Trailborn Highlands — Hotel in Highlands

Traveling with your dogs? Want a cozy, quiet getaway in downtown Highlands? Want to relax in a boutique hotel with unique, thoughtful perks? TRAILBORN IS IT!

Wow I’m blown away by this place and SO happy it located in Highlands. Most of the hotel options in Highlands are either somewhat dated (albeit expensive and still nice) or outside of the downtown area. Trailborn is reasonably priced, located towards the end of Main Street and a short 10 minute walk to downtown Highlands. The location is perfect and you feel like you’re in a cabin in the woods - it’s so cozy!

Okay now let’s talk details - firstly, Trailborn is dog friendly. And for those folks traveling with their dogs, they do their best to accommodate guests with dogs on the first floor which walks out to a patio. Most of the patios are directly attached to a grassy area so your pup can go potty easily. If they’re not directly attached then it’s just a few stops to a spot where your furry friend can relieve themselves. It had been so convenient while staying here with our 2 dogs to simply walk out the patio door to take them outside for a walk or potty break. Trailborn also includes doggy bowls in the room for your pups so you don’t have to bring yours. I should also mention that the patio door has a full size window (which does have shades I should add) so your doggies can see out during the day if you’re gone. I always prefer to stay somewhere where there is a window for my dogs to look out while I’m gone so they’re not just “locked in a dark room” alone. The windows open up the space and make it a more relaxing environment for the pups.

Some other details: the rooms are large and have plenty of outlets to connect regular plugs, USB and USB-C cables to charge devices. There are several spots to hang coats and bags, and the room comes with an insulated cooler bag that can be used to take with you during your stay if you want to go hiking and keep beverages and/or food cool. There’s a fire pit outside that the staff keeps going (at least when it’s cold) that guests can sit by and it’s so cozy. The chairs are comfortable Adirondack style and plenty of seating around the fire. The hotel also offers a Nordic spa (which we didn’t do but looks amazing) and bikes so you can turn that 10 minute walk downtown to a 3-5 min bike ride. There is coffee and tea available all day and healthy breakfast bites in the morning. The market inside the hotel is filled with local goods and cute merch that you want to buy - it’s not just some boring overpriced goods, but everything you can think of from deodorant to national park hoodies (which are super cute). They also have little picnic baskets you can buy, water, beer, wine and mores drinks & snacks from local vendors.

A few more minor but important details: there is a water refill station in the hotel so no need to go through tons of plastic water bottles (bad for the environment). This was so convenient because we bring our Stanley’s everywhere and didn’t have to buy water this time, because we refilled it at the filtered water station. Next important detail is that the duvet is COVERED completely - so no worries about coming in contact with the duvet while sleeping if you’re a germ freak like me.

The rooms are very clean and the TV had chrome cast (huge plus if you want to have a cozy weekend and watch a movie) plus plenty of regular TV channels.

I could keep writing but I’ll leave this here for now. What a beautiful hotel and this is THE best hotel in Highlands. It was a pleasure to stay here and we look forward to...

We had a terrible experience. The staff was very cold, awkward, and unwelcoming. We had a very extended stay after our home was destroyed by Hurricane Helene. We chose to leave because the Rooms Manager butt dialed my phone and left me a voicemail of her and her staff conspiring to "cut my key early," because we "wouldn't even notice" along with a rude remark. She added that she would change our check-out date "for her audit."

The staff acted extremely inconvenienced that we were there. When walking around the grounds, staff would just stare at me, the weirdest of which was the General Manager. On top of how bad the staff was, the bathroom sink continually backed up when the hotel was full. Shower water from other guests would come up from the sinks and leak all over the counter and anything on it, and the floor. The refrigerator provided was unusable because you couldn't adjust the temperature, and the temperature it stayed at was at an unsafe level to store anything in. Sleeping was uncomfortable because you can't control the temperature in the rooms. The HVAC system reads the outside temperature, so if you have the heater on, it will blast you to sauna temperatures. The communal areas look really pretty, but this just masks an old hotel that probably wouldn't meet code. (In fact, an employee disclosed to us that they were supposed to open last summer but couldn't because they didn't meet code.)

The location is amazing, but man, what a terrible experience that was. We were recovering from the hurricane and just trying to have a comfortable place to be while we recovered - looking for a place to live, endlessly dealing with FEMA. It was so terrible to be treated so badly especially when we were in that situation. I don't know how people can do that.

It felt like something sneaky or shady was going on, and they were trying to push us out without explicitly saying so.

When I told the Rooms Manager the problems we experienced with the staff after receiving her voicemail, she kept cutting me off. She didn't want to hear about the problems so that she could make them better. I'm writing this review five months after we left the hotel and moved across the country. The experience was so hard on us, that we still think about it. No one ever offered us anything to make up for the stress that the employees caused us during that extremely difficult period of our lives. I see positive reviews since then, so if they're reviews are from real guests, maybe they replaced some of the employees and trained them to be welcoming and kind and have respect and integrity. So, so terrible to do to people. Our stay cost tens of thousands of dollars.

It was a very strange and awkward experience.

ETA: You should know that the walls are extremely, extremely thin. You hear absolutely everything: conversations, coughing, your neighbor's tv, shower, and well... "everything." Even at...

My friends and I recently had the pleasure of staying at Trailborn Highlands for a quick girls weekend, and it quickly became one of our favorite hotels!

Ambiance and Design: From the moment we walked through the doors, we felt like we were in our own modern, yet cozy, cabin home. The lobby is beautifully decorated with a perfect blend of elements that make you feel both at home and in nature, featuring plenty of outdoor-themed novels and a burning fireplace. The attention to detail in the decor is evident and truly impressive.

Rooms: We absolutely loved the rooms! An awesome retro Bluetooth radio played ambient music as we unpacked. The room was spacious, impeccably clean, and equipped with all the modern amenities. We particularly appreciated the thoughtful touches, such as the high-quality toiletries, plush Parachute bathrobes, and a travel cooler to bring on hikes.

Service: The staff at Trailborn Highlands deserve special mention for their exceptional service. From the friendly front desk personnel to the attentive staff, everyone went above and beyond to make our stay memorable. They were always ready to assist with a smile, ensuring that all our needs were met promptly and efficiently. Tammy made us feel right at home by showing us where to find a midnight snack, and Chris kept our fire going around the campfire out back.

Extras: We loved taking the complimentary bikes to town, which was less than a 5-minute ride away. The paper tour guide given at check-in was incredibly helpful, and we had an awesome time exploring the attractions and hikes included. We also enjoyed hanging out by the campfire and cozying up under the blankets, and they even have S’mores kits in the gift shop. The stone mugs, wide selection of teas and healthy/delicious granola, yogurts/oatmeals, and even the instant coffee (TRY IT!) were all highlights.

Location: The hotel's location is ideal, situated less than half a mile from Highlands' main street with easy access to hikes and waterfalls (Dry Falls was less than 10 minutes away!), a grocery store (highly recommend Mountain Fresh Grocery), and many bars and restaurants. We liked that the hotel was also far removed enough from the main area to feel like an actual mountain cabin getaway.

Overall Experience: Our stay at Trailborn Highlands was truly exceptional. The combination of top-notch service, modern comforts, and cabin-style décor created a cozy, rustic mountain atmosphere that made for an unforgettable experience. I highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a perfect blend of comfort, charm, and hospitality. We are definitely making this a regular trip and look forward to returning to...