Willow Valley Resort — Hotel in Boone

I'm in what appears to have been a nice 2 story cabin once, which has been made into stacked duplexes. I was expecting something more 'in the woods' rustic, but found myself in a 1980s throw-back retroesque golf course overlook. The course seems small, more like a natural grass putt-putt. However, we came to hike, explore, and adventure through life. This place is great for that. We were able to buy groceries for the week, as it has a full, albeit small, kitchen. This means more gas $ for finding off the beaten path spots. We're close to a couple of bigger towns, but in the middle of a more rural region - so we don't have to drive far to our next adventure. Which means more to do per day! The wrap-around porch is nice, but could use some chairs, so we can relax at home-base and still enjoy nature. It is 27f outside as I write this, and yet still rather warm inside. The windows seal nicely when closed, but do open either a few inches when the secure-open locks are engaged, or fully open if disengaged. The AC units are nice, and well placed, though not particularly needed. There are baseboard heaters, which seem to lack an off option, even all the way cold on the thermostat they turn on, and clink/tick when heating. The interior decoration as well as handful of issues could use some love. Very dated, but clean. The hot water comes out milky. The kitchen comes with a glass cutting board - which has completely dulled every knife here, but being this is somewhat coomon, we've acquired a knife sharpener. Things to bring besides the normals: *all toiletries, including toilet paper and hand soap; knife and/or wood/plastic board or/and sharpener (if cooking); power strip if you have electrical things - there are plenty of outlets, just not where needed or are being used; and there are two coat hooks, however coats interfere with the fridge door, so maybe a plastic over-the-door robe cook or two, or toss em on the big comfy couch. There seems to be a wifi accesspoint in each unit, with the info on a fridge magnet - which is nicely done, imho. All in all, its' still better than staying with family, and the privacy / seclusion and nature activity access is abundantly more important than vanity/luxery/aesthetics - I am sure when I come in after a 12 hr hike, even this mattress will be inviting, crunchy springs and all. Seriously, this pkace is not for the hotel-camper, the spoiled and demanding, but its perfect as a home-base for doing things in the Appalachian mountains region of North Carolina. Oh,...

Upon check-in we were informed of the strictest of pet policies: "If we even find a single dog hair you'll be FINED $250 per day". So we made other arrangements, very inconvenient ones, to accommodate the 15 pound, timid, obedient, well trained family member who so threatened the meticulously impeccable nature of our sleep space.

Imagine our surprise when we realized, expectations of luxury dashed, that the condo is sadly neglected in a way reminiscent of a 1980s Motel 6.

The front door is hung backwards, so that the screen door has to be opened unnaturally widely to even insert the door key. Not an easy task when luggage is involved.

Then you are greeted by old, scruffy shag carpet, along with a dehumidifier that ensures the guests know what that moldy smell is all about. Of special note, a cylindrical stinky wet spot was impossible to miss in the guest bedroom. We told ourselves to ignore the possibility that it was a turd stain.

The laminated Formica countertops are separated at the seams, ensuring the instability of anything you set down on them, including hot coffee.

The shower head was clogged (or just bottom level quality) so badly that it was easier to rinse with a wet washcloth. Added bonus was the shower control knob, close to falling off, that ensures wild fluctuations in water temperature.

At a low budget rate, under certain circumstances, these issues would have been forgettable. But the idea that a well behaved small dog could somehow cause over $1000 in damage (fines) to a place so sorely lacking in cleanliness, let alone luxury, deserves mention.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. At checkout, guests are warned of further penalties should they fail to clean all dishes, strip and bag all linens, and load up the trash (!!) and drive it to a locked dumpster about half a mile away. Such delightful service..

And at checkout, the desk clerk never even asked how our...

Understanding that the area was impacted by Helene, there are still way too many issues with the resort. It is old, dated, and poorly maintained. Buyer beware.

Family of 4, 2 kids 8-9 years old. We called to confirm the reservation a few days before our trip. We were told it was all good. Upon arrival on Saturday afternoon we were told that the pool and hot tub were not operational and that those amenities had not been working for a few weeks. We get checked in, disappointed that one of the primary reasons we selected the “resort” wasn’t operational, and hadn’t been. If we had been notified we would have cancelled the reservation and stayed somewhere else. We go to our unit. The only positive thing I can say is that it was clean. Mostly. The unit had old beat up wobbly furniture. We were reluctant to sit on the dining room chairs. The bifold closet door was off and sitting in the closet. The deck that had no furniture was shaky when I stepped on it. The front storm door was hung backwards, meaning only one person could enter/exit at a time. The storm door was missing the closed arm. I called and asked if there was anything to be done. Here is the only customer service bright spot. The clerk phoned the “manager” and offered to let us see other units. Turns out we were in the best unit they have. Other units had appliances with broken handles, doors missing, broken chairs, and burned out light bulbs. We requested maintenance to deliver 2 patio chairs, hang the closet doors, repair the storm door, and replace the broken microwave. “I’m sorry but maintenance is working on something else” I took my small travel tool bag and made the required repairs to the chairs to make them safe, I hung the...