We had a wonderful stay at the castle! There was so much to do that we only left to shop and dinners. We spent our days fishing, kayaking, poolside, out to dinner and then gaming! On repeat for 6 days.. It was fabulous! We will be back! Also, Jamie the host, thought about everything to make our stay cozy from toiletries, beach towels, hair dryers, condiments, etc. All the things you normally would have to buy prior were there at our arrival. It was fantastic!! 5 out 5 stars!

Amazing property! Beautiful home on SML that had everything and more for us to have fun and relax. Thank you to the owner, we appreciate all you have done to make Blackwater Castle an unforgettable experience!

It was the first time my mom had all of her children and grandchildren under the same roof all at once. There was something for everyone, and lots of entertainment. The basement arcade was so much fun. We made incredible memories. Thank you to Tim and Jamie for being wonderful hosts! We will be back!

Perfect getaway and fun basement with huge arcade Area

10/10. This is the 3rd place we have stayed and it is spectacular! We had a blast. The arcade is phenomenal! The house was super clean and well stocked for what we needed. Hope to come in the summer and enjoy the pool. Thanks again!!

We had a wonderful stay at Blackwater Castle for New Year's. This was our second time, as we previously stayed there in Dec. 2020 when it was under different ownership. The house is very clean now, and we enjoyed all of the updates and fun thematic additions. The house is well-equipped with toiletries, medicine and kitchen items. These details made our stay very comfortable. Our kids loved the amazing arcade in the basement as well. We look forward to returning again to Blackwater Castle.

Wonderful experience for Christmas! Owner had decorated the home with lights and even a Christmas tree. The property was awesome! Beautiful views of the lake and lots of outdoor space complete with things to do. The arcade on the bottom floor was a blast in the days that rain kept us inside. I would highly recommend this property to anyone. I would love to come back to this house in the summer. Thank you again!

Had a nice time with family and friends at the Castle. Kiddos thoroughly enjoyed game room and all the property had to offer. Would love to come back in season to do some fishing and boating.

Our stay was a pleasure in every way!

Absolutely stunning river/lake front mansion with incredible sunken living room and insane arcade. This place is amazing. Already trying to figure out a plan/excuse to get back here ASAP.

The castle was well appointed, the pool arcade and the dock were a big hit! Jamie was always very communicative whenever we reached out to her.

Everything was absolutely perfect.

Beautiful home and location. So much to do, yet peaceful and private.

My family booked a stay at this property as a Christmas gift to each other. We were there from July 10, 2023 to July 15, 2023. Our group consisted of 10 people, ages 10 to 70. We were all very impressed with the house. I've been staying at rental houses through VRBO for almost 20 years now and I think this house was the cleanest home that we've ever booked. It was also very well stocked with paper goods (toilet tissue, paper towels, etc.) as well as kitchen staples. The arcade in the lower level is amazing. I knew in advance that there were numerous arcade type games at the house but was still excited to see just how many different games there were. The inground swimming pool and pool deck were extremely popular with our group. There was an issue with the water in the pool getting low but the property manager was quick to respond. A few members of our group also took advantage of the kayaks that are available at the house. The house was so impressive to the 10 year old in our group that she left a comment in the guest book telling the owner how much she appreciated being invited and that she hoped we could "come back soon". All in all, I would definitely recommend this property.

Lovely house, unbelievable amenities and quiet location made for exactly what we were looking for in our first ever all family vacation. Loved the entire week.

Great house. Quiet location.

Blackwater Castle was a perfect description of the home. The WOW started when we walked into the foyer and continued as we looked out over the pool onto the lake. The family room was great and held all of us easily. The Master Bedroom was luxurious. The downstairs was a dream for everyone from grandson to all of the adults. The kayaks were fun and sitting on the dock was great. Wish we had more time to stay and take advantage of all the activities the Castle has to offer. Highly Recommend

Everything was wonderful! It is an incredibly beautiful piece of property with total privacy but close drive to store and restaurants. Other than a run to the store and boat rides, we never left the property. The house is amazing! Huge arcade/gameroom in the lower level that our whole family has so much fun in. Pool area was huge and wonderful. The owners have a whole coffee/tea bar that was such a wonderful surprise and appreciated. All the baths were nicely supplied with toiletries, lots of towels. Beach towels provided. Kitchen well appointed. We wanted for nothing! I highly recommend and our family is already making plans to come back again.

