The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge
House in Center Hill Lake, TN
14 guests · 5 bedrooms · 5 baths
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Free cancellationFull refund if you change your mind
High-end valuePrice for this property is higher than average in the area
About this house rental
A unique opportunity to stay in an architectural gem on Center Hill Lake! The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge is a 3200 square foot 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath house situated on 5 acres of mostly wooded land overlooking beautiful Center Hill Lake. The house comfortably sleeps and entertains 14 people. Enjoy your morning coffee or afternoon glass of wine on the gorgeous deck with views of center hill lake with no other homes in view.
Hot tub! Dish TV (two television screens throughout the house), Satellite Internet. Fire pit. Ping pong table, basketball goal, tree swing, and corn hole! Board games, movies, and many books for the entertainment and enjoyment of you and your loved ones.
Do you like to cook? The chef's kitchen at The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge will thrill you! Double ovens, cooktop, type of fridge, ice maker and dishwasher. For coffee lovers, choose from a traditional coffeemaker, Bodum French Press, Hario Pour over, or Keurig coffee for your morning wake up. Weber grill on the wrap-around deck. Leave your cookbooks at home! The house is stocked with over 20 cookbooks, with a focus on Southern cooking, but certainly not limited to it. Titles include many Southern Living annual cookbooks, Ms. Daisy's Teahouse (Nashville, TN), Williams and Sonoma, Prune (famed New York City Restaurant), Braise (Chef Daniel Bolud of NY, NY), Alice Waters (Chez Panisse fame in Berkeley, CA), Smitten Kitchen, Ottolenghi (London, UK), and many more. Plenty of dining seating inside as well as outside on the deck.
Designed by renowned Lake Tahoe architect James Morton in 1978, this house is unlike any other on Center Hill Lake! The house is constructed entirely of California Redwood, Western Cedar, and Mahogany.
SLEEPING ACCOMODATIONS
Master Bedroom- King size bed, Woods/lake views, desk, loveseat, two full baths en suite (main level)
Bedroom 2- King-size bed and twin-size bunk beds (upper bunk weight limit of 165ibs, intended for kids/teens), fireplace, loveseat- direct access to hot tub patio (downstairs)
Bedroom 3- Twin beds, direct access to hot tub patio (downstairs)
Bedroom 4- Twin bed and set of bunk beds with full bed on bottom and a twin on top (upper bunk weight limit of 165ibs, intended for kids/teens) with en suite full bathroom (downstairs)
Small sitting room- Full Sofa bed (main level)
FOOD: Griffin's Produce Stand, Smithville Farmer's Market, Food Lion and Walmart are 15 minutes away in Smithville as well as some excellent options for dining out, like Los Lobos (Mexican), Foglight Woodhouse (Walling, TN, cajun food with a view), Smithville Donuts (Breakfast and Lunch), Kilgore's (meat and three), Sundance (cafe on the town square), and the new Webb & Sons Soda Fountain.
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS: Access Center Hill Lake at Sligo Marina (4 miles) and Ragland Bottom State Park (3 miles). Burgess Falls. Appalachian Center for Craft. Short Mountain Distillery. Canoe the Caney. Riverview Golf Course, Harmony Lane Farm and Dairy (goat farm).
Need more space? Consider also renting The Cottage at The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge. Also available on VRBO, it is on the same 6-acre property and is just down the hill from the The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge. The Cottage is a three bedroom/two bath house that sleep 6-8. It will become available for rent in Summer 2018.
Hot tub! Dish TV (two television screens throughout the house), Satellite Internet. Fire pit. Ping pong table, basketball goal, tree swing, and corn hole! Board games, movies, and many books for the entertainment and enjoyment of you and your loved ones.
Do you like to cook? The chef's kitchen at The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge will thrill you! Double ovens, cooktop, type of fridge, ice maker and dishwasher. For coffee lovers, choose from a traditional coffeemaker, Bodum French Press, Hario Pour over, or Keurig coffee for your morning wake up. Weber grill on the wrap-around deck. Leave your cookbooks at home! The house is stocked with over 20 cookbooks, with a focus on Southern cooking, but certainly not limited to it. Titles include many Southern Living annual cookbooks, Ms. Daisy's Teahouse (Nashville, TN), Williams and Sonoma, Prune (famed New York City Restaurant), Braise (Chef Daniel Bolud of NY, NY), Alice Waters (Chez Panisse fame in Berkeley, CA), Smitten Kitchen, Ottolenghi (London, UK), and many more. Plenty of dining seating inside as well as outside on the deck.
