Stonebrook Lodge Bryson City

I travel often, and this was the worst lodging experience I’ve had. My husband and I booked a Valentine’s weekend at Stonebrook Lodge in Bryson City, NC, in the jacuzzi King suite. As soon as we arrived, I saw black mold and mildew in the jacuzzi jets. It was disgusting, and we didn’t feel safe using the tub. Because we arrived late, I told the attendant, Eloisa, the next morning. She apologized and said she’d have it handled, but the cleaning attempt was poor and the jets were still dirty. On Sunday, February 15, the town lost power around 11:30 am. I understand the outage wasn’t the lodge’s fault, but there were no provisions, no backup generator, and no one alerted or tried to accommodate the guests who were already there. The power was expected to be out for more than five hours, so we decided to leave a day early. The attendant seemed concerned about the guests due to check in, not those already staying there. No one contacted us as a courtesy. The form guests sign says there’s no refund if you check out without 24 hours’ notice, and they don’t make an exception for this kind of situation. They expect guests to bear the cost of the inconvenience and take no responsibility. I find that ridiculous, with no effort at customer service. The attendant said this happens “all the time,” which makes me think they should have a generator. I twice left messages for the manager, Lindsey, and she still hasn’t called me. No one in leadership contacted me about refunding the unused night. I would not recommend this establishment under any circumstances. There are three Stonebrook Lodges, all under the same leadership. February 25 update, in reply to the business: Lindsey Fortner, Manager, still hadn’t answered my email from the prior week asking for a refund for being unable to use the jacuzzi. I understand the weather was outside anyone’s control, but expecting guests to take the inconvenience while the business assumes no liability is poor practice. The policy says future guests should note that a power outage means no refund. There are no provisions for guests and no backup generator. The time of the outage is irrelevant. It’s not what we paid for, and honestly, nighttime would have been better. I asked to be reimbursed because we couldn’t use the jacuzzi, and I’m still waiting for an answer. I’m disappointed that the business keeps embellishing how the staff treated us. I only asked the attendant for a written receipt because the computers were down. She refused, saying it would be emailed, and as of February 19 I still hadn’t received a checkout receipt. When I came downstairs, she was on her cell phone while another guest asked for help with her bags. If there wasn’t a list of remaining guests, she should have checked each floor to alert people and make sure they were okay. Instead, she stayed downstairs on her phone. Her concern was the incoming guests. I asked, “What about the guests here?” and got no answer. The business’s response to my concerns doesn’t match its claim of “excellent customer service.” Lindsey Fortner, Manager, wants to communicate by email, but she still hadn’t replied to my email from 24 hours earlier about an adjustment for the jacuzzi we couldn’t use.

The grounds are clean, parking is easy and convenient to downtown, and the pool is bright and always clean. The water, though, is usually pretty cold. The outdoor hot tub is rarely running when we visit, and it’s only open seasonally from May to November. For the price and level of the hotel, breakfast is pretty sad. The waffle maker is the best part. Everything else is sugar and carbs, with no protein or fruit. It may be the best hotel stay in Bryson City, but I feel like they take advantage of that.

We stayed here for our train excursion and had a great time. It’s right in town, so we walked everywhere. The hotel is nicely decorated, and the staff were friendly and helpful. We appreciated the continental breakfast. The pool was cold, though, and I’d suggest heating it. I’d stay here again.

The staff were kind and made us feel comfortable during our stay for the Polar Express train ride. The hotel was clean and always smelled good. Bryson City is beautiful, with lots to do and explore, so I’ll definitely be back. This was hands down the best hotel I’ve ever been to.