The Magnolia Lodge - 9 minutes to downtown AVL

Terrace/patio
Fridge, coffee/tea maker, cookware/dishes/utensils
Fridge, coffee/tea maker, cookware/dishes/utensils
Terrace/patio
Exterior
9.4 / 10.0
Outstanding(16 Ratings)

House in Swannanoa, NC

10 guests · 5 bedrooms · 4 baths

Reasons to book

Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Great for petsBring all your friends and family, even the furry ones
Includes essentialsPets allowed, Kitchen or Kitchenette, Air conditioner and more

About this house rental

Summary:
Welcome to the Magnolia lodge, a cozy retreat in the Blue Ridge mountains just 1 minute from the Blue Ridge Parkway and 9 minutes from downtown AVL. This rare location feels private, yet is minutes from pack square, restaurants and breweries. This 1930's historical home has been preserved to maintain its historic charm, relax and enjoy stepping back in time.

The Space:
This five bedroom home is perfect for groups traveling together. The main level of the home hosts 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and plentiful lounging space in the living room and dining room, great for game nights or curling up to watch a movie. Upstairs is home to 2 bedrooms each with their own private attached bathroom, living space/kitchenette and porch. These upstairs bedrooms offer privacy and work great as in-law suites, private spaces to work from home, and extra space to spread out for friends and families traveling together. This one of a kind home feels like a Vermont ski chalet, and is incredible for curling up by the fire pit with hot cocoa, not to mention taking in the mountain air on the porches or in the Adirondack chairs under the stars. The homeowners Micah and Olivia, have lovingly curated this space, and named it after their sweet little girl, Magnolia. We would love to host you and yours!

Please note this house was built in the 1930's: there is no dishwasher or washer and dryer on site. The bathrooms are small and retain parts of the original house, so there may be a little rust here and there. We feel it is part of the charm of preserving a historic home, but if you don't feel that way please reconsider booking. Another thing to note is that you may see an occasional bug. Bears roam the area so we have special trash procedures. Central heating in the downstairs of the home needs to be supplemented with space heaters during the winter. There is a space heater placed in each downstairs bedroom for your use. Please do not attempt to use the wood burning fireplace in the living room, it is not in use and would be a safety hazard. Overall, please be prepared for a more rustic stay, otherwise please consider booking elsewhere.

A special note from Micah and Olivia Larimore about the historical meaning of the property: The information is from the NC Historical Society, created in the early 1990s regarding the road widening of ST road 74.

Originally, the road widening was going to encroach on the Miller (now Larimore’s) Property. After much effort, work, and God stepping in, the decision was made to move the road away from the property and preserve the landscaping, pond, and home. An additional $1,000,000 was spent at that time to divert the creek (Gashes creek) to the other side of the road and build the tallest retaining wall built at that time in the world to hold back the mountain on the other side. The road known to locals as Drovers road was one of the original main roads in NC. It runs along the lower perimeter of the property, and while the property is surrounded by trees parts of the road are visible.

We are fortunate to have this historic documentation and to know that people felt so strongly about this property that they would make these efforts to preserve this property. As a note, that same $1,000,000 invested in the stock exchange would be worth almost $30,000,000 today.

The local historical society verified it is the finest and highest quality log and chinkerting home they have ever seen, and there was not a close comparison. There are over 50 of these style homes in the National Historical society and none come close to the quality of (especially the stone work).

The historic pond and fountain are beautiful amenities of the home. There is also a newer fountain that can be used with special effects. It has a light display (9 colors) that can be set to patterns, solid, and even to bluetooth to run with music and change colors accordingly. The fountain has three spray patterns to choose from. We can also color the pond for a special event. Red, blue, orange, yellow, green, black, etc. The cost $50 to $150 depending on color. If you are interested in the pond for a special event, please contact us in advance for details.