Designed by renowned Lake Tahoe architect James Morton in 1978, this house is unlike any other on Center Hill Lake! The house is constructed entirely of California Redwood, Western Cedar, and Mahogany.
SLEEPING ACCOMODATIONS
Master Bedroom- King size bed, Woods/lake views, desk, loveseat, two full baths en suite (main level)
Bedroom 2- King-size bed and twin-size bunk beds (upper bunk weight limit of 165ibs, intended for kids/teens), fireplace, loveseat- direct access to hot tub patio (downstairs)
Bedroom 3- Twin beds, direct access to hot tub patio (downstairs)
Bedroom 4- Twin bed and set of bunk beds with full bed on bottom and a twin on top (upper bunk weight limit of 165ibs, intended for kids/teens) with en suite full bathroom (downstairs)
Small sitting room- Full Sofa bed (main level)
FOOD: Griffin's Produce Stand, Smithville Farmer's Market, Food Lion and Walmart are 15 minutes away in Smithville as well as some excellent options for dining out, like Los Lobos (Mexican), Foglight Woodhouse (Walling, TN, cajun food with a view), Smithville Donuts (Breakfast and Lunch), Kilgore's (meat and three), Sundance (cafe on the town square), and the new Webb & Sons Soda Fountain.
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS: Access Center Hill Lake at Sligo Marina (4 miles) and Ragland Bottom State Park (3 miles). Burgess Falls. Appalachian Center for Craft. Short Mountain Distillery. Canoe the Caney. Riverview Golf Course, Harmony Lane Farm and Dairy (goat farm).
Need more space? Consider also renting The Cottage at The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge. Also available on VRBO, it is on the same 6-acre property and is just down the hill from the The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge. The Cottage is a three bedroom/two bath house that sleep 6-8. It will become available for rent in Summer 2018.
Amenities
Air conditioner
Kitchen or Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Fireplace
Parking
Laundry
Balcony or Patio
Dishwasher
Hot tub or spa
TV
Garden
Family friendly
Map of Center Hill Lake, TN
$$$$
Reviews
10.0
Amazing
10.0
My family and I gathered here from states in every direction. We had a wonderful time. It was the perfect space for our five families. There is plenty of room to spread out and have some time to yourself or to all join at the table for some card games and dominos. The scenery is beautiful. The boat and beach access were just down the road and very convenient. Ashley was very responsive to any needs we had although there weren’t many at all. The home provided all of our needs for linen, bathing, cooking, and fun. The garage has several games to play for outdoor fun as well. Thanks again for having us at your lodge!
10.0
Stayed here because it offered plenty of space for four friends who hold an annual golf trip. We all had our own room and bathroom and it was very comfortable. House was clean and spacious.
10.0
This was a great place for our group. It is quiet and spacious with nice amenities. The location is also reasonably convenient.
6.0
Five senior women came to relax and enjoy the fall weather and view of the lake. There's not much of a view because of the overgrown trees.The outside looks uncared for. Not particularly welcoming.
The house is very dark inside. Lighting needs attention. Hard to find wall switches and many don't work. Bad hall connection near upstairs bedroom.
Kitchen is well stocked, and spacious. However, ceiling fan is coated with caked on dust. Certainly hasn't been cleaned in a long time.
The house has a moldy or musty smell as though it hasn't been used or occupied in quite some time. One guest was congested by the smell.
The back deck railing is in poor repair with rotting wood making it dangerous.There was no notification as to where we could find cushions for the outdoor chairs.
We followed the check out rules but there was certainly plenty of old items in the pantry. And there was no trash can outside so we carried it home to be disposed of.
When I was there 6 years ago it was a new listing and lovely. The owner needs to do some work to make it inviting to the guests.
We had a good time because we were there for a quiet getaway but it would have been nicer if it were fresher and more inviting.
10.0
We love this property. We've stayed several times! Ashley is great and so is her beautiful home. Thank you!
10.0
We had a wonderful time and rented both the main house and the cottage and it's a great place to accommodate many "sleepers" Nice to have the basketball net for the teens and the ping pong, etc. Used the floats for the water too! Plenty of supplies in the house so you don't need anything like paper products, etc. Owner is easy to reach and responsive to things you need! Love seeing all the deer feeding on the lawn and the trees too!
10.0
We enjoyed our stay. Host was very nice and quick to answer any questions.
