Carolina Domes — Hotel in Old Fort

Do you simply want a place to sleep, or do you yearn for an adventure, a one-of a-kind experience? If it’s the latter, you must visit Carolina Domes, in the foothills of Western Carolina. Nestled on a gentle hill near the village of Union Mills, it feels like a world of its own, but it sits at a convenient crossroads to numerous mountain activities and top-rated destinations, including Asheville and Lake Lure.

Do you love the mountains, but want to be closer to nature than a sterile hotel with views of the parking lot? Do you love the smell of a campfire, but dread pitching a tent or parking an RV just a few feet from your neighbor? Prefer hotel comforts, but would rather see the blue sky over your bed when you wake up? Then you’ll love the “glamping” accommodations at Carolina Domes!

Maybe you’ve stayed in a yurt or a small dome. Get ready for a completely different getaway. Imagine combining a theater stage and an observatory with the space of a big top circus tent. Spacious and camping don’t normally go together, but this isn’t the kind of camping that you have tried before.

Instead of a worn-out campsite with cinder block community bathrooms in the distance, you will walk up the landscaped path to a large deck. Smile when you walk by your private fire pit, hot tub, and BBQ grill. Then open the door to your 2-story home in the trees, with LVP floors, and a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the valley and nearby ridges. Immediately you realize that there is plenty of space for up to 4 of you, both inside and outside. Adjust the thermostat, and relax.

Leave the curtains open for magnificent views of the surrounding trees and nearby mountains from the queen bed downstairs. Or mount the ladder for a completely separate space above it all, with two beds—not cots.

A refrigerator, microwave, and well-stocked sink/kitchen cabinet means you can save the paper plates and plastic cups for another time. Instead, choose your Keurig individual coffee or tea for sipping while you sink into the soft couch or hanging chair.

The bright, luxurious bathroom will make you forget that you are camping. A large, modern, double sink is around the corner from the natural stone shower. The shower almost feels like standing under a gentle waterfall in a hidden mountain cave, except that the water is nice and warm. (And no mud and rocks when you step out).

You probably won’t want to leave, but if you need some activities and day trips, Tessa and Zak have a complete guide to area attractions. And by the way, you will not find friendlier or more accommodating hosts anywhere! They are sincere and customer-focused. That will be quickly evident as soon as you settle in. They live in Asheville, and are always available by text or telephone if you have any questions.

All 3 domes are very popular, but now that they have been recently featured on the local ABC news station, if you want to stay at this most unique of vacation hideaways, you would be wise to book it today. We are already planning a return trip to Carolina Domes.

Sincerely, Bruce and...

I have stayed at Carolina Domes twice - once by myself, and once with my partner and children and two of our friends. I stayed in Pondview Dome both times; our friends stayed in Treetop.

The hosts are fantastic and very responsive. I had questions about the hot tub and they immediately helped troubleshoot and came out to the Domes to help. They also chop more firewood for you! Also, they leave you little treats when you check in and they are delicious!

The hot tub and fire pit are draws for us, and we use them a lot when we go. It's also a quiet, secluded area, so a great spot if you want to relax and recharge. No TVs! And your cell service may be spotty driving in.

There is a cute creek with a beach about 2 miles up from the Dome. Walkable if you don't mind a walk! Turn right out of the Dome and you'll see a little parking area (very tiny, looks like a turnaround) 2 miles on the left.

I did a lot of area hikes: Chimney Rock, Linville Falls (highly recommend!) and Buffalo Creek Park. All an easy 30 to 45-min drive away.

We also took the kids to do the Green River Cove Tubing. Wear shoes, and if you can be patient enough to wait for the water to rise, do it. Otherwise, you do end up walking through a lot of areas.

A few important things to know!

The gravel path up to the domes is a hard to navigate if you don't have 4WD. I was able to get my Ford Explorer to Pondview Dome but couldn't get it up to Treetop because I don't have 4WD. There are some parking spots at the bottom of the hill for parking.

Pondview Dome gets a lot of direct sunlight. We made the mistake during our August trip of leaving some food on the table with the curtains open when we left for a hike. Don't do it! Shut the shades and crank the AC while you're gone or else you'll come home to a hot dome with melted chocolate :)

There is no TV. Which is wonderful! True glamping! Plenty of board games there for entertainment for the kids. We had a blast playing Twister and Monopoly on one rainy day.

If you have more than just two people, be aware there is no laundry on site. We went through the bath towels FAST between showers and hot tubbing. You can hang them to dry, but I'll probably also bring our own beach towels next time.

I'll...

This was our first time glamping, and we absolutely loved it! Tessa and Zak were so kind and welcoming. You can feel the love they’ve poured into Carolina Domes, every detail is thoughtful. The space is peaceful, relaxing, and truly a little slice of heaven tucked into the mountains. There’s so much to explore, but it’s also the kind of place where you’re just as happy to stay put and soak in the calm.

We loved the slow, peaceful mornings in the dome, surrounded by nature with no rush to be anywhere. The amenities were great and had everything we needed and more. It’s also dog-friendly, which made it even more special. Our pups had the best time running around and going down to visit Petunia and Mr. Pickles, the friendliest little piggies!

Lake Lure was just a short thirty minutes away. The town is still recovering from the hurricane, but the shops and restaurants are open, and everyone was so welcoming, we felt grateful and happy to support them. Asheville was also a fun visit, full of great food and unique local shops. Both spots added to the charm of our trip and offered something special to explore.

We explored Moore Cove Falls, Looking Glass Falls, and Catawba Falls, each one beautiful in its own way and worth the visit.

A short ride just over a mile from the domes led us to a breathtaking 360-degree mountain view, one of those moments you never forget.

One of the best parts of each day was coming back to the domes and enjoying the evenings together playing games, relaxing in the hot tub, making s’mores by the bonfire, and just soaking in the peace of this beautiful place.

This week was so good for the soul. It was a special time filled with love, peace, laughter, and little signs from our sweet angels. We made memories we’ll carry with us always, and we truly can’t wait to come back...