I am an ordinary guy who enjoys riding motorcycles. I love riding all makes and models. I love short rides, long rides, and multi-day road trips. I post reviews about motorcycle gear, motorcycles, roads, restaurants, sights, gadgets and more. The Motorcycle Facts,Trivia and History page has a lot of good info. Be safe and enjoy the ride, Oz.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Stoney Hallow - great lodging for a group of bikers

Making lodging arrangements for a group can be challenging.   Balancing expense, convenience, needs, wants, and preferences is tricky and can lead to difficulties if not handled well.  While planning the summer 2011 trip to North Carolina/Tennessee finding a place for a big group was very important.  There were 12 adults and 3 kids.
We stopped at an overlook on the Cherohala Skyway - day 2 on our way to Robbinsville
After a lot of looking I settled on renting a couple of houses for seven days in Robbinsville, NC.  Robbinsville is in a great area for awesome rides including the Tail of the Dragon, Wayah Road, Cherohala Skyway, and the Moonshiner 28 just to name a few.

Using the Vacation Rental By Owner (VBRO) website I found two great houses.  I had booked houses before through the website and I highly recommend the site.  Both houses were clean, roomy, and comfortable.  Stoney Hallow was exceptionally nice for many reasons.
Looking at the house from the parking area.
The porch wraps around the house and has rocking chairs to enjoy while watching the sunset.
The ride to get to the house is a great country ride.  Passing houses, farms, and old barns the road twists and curves as it gently ascends toward the hallow.
One of the barns on Ollies Creek Road on the way to Stoney Hallow
The road literally ends at the driveway to Stoney Hallow.  The driveway climbs slightly and ends at a paved parking area and a slab of concrete that could serve as a small basketball court.  The wrap around porch gives an immediate "down home" and welcoming feeling.  The kitchen, dining room, and living room are configured in an "open" arrangement providing for a very comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.
The fireplace accents the roomy living area
The kitchen and breakfast bar are open to the living area
The house has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and futons in the upstairs den.  There is a great supply of extra blankets, sheets, and towels.  The house sits on several acres and has a fire ring and picnic table out back away from the house.  We enjoyed sitting around the fire in the evenings.
Comfortable upstairs den
The donkey are more like pets than livestock
View from the backporch
Stoney Hallow is part of a working farm.  Two donkeys were in the pen behind the house.  They were friendly and enjoyed the attention.  Less than a quarter mile before getting to the house there is a "pick and pay" orchard/garden with blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and more.  The three boys got a lesson in old fashion honesty by picking, weighting, and paying while the owners were not there.  We enjoyed fresh berries as part of our meals.
Up pick it orchard near the house

I really can not say enough about the Stoney Hallow.  We all loved it and will stay there again in the future.  The place met and exceeded all of our expectations as well as being located near some great roads!  If you are needing lodging for a group in the Robbinsville area I highly recommend you consider Stoney Hallow.  You will love it.