10.0
This is the ideal place for our annual fall trip. This is our 4th visit, so that says how much we love this place. Plenty of room & amenities especially for cooking a big Thanksgiving meal. The weather, the fall foliage & the view from that deck were spectacular!! We love the additional ice maker & double ovens. We visited the Twisted Oaks for our 1st dinner (great service & food) and really enjoyed Smithville's 3rd Annual Pumpkin Festival on the town square. We met friends in Sparta for shopping and we highly recommend The Coffee Collective for a great caffeine break!! We can't say enough good things about the owner, Ashley. She's a fabulous host and makes our trips the BEST here!!
10.0
Our second year staying here. Love the cabin feel. Plenty of room Well stocked with Kitchen ultensils. games , ping pong loved the corn hole game..
10.0
Great stay at a wonderful property.
Great stay!
10.0
Guys motorcycle trip
This house was everything and more than we anticipated. 3 men on motorcycles enjoying the beauty of the area and meeting local residents. This property is very quiet and peaceful. Enjoyed the view from the deck. Hot tub and grill got used also. We are already planning next years trip and hope to be able to return to this property. The inside decor and all of the books, cooking equipment and the stereo truly made this a very enjoyable stay. Also the large garage was great to park the bikes out of the rain
6.0
Good but not for everyone
This place is spacious and has a great view and amenities (except expecting you to drive your own trash to a landfill 3 mi away). I cannot dispute that. However I cannot fully convey how off-kilter the place feels and functions - to the point that for us the place felt creepy. The creepily lit giant caribou head did not improve this, nor did the remnants of the witches' ritual we found when gathering kindling for the fire pit. If I were I little kid in this house, I'd be terrified. I'm not saying the house is bad. It wasn't our cup of tea. If you like hidden oddities it might be for you.
10.0
spacious house with great energy!
I love staying here! It was my fourth time. The house is roomy, the kitchen is well stocked, the views are gorgeous, the setting is so beautiful, and the house just feels good. You know those spaces where you just walk in and it feels warm and fuzzy - this is that house. We enjoyed having the fire pit, too, and it was a great place to unwind and relax. Thanks, Ashley, for your communication and for being a great host! Will definitely be back!
10.0
Great reunion spot
My cousins and I all stayed here for an annual getaway. The set up is beyond perfect with so much space for everyone. The view is amazing, there is great hiking nearby, and the cabin is stocked with anything you might need. Perfect place and we all voted to come again soon!
10.0
Great place for a large group
We were in town for our daughter's wedding. The cabin was wonderful with beautiful views.
8.0
Memorial day visit
there was a miscommunication on check out times, so we had to rush out, but everything else was great, the house is huge, and very unique.
10.0
Family gathering for funeral needs
A house that allowed us all to spread out and gather. All of us traveled from out of state during a pandemic. This place gave us a safe haven.
10.0
Great Place
The view was wonderful! The house was bigger than expected. It was well stocked and very enjoyable. We will stay there again. It would be wonderful for a huge family get together.
8.0
Tulip Tree
Had a great time at the house. Size was perfect for our group. Loved the views. Was a little disappointed in the maintenance of the house. There were tiles that had come off of the kitchen counter, lightbulbs out in several rooms, shades that were broken or torn. A lot of general maintenance and housekeeping issues. It is a great house but could really use some TLC. Overall we enjoyed our stay.
10.0
Nice place
Very well equipped with things you might have forgotten. Beds are very comfortable extra baths was a plus Plan on going back next year
10.0
Family gathering
After two years apart due to covid we all gathered. Three generations celebrated 2 - tenth anniversaries and a fiftieth anniversary that occurred during 2021 and a seventh birthday while we were there. The layout of the house worked well and the view was spectacular any time of day. There was ample parking and many a scooter loop was made around the driveway. We hope to be back!
10.0
Getaway with old friends. Great spot.
We had a great stay at the lodge with old friends. Plenty of space to spread out. Great gathering spaces, spacious kitchen, plenty of bedrooms/bathrooms, a porch with a beautiful view! It was the perfect spot for a weekend away.
10.0
Wonderful house
Plenty of space, quiet, relaxing beautiful views. 2 sofas could use replacing, very low, sunk in hard to get out of. Would be perfect with sofa replacement.
10.0
Best rental we have ever had. Want to return in the future
We have never had a better experience with renting a home. Everything was as described; the house was well stocked and clean. Very professional. We had a question and Ashley got back to un in a timely manner and was very helpful. Would love to come again someday.
