Fryemont Inn — Hotel in Bryson City

I want to first start by saying I have never given a 1 star review of a hotel. I wrote the owner asking assurance before I wrote this review that they would take care of the infestation and instead of acknowledging our horrific experience, I was called a liar. I hate writing bad reviews but it is my moral duty to warn others, especially since the owner has confirmed no action will be taken as she is in complete denial. My husband and I wanted to love the inn… the idea of staying in a historical inn was intriguing and we expected the creaking floors, old bathrooms, thin walls, inconsistent water pressure, and even somewhat of the musky smells (all was OK...). What is not acceptable nor have I ever encountered (especially paying over $200 a night for accommodation) is a roach infestation. We stayed three nights. Night 1 - checked in, woke up late the next day, mid morning (already light outside). Night 2 - went to sleep and woke up early our 2nd morning (630a) and as I’m brushing my teeth in the sink, with my head bent down towards the faucet, a 2.5 inch cockroach crawled out of the overflow drain and fell into the sink in front of my face, and began to scurry around trying to climb out. I have never screamed so loud in my life, I likely woke up most of the lodge. Luckily my husband ran in to take care of the problem…. I have a phobia of roaches so this ruined it for me the rest of our stay. If there are roaches in the drains/pipes, there is a high probability there are roaches in the kitchen (no more eating there for me either). I live in FL, so I am aware ONE roach does not mean there is a major issue and my husband calmed me down and said maybe it was just a crazy horrifying fluke. There was no availability anywhere else for us to stay that was close anyway & it was too cold for us to sleep in our car.We spent as much time outside of the inn as possible except to shower & sleep our last night. (Night 3). I kept our suitcases closed, and as much off the floor including our shoes as possible. I had restless sleep worried something was crawling on me. We wanted to check out as early as we could so we woke up at 6a and what we found this last morning is why I am telling you there is an infestation. I made my husband turn the lights on in the bathroom first and sure enough there were three (much smaller) cockroaches. Two on the sink & one crawling on the toilet bowl. I would not even step in there to brush my teeth because there was no way I was going to stay another minute. I quickly shook out my shoes before putting them on, and lifted the bed covers, only to find a 4th roach that was crawling on the floor under the quilt (so they’re in the rooms not just bathrooms). There was no one for me to tell at the guest check out that early so we left the keys on the counter and sprinted for the door. I sent an email of our experience just a few hours after we checked out that was received by one of the owners, Sue Brown. My request was for the inn to make it right (as we paid $800 for a roach infested room) and to give them an opportunity to assure me they would address the issue for other guests so I didnt feel obligated to write this review and warn others. Well, here I am folks. Her reply made the situation worse. Not only did she deny the issue, she also called my feedback 'illegitimate" insinuating that I am lying!

Before the owner posts her own rebuttal, I'll go ahead and tell you what her reply was to me. She said I should have given the inn manager an opportunity to 'resolve to my satisfaction' and that because I did not, my feedback is not being considered. Lady, a cockroach seeped out of the sink and fell in front of my face. The damage was already done. What could an inn manger have done, moved me to another infested room? I wrote to them within hours of check out to report of the issue as we confirmed the infestation that morning with the additional FOUR roaches. Do NOT spend your hard earned dollar...

We live in a nearby town but went here for a staycation and anniversary celebration. I loved that the rooms come with breakfast and dinner.

Here's why 4/5 stars- The meals are good, not great. But, everything we had was definitely good!

The entire place is quaint and rustic. There are some areas that have been neglected and could use care; like the basic landscaping , some of the walkways are broken up and could be unsafe, some of the exterior could use some care. Now, for us, none of that matters! We loved it. It's just not 5 stars.

Just a note about the restaurant and reservations. Yes, they require a reservation EVEN for those who are staying at the inn. We asked our server about how they plan for meals and food amounts. She said they space each server's party 15 minutes apart and they plan for a certain percentage of walk-in diners. So, if you walked in at say 7pm without a reservation and expect to be immediately seated, it's not gonna happen because they have to work you into the rotation of reserved tables. OR, you can go be seated immediately at the bar. No big deal, right?

The service at the restaurant and the hotel was great. Very homey and nice folks. We noticed many of them had been working there for years or decades! That says something!

The room was basic but unique. Definitely an old style room. No Tv, fridge, or coffee maker. We loved the old feel of the room. Helped us slow down. There was some town noise that we could hear but we did have the window open because it was so nice (no AC but there are ceiling fans. It's the mountains, you don't need AC at night). Town noise is mostly car sounds and the occasional train horn from the Great Smoky Mountain Railway that is based in Bryson City.

There is coffee and a tv down in the Lodge. And the Lodge was great for hanging out. A lot of folks hung out there in the evenings playing games, watching TV, putting together puzzles, sitting at the fireplace, etc. It was fun to hangout like people probably used to do at Inns.

The room we had was just a regular room and it was a little pricey. But as I said, it came with breakfast and dinner and you can get whatever you want off the menu except alcoholic beverages. One night I had a prime rib meal that was $35 on the menu!

We enjoyed our stay, the staff, the room, the history of the inn, walking to town, hanging out and slowing down. If that sounds good to...

As you pull up to the Inn, you feel like it's the backdrop of a movie scene: perched in a hill with tall overgrown hardwood trees, cypress', piney woods. It may 2 in the afternoon but it's dark because the foliage. And in the middle of all that is a structure of dilapidated wood paneling, moss infused sections and open windows with drapes partially opened gently blowing in the breeze. As you walk up the stone steps and enter the main lobby, you'll notice the sheer size of the door (not the screen door) giving you access to the Inn. You'll immediately notice to the left a huge porch with rocking chairs overlooking parts of Bryson City. Within the lobby across from the door is a huge fire place with large, oversize furniture in front. Slightly to the left is asitting area with a TV and small library. In the center is big table for socializing and gathering with friends, family or other guests. The check-in desk is just a small desk toward the back of the lobby with just a single desk space. To the right is a real small convenient shop with basic necessities and souvenirs. As you walk the long hallways you'll notice two (2) things: 1) the deep red carpet and 2) the uneven flooring. The hallways set the scene for a some spooky fun. The rooms are similarly situated with old furniture and fixtures. The rooms are dark, airy and very spacious. Old lanterns and dark flooring give the ambiance of the era in which the Inn was constructed. Don't expect a comfortable sleep or plush linens. But - this isn't a knock toward the amenities. It really adds to the overall environment of the Inn. The restaurant is a very large open space with plenty of room between guests. The service was outstanding from all the staff. The food was quite good and offered plenty of options for everyone to enjoy. The Inns grounds are amazing - almost left untouched other than modernizing parking and pouring a couple paths. And the landscaping is left to a minimum, almost undisturbed with the exception of near the cabins and the pathway leading to it. In all, the stay at the Inn was a fun family experience. While a little on the price side, it did come with dinner and breakfast which wouldhave easily ran up close to $150 or so. I highly recommend a stay at the Fryemont Inn. And don't let the spirts of...