Chattahoochee River Edge Condominiums

The river view from the sliding glass door is unobstructed, and there’s a swing by the Chattahoochee River bank. The rooms are large, with an efficiency kitchen that has a full-size oven, microwave, refrigerator, and sink. There’s a full-size couch and two double beds, with room to move around. The beds are comfortable enough, but have the spring support I don’t like. The bathroom is standard hotel size with a tub and shower, adequate pressure, and hot water. Check-in was easy, across the street. River edge condos are handy for nearby attractions, while still being far enough from the commotion. The building is weathered and dated and really needs a refresh, so keep that in mind. My biggest concern was cleanliness. I don’t think the floors had been cleaned in months. A towel left on the bathroom floor got filthy from the dampness. That floor needs a thorough cleaning. The furniture, including beds and couch, could also use a refresh. I’m unsure whether I’d stay again because of the cleanliness.

My husband and I booked Rivers Edge Condo #402 last month. We were originally assigned #702, but VACASA changed us, so I couldn’t leave a booking.com review. I read the reviews afterward, unfortunately. The inside and outside of #402 were as described, though some photos weren’t quite accurate. We still had a pleasant stay overall, and the location is key, within walking distance of everything downtown in Helen. The kitchen was nice and fully equipped, the dining area was good, and there was plenty of space and granite countertop throughout. The unit was very clean, with plenty of hot water and nice TVs. It was fun watching tubers on the river. The local host was very nice and quickly helped when we had trouble getting into the room. There are a lot of things that need fixing or updating in the complex. The unit we’d originally booked was having interior work done, which we could see from #402. Mattresses and bedding need replacing. The bedding was stained and uncomfortable, and the beds weren’t good. In the main bedroom bathroom, the tub setup was a fall risk. The shower curtain liner hung about six inches into the tub, creating a trip hazard, and the grab handle came right off. Raising the shower rod and fixing the handle would be simple. In the second bedroom, the shower curtain needs to be raised too. Outside lights were extremely bright at night, so room-darkening curtains would help in both bedrooms. The wicker chair in the main bedroom blocked the closet door. In the living room, the furniture was uncomfortable, the TV stand and rocker were too big for the space, and the curtain rod fell when we tried to close the curtains. The deck was small, with furniture that was too big, and whatever was above on the upstairs deck was falling down onto ours. The outdoor areas need a thorough cleaning, with spiderwebs, dirt, dust, and bug debris in the light covers everywhere. The heavily scented products were overwhelming, so we put them in a Ziploc bag. I’m very sensitive to artificial fragrances, and my husband reacted the same way despite not usually being sensitive. It made me feel choked up. I have no health issues that would be worsened by this stuff, and I don’t want any. Essential oil diffusers would be pleasant and healthy. We made some adjustments to make the stay more comfortable. We moved the foam from the queen mattress onto the king bed, shut the queen bedroom door at night to block the outside lights, rearranged furniture, and used the queen bathroom to avoid one hazard. I cleaned the deck as best I could, bagged the scented products, and used their quilt on the sofa and mine on the king bed. We also went to Spice 55 for great sushi, Cowboys and Angels for steak, Nacooche Village Tavern and Pizzeria, and The Mason Jar Coffee, where my favorite was the Spicey Mocha. Georgia Mountain Coaster and Pirates Cove Adventure were fun. I bought things at the Quilt Shop and Itty Bitty Wonders, including some lovely turquoise in different colors.

The river is right behind these condos, which are spacious, cozy, and have some nice features, including a fireplace and several doors to balconies and outside. The older buildings have somewhat updated interiors. The place was very clean when we arrived and stocked with basics. Downtown is a short walk away, with restaurants and a Dollar General for basic food and supplies. Management was responsive when I called because I couldn’t find the door, and they had sent the door code late the day before check-in as promised. The cleanup rules were easy. My only complaint is the beds. The mattresses were so uncomfortable that I woke with an aching back and switched beds after the first night. They really need mattresses people can sleep on.

I’m done with Helen. The management at Bavarian Brooks Rental is the same crap. After a nine-hour drive, we had no water in room 803. They moved us to room 11, where the door knob and lock didn’t work. We needed help getting in and couldn’t get back out, though luckily there was a back door. The gas fireplace only worked once. It’s on a timer, but I couldn’t get it to turn back on. At least the hot water pressure was great and the bed was comfortable. In unit 803, the hot water ran out before I could rinse the conditioner from my hair after just one shower. The beds are hard as rocks and old, and people have apparently complained about them for years. It seems the owners don’t care. Smoke from the fireplace backed into my unit twice and into the unit above me, even with the flue open. The sliding glass door is bad and won’t roll. Management accused me of closing the flue, despite seeing it open.