The Swag: A Smoky Mountain Hideaway That Feels Like Home

Perched high amid the Great Smoky Mountains, The Swag has always had a way of staying with those who come to know and love it. Is it the boundless views across the peaks or the capable, kindhearted service? The farm-to-table meals or the serene stillness that makes time seem to slow to a crawl? All those things, and many others, certainly add to its charm. But what really sets this North Carolina gem apart are the people who have shaped it since the very beginning, from the founders who first saw promise in the rugged stretch of mountain terrain to the next generation upholding their spirit of hospitality. Their thoughtful stewardship infuses The Swag with a warmth that makes every moment feel meaningful while you’re here, and lingers well after you say goodbye.

Full Review and Highlights of The Swag

A Heartfelt Welcome

The Swag sits on 250 acres toward North Carolina’s western tip, an hour or so from Asheville and a stone’s throw from the Tennessee border. Its twisting, thickly wooded drive climbs skyward as you leave the tiny town of Maggie Valley, and after you pass through the entrance gates, you’ll arrive at a bright, cheery cabin where a genial greeter is waiting to make you feel right at home. The staff takes your car off to the parking area and your luggage to your room; meanwhile, you can unwind with a glass of wine, Champagne or another welcome beverage as the greeter introduces you to the lay of the land and jots down your dinner selections for that evening.

You’ll also pose for a snapshot to be tucked into the latest of the many albums lining the shelves, a tradition that goes back to The Swag’s origins. Repeat guests are common here, and some of them have years’ worth of photos that they enjoy flipping through each time they return, reminiscing about past adventures.

Upon continuing to the main house (properly known as the Swag House), another sweet tradition awaits: You’re invited to choose a knobbly walking stick from the array in the lobby, each adorned with a badge designed to commemorate the current year, and then given a personalized tree-slice tag to attach. Many regulars either store their sticks at the property or bring them back for every visit, adding tag after tag to their expanding collection.

The walking sticks aren’t mere conversation pieces — they’re practical gifts, given that hiking the mountain trails is one of this region’s greatest draws. But more on that in a bit.

The Setting

Locals call the gentle dip between mountain peaks a “swag,” and this natural feature gives the property both its name and its outrageous views. The main house and adjacent structures hug a sloping expanse of well-manicured grass, fringed with native greenery such as pines, rhododendrons and hydrangeas, and clusters of chairs along the lawn and wide verandas offer a front-row seat to the Blue Ridge and the Smokies in the distance. Day or evening, the panorama is glorious; even better, because there are only several dozen guests at any given time, you can savor it in calm and quiet. From our very first afternoon, I could feel the pressures of daily life rolling off my shoulders as I set a porchfront rocker in motion and took in the overlapping ridges with their distinctive bluish haze.

The Swag welcomes all ages, but it leans adult-oriented. I was there on a girls’ getaway with my best friend and most of our fellow guests were couples or multigenerational families with grown kids. It’s perfect for an empty-nest vacation or a romantic retreat. (In fact, current owners Annie and David Colquitt first stayed here for their honeymoon in 2011, and were so smitten with the property that they bought it when founders Deener and Dan Matthews were ready to pass the torch in 2018 — talk about coming full circle!)

Although the buildings at The Swag are rustic, clad in weathered wood and rough-hewn stone, the trappings within are anything but. Fine linens, tailored draperies, luxe fixtures and Oriental rugs combine for an air of refined comfort that isn’t the least bit stuffy. Every detail is precisely overseen, from the daily supply of fresh apples in the lobby to the thermal mat at the coffee bar that keeps the earthenware mugs warm and ready, and yet somehow it all feels effortless.

A cozy living room anchors the Swag House, with ample seating arranged in view of the massive stone fireplace. The well-worn timbers and beams are the bones of an 18th-century church that was brought in from Tennessee, their patina offset by gleaming hardwood floors and colorful print textiles — inviting surrounds to catch up with other guests, settle in with a book on a rainy day or indulge in the freshly baked cookies that are put out each afternoon. The Swag’s experts-in-residence, who include artists, naturalists, musicians, photographers and historians, often host talks here as well, which are quite interesting and well worth a listen.

Accommodations

The Swag has 18 guest quarters in all, divided between the Swag House and standalone cottages. We stayed in the two-story Chestnut Lodge, comprised of five rooms grouped around a handsome wood-paneled library and fireside sitting area. Each is named to honor a person with deep ties to the property, and ours, dubbed Davy’s Room, was incredibly spacious and comfortable, with sink-right-in bedding, leather club chairs facing a fireplace and a wet bar with a Nespresso coffeemaker plus a small fridge stocked with complimentary snacks, water and sodas. A steam shower and heated towel rack in the bathroom were nice touches for the cool mountain mornings.

Thoughtful extras brought us smiles throughout our stay. Our in-room radio was playing bluegrass music when we arrived, setting an apt sense of place; bite-size treats appeared on the wet bar at turndown; and we found little gifts such as embossed leather bookmarks waiting on the pillows. It’s as if the staff knows exactly what will make guests feel pampered without saying a word.

TIP: Chestnut Lodge can be reserved in its entirety if you’re traveling with a group of extended family or friends. Note that the upper-floor rooms require climbing a flight of stairs, so they’re not ideal for guests with limited mobility.

