Blue Ridge Village

In keeping with its mountain location and lodge feel, the lobby at the Blue Ridge Village has a woodsy aesthetic, with small potted pine trees, a bear statue, and tree-patterned rugs. A large stone fireplace sits near the front desk, and, down a small set of steps, there's an area with a few tables and a bookshelf full of board games. Rooms are located in stone-and-brown-sided buildings set along a curved, paved road. The grounds are wooded and there’s a small lake with benches for taking in the views; there are several more outdoor seating areas with tables and chairs for enjoying meals outside. The indoor pool -- with its modern stone tile deck, high ceilings, and wall of windows -- is the most popular common area, attracting children and adults alike. The hotel is popular with families and other travelers looking for an outdoorsy vacation; it's especially popular with skiers.

The Blue Ridge Village is located across the street from Sugar Mountain Ski Resort and next to Pisgah National Forest, putting it in the midst of many destinations for outdoor adventure sports. There’s a grocery store within a six-minute drive, and there are some casual dining spots less than a 10-minute drive away. Beech Mountain Resort -- which offers skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating -- is less than 20 minutes from the hotel. Asheville is around an hour and a half away by car.

Rooms at the Blue Ridge Village are spacious, with homey and modern -- if generic -- decor that includes ceiling fans, table lamps, patterned comforters (these are low quality, and too busy for some tastes), and framed pictures. There's a vague modern-cabin theme, with lots of wood, leather, and stone. Kitchens have stained wooden cabinets, granite countertops, and black appliances, and come equipped with refrigerators, microwaves, ovens, coffee/tea facilities, toasters, blenders, and tableware. Those who plan to do a lot of cooking, though, may want to bring extra pots and pans, as there are only a few in each kitchen. Living rooms have leather couches, gas fireplaces, and wall-mounted flat-screen TVs with cable and DVD players. All rooms have washers/dryers and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms vary: some have shower/tub combinations and some have separate showers and whirlpool tubs. Some rooms have small balconies.

The hotel has an indoor pool and whirlpool in a separate building with a wall of windows overlooking the mountains. Outside, there are a couple tennis courts, as well as a miniature golf course. The hotel has an "activities cabin" that schedules activities for children, and there’s a small fitness center with a treadmill, hand weights, and a resistance machine. Parking is free. Wi-Fi is free, but spotty.