Waynesville

The Swag, Waynesville, NC., 11/6/24

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building – 2300 Swag Rd, Waynesville, NC 28785

The Swag has several areas to eat dinner.  The first night we were on the covered open air porch.  The lighting was low and the breeze was quite nippy.  We asked to eat inside the next night as a number of the guests did and so we sat in the great room.  There is also dining in a smaller windowed room adjacent to the porch which is enclosed and we had breakfast in there both days.  The main room has a large fireplace with a bear skin over it and a stuffed bear climbing on one of the rafters.  A large chandelier made of antlers as well as small table lights make it much easier for photos in there.  Some deer mounts are also in the room which has a jigsaw puzzle set up during the day and feeds into the bar area.  My understanding is that you can reserve a dinner here and not be staying in one of the 18 rooms, suites and villas.  However, be warned that it’s not a driveway you want to navigate in the dark.  Most of the rooms have their own fireplace and they stock the room with wood.  I know you would enjoy a trip here. Continue reading →

The Swag (breakfast, lunch), Waynesville, NC., 11/6-7/24

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side view of main lodge – 2300 Swag Rd, Waynesville, NC 28785

At Swag you pick your dinner and lunch selections at the beginning of the day.  Breakfast is ordered when you go.  There are also snacks during the cocktail hour before dinner, which is at 7:00, snacks in your room, cookies in the afternoon and ice cream in the freezer outside all day.  You won’t go hungry.  They have changing Experts in Residence and these folks are there to visit or dine with you and bring expertise in everything from nature, wildlife, plants, photography, to painting.  Some lead hikes and others on the staff offer classes in wine, cooking, cocktails, etc. – all included in your stay. When you arrive you stop at the welcome house where they greet you with a beverage, for us champagne, and give you details about your upcoming stay.  They park your car and take your bags to your room while you are driven to your cabin.  Everyone is super friendly and willing to help.  The Chef hosts a picnic lunch twice a week and other days lunches can be packed as a picnic.  The food is not cutting edge but made with good ingredients and care for a nice finished product. Continue reading →

The Swag, Waynesville, NC., 11/5/24

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main Swag house – 2300 Swag Rd, Waynesville, NC 28785

The Swag Resort is almost a mile above sea level at the summit of the Great Smoky Mountains.  They offer a variety of private cabins or rooms in the main lodge to stay in with all meals included in your stay.  Built in the 1970s by Dan and Deener Matthews, it was a potato farm when they bought the spot at the top of the bald mountain.  No road accessed the property as the farmers had hiked to harvest the potatoes that were rolled down the hill.  They fell in love with the view of all the mountains from the hilltop and simply hiked up and camped there when they first bought the property.  They began to buy old log buildings and after building a road began to use these reclaimed logs to craft the buildings on their property.  It was a private residence until the 1982 World’s Fair came to Knoxville and the organizers asked if they could use the place as a hotel.  Guests liked it so much that they wanted to come back and thus the inn was created.  It’s called the Swag as that’s the name of the dip between the mountain ranges.  In 2018 the Matthews sold the property to Annie and David Colquitt, who spent their honeymoon on the property.  It joined Relais & Châteaux in 2020.  We were able to stay a couple nights and the next 3 posts will cover our meals there.  It’s a beautiful place and the staff are superb so visit if you can. Continue reading →