Beverly Rhoads

I grew up on Balsam, and have owned property there for over 35 years. BalsamSKY is now the getaway cottage for my wife and me on 30 acres of my beautiful WNC mountain homeland. Since we are both college professors living and working in Virginia, we share our cottage with rental guests who desire a quiet mountain vacation in a charming cottage with a fabulous mountain view. We have two delightful small dogs, Wren and Jingle, who love the property as much as we do. In addition to our NC property, we own and operate seasonal rentals on the Panhandle of Florida (VRBO 885529) and the coast of Maine (VRBO 402534). Obviously, we love to travel and enjoy the outdoors.

Why they chose this property

As people who enjoy outdoor adventure and living in a natural environment, we love the setting. We hike, bike and run from the front door, though the climb back up is interesting! BalsamSKY is convenient to all that we love about WNC--the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Nantahala Outdoor Center, Tsali, and everything Asheville.

What makes this property unique

What's most unique about our property is that it's a reasonably sized cottage that is well-kept, affordable, and completely private. The setting offers great mountain views and comfortable accommodations. If you are looking for quiet and peaceful mountain experience without the crowds, BalsamSKY is for you.

Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback