10/10 Excellent
Kelly L.
3 April 2021
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
peaceful sanctuary
Ross and Laurel’s cottage is folded into beautiful, steep, wooded terrain. Windows in DR and LR receive late afternoon sunlight and gorgeous sunsets. The soothing sound of the stream is heard from decks and through open windows. Through the trees, past the creek -- a horse, a few goats, and some donkeys graze on steep green pastures. Deer also frequent the area and we spotted wild turkey on a drive. As much as the surrounding area calls out to be explored (and deserves to be explored), we found that staying in place at the cottage was one of the most nourishing parts of our trip.
Ross and Laurel are wonderful hosts. As an extra welcoming gesture, they left some goodies for us on the kitchen counter. When we had questions or issues Ross was quick to respond and help us through them.
Our arrival was on the tail of a big rainstorm that interrupted Wifi for a few hours. This had never happened to Ross and Laurel before. They kept us informed and the problem was resolved quickly, restoring our ability to do some work zooms while with kids streamed entertainment. The wifi service was steady and reliable for the remainder of our stay -- even through other rainstorms.
If you come, bring food for your first few meals at least. The closest grocery store is about 20 minutes away. Driving to the store winds you through more beautiful territory, so it's not a chore, but I wouldn’t want to rely on doing it frequently. We were glad to have planned out and brought most of our food.
A must-see is the John C. Campbell Folk School. Unfortunately for us, the school was closed due to Covid during our visit. We were able to walk the grounds and sense it's vibrancy. We hope to return to witness the amazing community in action. We would also love to see the work of artisans who live and create in the surrounding area (covid limited that possibility while we were there).
We found a gem for hiking/walking at Piney Knob Trails with loop trails ranging from two to six miles. The trailhead is just outside of Murphy, so less than a 30 min drive from the cottage. Heads up: the last mile of the access road is unpaved, steep, and narrow. We had read warnings to avoid it unless in a high clearance rig, but we were able to carefully manage it in our minivan.
Big thanks to Ross and Laurel! We would love to stay at Grace Cottage again, particularly when Covid conditions allow the folk school and surrounding artisans to open their doors to visitors.
Kelly L.
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2021