3.0
Ok I will tell you the good and the bad. Starting with the good- The good- the size of the cabin and the view was perfect and amazing! Plenty of room for all of us and all our stuff. The view was amazing with a great size porch. Loved the location. Loved the basketball hoop and loved going for walks around exploring around the cabin. Bad- The pictures are definitely not current I took pictures but not sure if I will be able to post. When driving up the cabin looks stunning until your closer and the window coverings in both garage windows are ripped. Very simple fix but really changes your first impression of the cabin. We noticed a few things right away I messaged the owner and she was very fast to respond. I just didn’t want to be held responsible. She said the things would not be a issue. The toilet seat down stairs was halfway on (my dad fixed it not a big deal but when it’s added with rest slightly more annoying with the price we paid) The plug in the kids room was coming out of the wall and one in the kitchen also was. Definitely a safety issue. The toilet paper roll in the same bathroom was broke. Towel holder in the 1/2 bath is broke and looks awful on the wall. Simply removing it would make the bathroom look better. The fire place would not work I messaged the owner the first night and did not hear back for a few days when I did she asked if I would like her to send someone to look at it I said yes because we had rainy cool weather and really was looking forward to the fireplace but I never heard back after that. If it was not possible just letting us know would have been appreciated. The switches definitely should have a paper some where it took us for ever to figure out you had flip a switch out in the main living space to make the bed room lights work. Decore- If your looking for cabin mountain cozy decor that is not here. Nothing was wrong with the decor just not what we have seen with cabins we have rented in the past. We love the cozy mountain camping decor. Even a picture of their view in the living room would be stunning.We loved the hot tub but the cover was so water logged and looked awful and was difficult to move. Over all we had a great trip the stuff wrong did not affect us having a great time we were just bummed a lot of the stuff would be a weekend of simple repairs or updates and the cabin would be worth every penny.
6.0
Spring break Family Style
Ok I will tell you the good and the bad. Starting with the good-
The good- the size of the cabin and the view was perfect and amazing! Plenty of room for all of us and all our stuff. The view was amazing with a great size porch. Loved the location. Loved the basketball hoop and loved going for walks around exploring around the cabin.
Bad-
The pictures are definitely not current I took pictures but not sure if I will be able to post.
When driving up the cabin looks stunning until your closer and the window coverings in both garage windows are ripped. Very simple fix but really changes your first impression of the cabin.
We noticed a few things right away I messaged the owner and she was very fast to respond. I just didn’t want to be held responsible. She said the things would not be a issue.
The toilet seat down stairs was halfway on (my dad fixed it not a big deal but when it’s added with rest slightly more annoying with the price we paid)
The plug in the kids room was coming out of the wall and one in the kitchen also was. Definitely a safety issue.
The toilet paper roll in the same bathroom was broke.
Towel holder in the 1/2 bath is broke and looks awful on the wall. Simply removing it would make the bathroom look better.
The fire place would not work I messaged the owner the first night and did not hear back for a few days when I did she asked if I would like her to send someone to look at it I said yes because we had rainy cool weather and really was looking forward to the fireplace but I never heard back after that. If it was not possible just letting us know would have been appreciated.
The switches definitely should have a paper some where it took us for ever to figure out you had flip a switch out in the main living space to make the bed room lights work.
Decore- If your looking for cabin mountain cozy decor that is not here. Nothing was wrong with the decor just not what we have seen with cabins we have rented in the past. We love the cozy mountain camping decor. Even a picture of their view in the living room would be stunning.
We loved the hot tub but the cover was so water logged and looked awful and was difficult to move.
Over all we had a great trip the stuff wrong did not affect us having a great time we were just bummed a lot of the stuff would be a weekend of simple repairs or updates and the cabin would be worth every penny.
10.0
Winter Getaway
The house was just as advertised plenty of room for our group of 8. We would like to come here again in the future.
10.0
This was a perfect country getaway for our family!
The property was just as described. We enjoyed the large space and hot tub! The kids had a blast and we all enjoyed just relaxing and hanging out.
10.0
Gals of '74
This was our 3rd trip here and is perfect for larger groups. We typically have about 8 ladies but this year many could not attend due to issues NOT related to Covid-19 (Thankfully!). Social distancing made easy as each of us had our own bedroom and bathroom. The weather was unseasonably warm & we spent a great amount of time outside, beautiful lake view, fire pit aglow at night and gorgeous fall colors with magnificent sunsets. We enjoyed some friends who came to visit. We love the big kitchen and numerous dining areas for our Friendsgiving Dinner each Fall. We made a trip to Short Mountain Bible Camp where some of the girls attended when they were kids. The view from there was beautiful!