Beds need updating, house does not have boat ramp and dock is falling apart. Water near the dock is not suitable for swimming. Game room is great. Water in the house could be better, didn’t really feel refreshed from a shower after a long day on the lake ( water seems to have a high iron taste to it). Property and house could use some updating but overall great experience and kept the kids well occupied.

We treated our 87 and 90 year old moms to a week at the castle. Enjoyed the pool, hot tub, and game rooms. Kitchen was well equiped to cook all meals for 8 family members. We made wonderful memories.

We enjoyed our stay

Spacious house with a ton to keep all ages occupied. Game room was filled with numerous arcade games. The pool was a hit for the kids and adults! The house is located in a quiet section of the lake. Dock was large enough for a pontoon boat and jet ski. Kitchen was well maintained. Host was so easy to communicate with, quick responses! We would very easily and highlight recommend this vacation home!

It was a great experience. The only thing I would say is that more kitchen towels are needed because there was only one and need more linens for the pull out sofas. If they were there we could not find them. There was only two darts that had the tips on them. Overall these things are minor. We had a wonderful experience and would highly recommend the castle to everyone.

Enjoyed a wonderful family vacation at Smith Mountain Lake! Swimming, boating, tubing, eating, laughing and playing all week long! All while staying in a place called Blackwater Castle-right down to dragons and gargoyles! Plus a basement packed with arcades and games. Amazing!

You have everything you need and more at Blackwater Castle. Terrific amenities in this place- a well stocked kitchen, amazing towels and linens, and a very helpful host. The cleanest VRBO we have rented yet! It's located in a quiet cove and a convenient area for store runs. The game room is a mini Dave and Buster’s, all ages from 9 to 79 in the family enjoyed it.

The arcades and pool were a favorite. The view from the dining area and balcony were perfect for my father-in-law who is on oxygen and not able to easily navigate the stairs. He could watch the kids playing in the pool from the balcony. Although there were 5 bedrooms, the bunk bedroom is very small without a window or closet and is located directly next to the noise of the arcades. The top bunk does not have a railing, and the old wooden bunkbed was very squeaky, so we were not able to use it for the kids. They ended up sleeping on the floor. The house is very large, but really only has 4 usable bedrooms. The bed frames and mattresses could be updated, as they were not the most comfortable. A few room darkening curtains/blinds would also improve the bedrooms as some of the rooms were very bright in the mornings. The front yard was flat, very pretty and well-maintained. We were disappointed with the "lakefront" description as we were expecting to be able to swim and jump off of the dock. The house is waterfront and has a great view, but the water around the property varies in depth and is more like a creek at times. It is perfect for exploring on kayaks and birdwatching, but not ideal for lake swimming at that location. The dock is in need of replacement, some parts have collapsed into the water. We were able to catch a few fish while fishing off of the dock and wooden walkway around the property. We did not rent a boat, as we normally would with our family lake vacations due to the cost of the property per night. The 3 refrigerators were great for all the food we brought along, and the kitchen was well stocked. We were not aware of the need to conserve water until we arrived at the location, so we did not take advantage of the soaker tub.

Our family had a great time.

Unfortunately, a medical emergency caused us to be unable to go on our vacation but the property looked amazing and Jamie was super easy to communicate with.

We had a blast!!

Blackwater castle was a great destination for all family members. The house is very clean, the location to Roanoke is only 30 min. away, and the game room is second to none. The boat slip was well used for our boat rental. Within every bathroom plenty of supplies and toiletries to enhance your stay. I certainly would not hesitate to stay here again and look forward to that opportunity.

Blackwater Castle was an amazing property with plenty of room for all of us visiting for my sons graduation. It was fully stocked with everything we needed, comfortable living room where we all gathered to discuss the plans for each day-which included relaxing by the pool with awesome views of the lake. It was secluded and quiet until we needed entertainment-the game basement was unbelievable and had something fun for all ages 18-80+! Jamie was always available to answer any questions we had and a wonderful host! We stayed 5 days and wished we made it longer! Highly recommend it to groups of all ages.

super spacious, quiet and well maintained with more fun things to do than can be believed. well equipped kitchen and beautiful countryside, lake view and roanoke not too far away with great beer snd food. loved it!!!!