The Swag House contains six guestrooms, and the handful of cottages and suites ranges from three-bedroom Trinity Cottage to secluded Hummingbird, which backs up to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Several accommodations have sleeper sofas to supplement the king beds. Depending on the specific unit you book, amenities might include an outdoor shower, a private balcony or terrace, an indoor or outdoor soaking tub, and/or a private sauna. One suite, Mountain Laurel, even comes with its own family game room.

Wifi is available throughout the resort, but there are no TVs in the guestrooms or common areas, and I loved the built-in digital detox. Screen time can’t begin to compete with the natural scenery that stretches in every direction, or watching hummingbirds flit around the hanging feeder at the main house — more than I’ve ever seen in one place.

Dining

Cuisine at The Swag is plentiful, hearty and exceptionally delicious, with much of the produce grown onsite and many other ingredients locally sourced. Breakfast brings light fare such as steel-cut oatmeal and Greek yogurt with muesli in addition to more robust selections, like a chorizo-laced Mexican scramble, cinnamon vanilla French toast and (my favorite) a tasty breakfast sandwich with chive scrambled eggs, bacon, cheddar and guajillo chile aioli. Lunch is a takeaway affair — if you’re headed out on a hike, the kitchen will pack your meal in an insulated backpack, or they’ll prepare a picnic basket or brown bag for guests staying closer to home. (If you see Swag Bars on the lunchtime dessert menu, don’t hesitate; these rich, chocolatey treats are a must-try!) Each week, the chef also hosts a midday alfresco picnic on nearby Gooseberry Knob, with classics like burgers, grilled fish and fried chicken and a buffet of sides, salads and sweets.

As evening draws near, everyone gathers in the open-air Dogtrot, a breezeway off the lobby, to mingle over hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. This was a highlight of our stay — it was great fun getting to know the other guests in such a relaxed, convivial setting, and the nibbles are just enough to kindle an appetite, from charcuterie with Carolina honey to Southern-inflected canapés. At 6:30, the staff rings the dinner bell — the signal for everyone to assemble in the living room for announcements about the next day’s events as well as any birthdays, anniversaries or other milestones guests are celebrating — and then you’re shown to your table in the dining room or, in good weather, on the lovely open-air porch.

While the food at breakfast and lunch is fantastic, dinner is the real star. The four-course menu changes daily, with at least one fish and one vegetarian dish among the mains; our choices included rack of lamb with harissa, fondant potatoes and romano beans; wahoo with purple rice, mustard greens and miso beurre blanc; and gnocchi with spinach, grana padano cheese and beetroot pomodoro. First and second courses are equally inventive, and the desserts, such as a luscious chocolate-chip skillet cookie topped with ice cream, take things over the top.

Activities & Amenities

True to The Swag’s easygoing vibe, you can be as active or as idle as you like. The daily schedule, delivered to your room, includes a rotating blend of guided hikes, wellness sessions like yoga (held on a pretty outdoor deck), barista and craft cocktail lessons in the Swag Bar, tours of the gardens and apiaries, and creative workshops, just to scratch the surface. The staff is happy to arrange wine tastings with a collection of bottles from the cellar, and multi-day cooking classes are held regularly throughout the year. If you’re a rider, you can book an excursion on horseback via The Swag’s nearby sister resort, Cataloochee Ranch.

On the ground floor of Chestnut Lodge you’ll find The Still, which houses three spa treatment rooms and offers a menu of massages, facials and body treatments. We both had amazing facials that left us glowing and totally relaxed, followed by a long soak in the hot tub that sits a quick walk away down the hill. It’s really more like a small swimming pool, and the trees frame perfect views of the mountain peaks as you luxuriate amid the jets that roil the steaming water.

If you prefer to explore the surrounding terrain on your own, the staff is happy to provide a hiking map along with pointers about the various routes. There are also pickleball courts, badminton courts and a croquet field available at your leisure, a stocked pond for casting a line, lawn games such as cornhole and a small gym. Jigsaw puzzles sit in various states of completion on tables in the living room and Chestnut Lodge, and as you chat with your travel companion or other guests, you’ll probably find yourself searching for the right piece without thinking twice about it.

As your stay draws to a close and you get ready to make the winding drive back down the mountain, you’ll understand why so many people are drawn here year after year. The Swag has mastered something rare in the superfast pace of life these days: the art of making strangers feel like family for a short time, connected by face-to-face conversation rather than by text or social media. And when you come back (which you likely will), don’t forget to pack your walking stick — another tag will be waiting to celebrate your return.

Things to Know

• Room rates are based on double occupancy and include all meals, evening hors d’oeuvres, nonalcoholic beverages and some activities.
• There’s never a bad time to visit, but fall is especially beautiful with the brilliant Blue Ridge foliage all around. Leaf-peeping season is in high demand, so book early! The property closes for much of the winter. Exact dates vary, but for 2025-26, closure is from mid-December through mid-February.
• Asheville Regional Airport is about an hour away by car, and the major hubs of Charlotte (CLT) and Atlanta (ATL) are within a 3- to 3 1/2-hour drive.

Relevant Links:

Browse all accommodations and destinations in North Carolina on Ciao Bambino

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Photos by Lisa Frederick except where noted.

Editor’s note: This post was accurate when published. We advise checking independently for the latest information and updates. Ciao Bambino does not accept responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in, or for any actions taken based on, the information presented.