5.0
The cabin was a great place to get away and relax! The pantry was stocked with all your basic spices, sugar, oils, and even rice and oatmeal! We had a minor incident that led to a few tiles falling off the counter trim. Upon reporting it to our travel insurance and the property owner, Ashley assured us it wasn't a big deal and would all work out. I appreciated her understanding that these things happen and was grateful for the insurance to cover it!The fireplace ignition switch wasn't working, but Ashley communicated with hs throughout the process and apologized that she couldn't have maintenance out during our stay. Fortunately the fireplace still lit with a match, so we could enjoy the flames in the evening.The hot tub was a great temperature and a wonderful way to wind down at the end of the day!
10.0
Cozy cabin!
The cabin was a great place to get away and relax! The pantry was stocked with all your basic spices, sugar, oils, and even rice and oatmeal!
We had a minor incident that led to a few tiles falling off the counter trim. Upon reporting it to our travel insurance and the property owner, Ashley assured us it wasn't a big deal and would all work out. I appreciated her understanding that these things happen and was grateful for the insurance to cover it!
The fireplace ignition switch wasn't working, but Ashley communicated with hs throughout the process and apologized that she couldn't have maintenance out during our stay. Fortunately the fireplace still lit with a match, so we could enjoy the flames in the evening.
The hot tub was a great temperature and a wonderful way to wind down at the end of the day!
5.0
Property was pretty much as expected. Enjoyed fire pit in eveningsOverall good experience
10.0
Siblings and spouses get together all seniors
Property was pretty much as expected. Enjoyed fire pit in evenings
Overall good experience
10.0
Birthday celebration
We had a wonderful time and the Tulip Tree bay Lodge was an ideal place for us. We met up to celebrate my moms 90th birthday. The upstairs bedroom was great for her. The kitchen was set up for us to cook all our meals. We built puzzles and played cards just enjoyed each other’s company.
10.0
Buddy’s Bachelor Party
Fantastic property and incredible communication from the owner. Love the lake and views. Thanks for letting us stay!
8.0
Excellent Location / Good Property
The property had plenty of large rooms to gather for Meals / games. Everyone enjoyed having all the large rooms to enjoy our time together. Plenty of bathrooms..... with large groups.... so important to have plenty of bathroom accommodations.... this place checked that box for sure in bedrooms / bathroom accommodation. The Kitchen has everything we needed.... again also open and convenient for everyone to move around and not be very crowded when cooking/prepping food. Loved the deck with the Lake view......Loved this place and would book again !
Couple of small things to check into regarding g the house prior to next family/ Group coming.....
1) Microwave wouldn’t always work..... outlets in Kitchen are not well connected to wall and could frighten people if plugging in appliances.... would check those out..
2) Gas Grill has very low gas propane in the tanks.... we grilled 2 of the 3 nights..... we went and did an exchange at the marina for a full tank of propane gas. Also cleaned burners on the grill.....lot of burnt build up on the grill burners.....
10.0
Lakeside perfection
Beautiful home with a stunning view! From the pefectly equipped kitchen & super comfy beds, to the hot tub, we thouroughly enjoyed our short stay. Great place to catch up with family or a group of friends. Ashley was prompt with communication as well. Highly recommended!
10.0
Beautiful craftsman home in the hills of Tennessee
This house is fabulous for a large family to enjoy quality time together. So much was provided for us in the kitchen with more than adequate dishes, silverware, serving pieces, etc. It was a great HOME. Beautiful view of the lake. Lots of outdoor seating. Plenty of room for eating inside too. Just a wonderful place to bring people together. Ashley was so nice answering our questions too.
If you have a large family and need lots of beds, this house is the place to come. So perfect for family reunions. We had our sibling trip here in March, 2020 and it was just perfect.
10.0
love this house!!!
This was my third time staying in this house, and for good reason. Ashley, the owner, is a wonderful host, and she's thought of all the things to make her guests feel at home. The kitchen is a wonderful place to cook, with high end cookware, all the gadgets, and a view to die for. If I had a view like that to eat my breakfast, I'd never leave the house. The beds are comfortable, and there is plenty of space to spread out. Visiting during the winter was totally fine, because we didn't mind being inside here. I will absolultely be stayin here again, and again, and again, any time I visit the area. Thank you, Ashley!
FAQs
How much does this house cost compared to others in Center Hill Lake?
The average price for a rental in Center Hill Lake is $360 per night. This rental is $226 above the average.
Is parking included with this house?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge. 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 Tulip Tree Bay Lodge pet friendly?
Unfortunately, this house is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"
What amenities are available at The Tulip Tree Bay Lodge?
We found 12 amenities for this rental. This includes air conditioner, kitchen or kitchenette, internet / wifi, fireplace, and parking.
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