The Neighborhood:
Located on the eastern side of Asheville, this house sits just a few minutes from the Blue Ridge parkway. Hop on the parkway for bike riding, hiking, fall leaves and astounding views. You can zip into the heart of downtown AVL in 9 minutes, Biltmore village (and the entrance to the Biltmore property) in 8 minutes and the Asheville municipal golf course in 7 minutes. You are as close to town as you can get, while enjoying space, land, and a tranquil mountain setting!

Getting Around:
Uber is readily available

Other Things to Note:
If you are interested in using this space for an event, please contact us. Prior approval is required, there is an additional event fee, and no more than 30 guests will be considered.

Amenities

Air conditioner
Pets allowed
Kitchen or Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Fireplace
Parking
Laundry
Balcony or Patio
TV

Map of Swannanoa, NC

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Ratings and reviews

9.4 / 10.0
Outstanding(16 Ratings)
10.0 / 10.0
Nov 2023
We were in Asheville for a family wedding at Highland Brewery. The property was very close to the brewery and large enough to fit our entire family. They supplied things we didn’t expect- paper products, soap, shampoos, etc- and it was a cozy property with lots of room for our children to run around outside. It is close to the highway, but the noise wasn’t an issue. We enjoyed the fire pit as well. My only suggestion would be to have the old junk lying around outside thrown away. It’s a beautiful property and was just what we needed for our family weekend.
8.0 / 10.0
Jun 2023
Some mentioned road noise, but not a big deal in the summer. Lots of trees make a wall in front of the road to block it. House is super cute, but missing a few things. The grass was way overgrown making the yard uninviting, the master bedroom was missing curtains so no way to block early morning sunlight, the bathroom drains were very slow, the fountains in the yard weren't on.
4.0 / 10.0
Jun 2023
After rereading the lengthy description of the 'Magnolia' lodge and reviewing the photos in the property information, we still feel it was misrepresented. The line saying "renovated to incorporate modern amenities for luxurious comfort" is a real stretch. We understand the design terms of; 'charming rustic chalet' and 'maintaining historic significance' which sounds great but luxurious comfort is not a part of this cabin. We were not looking for a luxury hotel experience but this unfortunately fell below our 'rustic' expectations. The extent of the highway noise made it impossible to enjoy the lovely outdoor patios. The arrangement of 2 of the bedrooms made it very difficult to open the doors to access the upstairs balcony. A couple of the bathrooms are very, very small. The Asheville area is fabulous but we will look for other accommodations the next trip.
8.0 / 10.0
Mar 2023
Overall enjoyed our stay.
10.0 / 10.0
Dec 2022
The old cabin embraced us with coziness -- the Christmas decor, the furniture, the warmth of it all. The beds were unbelievably comfortable and, although the location is just off the freeway, the place is quite quiet at night and gave us the feeling of being remote. The rental is 5-10 minutes from downtown Asheville which was lovely for dinner reservations and shopping! We will be back!
8.0 / 10.0
Nov 2022
We enjoyed the location of the Magnolia lodge as it was close to everything.
10.0 / 10.0
Nov 2022
We met some family here and it was great. Games for kids, a yard to run in. Great outdoor covered seating while it rained. 10 minutes to downtown. Property managers communicate well. We enjoyed this property.
10.0 / 10.0
Oct 2022
Interesting historic home with a lot of character! Easy to locate and right off of the highways as described. Close proximity to Biltmore, River Arts District and Downtown Asheville. So much to see and do in the area that 5 days was not enough! Our group would definitely consider staying here again.

FAQs

How much does this house cost compared to others in Swannanoa?

The average price for a rental in Swannanoa is $394 per night. This rental is $444 above the average.

Is parking included with this house?

Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at The Magnolia Lodge - 9 minutes to downtown AVL. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.

Is there a pool at this house?

We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this house. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.

Is The Magnolia Lodge - 9 minutes to downtown AVL pet friendly?

Yes! This house is pet-friendly. For more information, we recommend contacting the booking provider about animal policies.

What amenities are available at The Magnolia Lodge - 9 minutes to downtown AVL?

We found 9 amenities for this rental. This includes air conditioner, pets allowed, kitchen or kitchenette, internet / wifi, and fireplace.

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