Archers Mountain Inn

The Blue Ridge Room was clean and comfortable, and we loved it. I’d read that no wood was available, so I brought my own. What let us down was that the website said breakfast was included, yet the main lodge, restaurant, and bar were always locked and closed when we were there. There was never any food or drink available. On the first morning, the pipes had burst, leaving us without water to shower, brush our teeth, or make coffee. We had a wonderful breakfast at Fred's Mercantile before skiing. The next morning the lodge was still dark and locked, so we went back to Fred's Mercantile. We left a day early because an incoming storm could have stranded us. The room was great, but having no service, food, or drink at a lodge seemed odd.

The view from the hotel was lovely, and it’s not far from Beech Mountain. The room was a good size, too, but getting everything sorted out was a hassle. I called several times to change my arrival day and confirm, yet when we got there they couldn’t find my reservation or the room I’d booked. We had to take a different room and weren’t offered a discount for the inconvenience. The woman at the front desk seemed very unsure and didn’t know where our room key was. I wish it had gone more smoothly. Call several days ahead and again the day before, and keep track of who you speak with.

The setting is excellent, with great views and hiking, and the bartender who served our breakfast was the only person who provided good service. I’m a low maintenance traveler and don’t need a lot of attention, but the service here was abysmal. The manager’s lack of professionalism was almost unbelievable. He blamed his rudeness on the fact that the place had been robbed during our stay, but that didn’t justify how he acted. His behavior was the opposite of hospitality. After reading the earlier Trip Advisor reviews, Archers Mountain Inn had seemed perfect for a tired PhD student looking for a relaxing mountain getaway. If you’re going to Banner Elk, stay somewhere other than Archers Mountain Inn.

The room was spacious and clean, and the staff were very nice and accommodating, but I wouldn’t return without significant changes. We stayed in the Appalachian room at Hawk’s view lodge, about .5 miles from the summit of Beech Mountain, using a Living Social deal we bought about four months earlier for the third weekend in July. It included two nights, two glasses of wine, and a free appetizer at the restaurant. By the time we arrived, the Inn had changed some policies and its menu. Our room needed updating. The fridge was old, had mildew, and wouldn’t close properly. The only AC was a window unit in the bathroom. Staff brought box fans to help cool the room, but there was no phone in the room to call the front desk and no guest ice machine. We had two sets of French doors, but no sliding screens, so we couldn’t leave them open for a breeze. Some other rooms did have screens. The second floor balcony at Hawk’s view lodge has a nice view of Grandfather Mountain and Sugar Mountain. Dinner at Jackalope restaurant was awful. They wouldn’t honor the wine or appetizer from our deal, saying the menu had changed, though they offered us $7 each toward breakfast. The menu was simple family style food, with the option to order by the plate, and the choices were limited. We ordered country ham and country fried steak family style. The steak was shaved pieces fried in dirty oil, and it tasted like other things cooked in the same oil. The vegetables looked and tasted frozen. We heard other guests ask what had happened because their last visit was to an upscale steak house. The waitress told them the menu had changed a month earlier. Several people left, and those who stayed complained. The meal was so bad that we didn’t go back for breakfast, even with the discount.