Last Updated on April 20, 2020
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Searching for a vacation rental near Asheville is beyond intimidating. For starters, there are too many to name and you never know what you’re going to get before arrival. Of course, there are tons of places just a short drive from Downtown, Biltmore, and the River Arts District. I just don’t think you’ll get anything as cozy as Blackberry Lodge.
This five-bedroom home in Fairview has everything you’d ever need to keep people entertained or spend your time in solitude. Sure, you might think it’s easy to say a place is perfect for any situation. Just walk through Blackberry Lodge with us here and you’ll see just why we loved it so much.
This post is part of our series on awesome places to stay in North Carolina.
Blackberry Lodge: An Amazing Vacation Rental near Asheville
Disclosure Note
Special thanks to Yonder Vacation Rentals for providing us with complimentary accommodations. All opinions within this article are our own.
11 Awesome Things About This House
Yonder Vacation Rentals
We’ve stayed at a few Yonder properties (check here for listings) and each one has just blown us away with a mix of luxury and comfort. You can find many of their vacation rentals near Asheville and elsewhere in Western North Carolina. However, our previous stay with them was on Topsail Island at a lovely place called Sound n’ Sea.
Regardless of where you go with Yonder, prepare for ultimate relaxation when staying in their properties. Oh, and they also bring awesome service to the table, providing linens for all beds, too. And if you have any questions or concerns, Mark and his team are always ready to help!
Fairview
Before we dig into the awesomeness that is Blackberry Lodge, you should know a bit about the town that it calls home. Fairview is a census-designated place in Buncombe County, about 10 miles southeast of Asheville. The location served as a convenient base for us during Chow Chow and getting into Asheville from Blackberry Lodge really isn’t too bad.
You’ll drive in via US 74 and I-240 or I-40, with the interstate part really flying by in my opinion. Fairview is also a half-hour drive from Chimney Rock and Lake Lure, which are two great reasons to choose this area for your stay.
Blackberry Lodge’s Location
Blackberry Lodge isn’t far from the highway and near the end of a very nice development. Once you book with Yonder, you’ll receive the address and other pertinent info. In case you need to grab groceries or something to eat, there are gas stations, grocery stores, and a Hot Dog King on 74. It’s nice to know that even though this place offers a truly secluded vibe, there are places to stock up within close reach.
The House
Driving through the development to reach Blackberry Lodge and you might think you’ll be interacting with your neighbors. But when pulling into the driveway, that feeling will immediately go away. The massive house is surrounded by red and white oaks, mountain laurels, and rhododendrons. This vacation rental serves up a perfect sampling of the mountains, aesthetically pleasing and affording the privacy you need when staying with friends and family.
Spacious, Colorful Interior
When you walk inside the front door, the open-plan quickly comes into view. A mix of wooden, tiled, and carpeted floors add variety to each of the rooms. The property’s large and plentiful windows provide excellent light during the daytime and a mix of overhead and floor lighting allow you to create the perfect evening atmosphere.
Art from Asheville, far-flung spots like Peru and the Dominican Republic adorn nearly every wall. You’ll even find an original 16th-century hand-colored map of South America when scanning the colorful interior.
If you walk in through the garage, hopefully, you won’t interrupt someone’s table tennis or foosball match. That wouldn’t be very cool of you, in my opinion.
A Kitchen with Any Meal in Mind
One of the things I loved most about Blackberry Lodge was the kitchen. Why? Because we could’ve gone the whole time without eating out. Of course, we drove into Asheville for awesome restaurant experiences, but it’s nice to know you don’t have to when staying at this vacation rental.
The kitchen has literally every kind of meal in mind, whether you’re talking ample space for prep, utensils, or the huge fridge with icemaker ready to keep your food and groceries cool. Many vacation rentals squeak by when saying they’ve got a fully equipped kitchen, but this place stands behind that description.
The Living Room & Dining Room
A gorgeous wood fireplace sits in the living room, which is a place I loved spending quiet mornings and evenings at Blackberry Lodge. There are multiple cozy chairs and a couch that’s perfect for laying down with a book. If you forgot something to read, plenty of magazines and books are scattered around various bookshelves and tables throughout the house. Between the living room and kitchen is a dining room table with chairs and a bench to seat everyone.
Master Bedroom
Of all five bedrooms in Blackberry Lodge, the master is the best so call “dibs” on that before anyone else. It’s on the main level, with a comfy king bed, and has plenty of space for unpacking your clothes to make yourself at home. There’s a huge walk-in closet that we left open, so we could let the little one sleep there in her pack n’ play.
Oh, and there’s a full bathroom, equipped with dual sinks, a tub with jets, and a rainfall shower.
The Second Level: Guest Suites & Game Room
Overlooking the living room on the second level, a game room filled with familiar favorites. We had fun showing our kiddo the ins and outs of Operation and Yahtzee, even though she preferred Chutes and Ladders. It was a nice place to let her play independently, too, with enough supervision that’s required of a toddler, of course. Two guest suites, each with a king bed and private bathroom, form the rest of the second level.
The Lower Terrace Level, AKA “Second Home”
And I thought that was all for Blackberry Lodge, but if you’ve been keeping score, there’s more. My kid wanted to see what was down a set of stairs that we hadn’t explored yet. And that’s how we found the lower terrace level. If you forgot about the main level and beyond, this could be a wonderful house all on its own. There are two more bedrooms, one with a king and the other with a queen bed, and both with full private bathrooms.
On this level, though, you have access to a pool table that shares a room with a comfy sofa and massive tv for friends and family movie nights. There’s a door in this room that leads you to the lower section of the deck outside.
Outside: The Deck
The deck at Blackberry Lodge is ideal for cool days, hot days, and all in between. The hot tub is perfect any evening, especially when the air is starting to cool in late summer and fall. You can also keep warm in a chair by the fire pit.
Or, hang by the fire of the gas grill as you get dinner ready to go. There are plenty of seats and places to sit for everyone, so you can take the party outside can give the inside a rest for a bit if you want. Just to be clear, I kept every detail of this deck in mind because it will be wrapping around my house someday.
Final Thoughts on this Awesome Mountain Rental
I can’t end this without a mention of Alexa, who kept us company with music while inside the house. And since we have a little one, we couldn’t spend time at Blackberry Lodge without enjoying some time on the front porch in their rocking chairs. They even have one for a kid to rock back and forth in. That’s just another added touch that makes this an awesome mountain rental.
Please, don’t tell the team at Yonder, but we’re already saving up to buy this place. We might be willing to rent it to you and if we do, I know who we’ll go through.
Until Blackberry Lodge becomes ours, we think you should make this vacation rental yours for the next time you’re in Asheville. For booking information, check Yonder’s website. Unlike other rental companies, they provide linens and are always ready to help.
And before we let you go, we want to know. Out of all the awesome things about this house, which one(s) stood out to you? Do you think the inside or outside wins here? Because we’re having a hard time deciding!