Romantic Getaways in NC: The Swag Country Inn in the Great Smoky Mountains

Home to a majestic mountaintop view, The Swag Country Inn is a place of unparalleled hospitality. Located at 5,000 feet, the inn is only a few minutes from Asheville, North Carolina, offering a relaxing weekend getaway from the city.

The inn started out as Smoky Mountain lodging by Deener Matthews, the innkeeper in 1982. It was originally intended to be a family home for Deener and her husband, Dan, but it eventually became The Swag Country Inn that the couple managed when they opened for business from late April to November every year.

The Swag Country Inn offers top-notch accommodations with warm hospitality and an award-winning restaurant matched only by its service. Once there, guests will have everything they need for their stay – they will never need to go out of their way to get something – making the place a great choice to disappear from the world for a while.

The inn is located along Cataloochee Divide, one of North Carolina’s highest mountain ranges, which can be seen from the inn. To the northwest are the Great Smokies, to the southwest are the Balsams, and to the east are the Black Mountains. Just behind the inn is the Divide Trail, which has been traveled by settlers for over 200 years, and counting. All this natural history and beauty is only matched by the architecture of the inn itself, with the oldest building dating back to 1795, and with every log made of hand-hewn materials from the now rare tulip poplar trees. Photo: The Swag

1.The Swag Rooms and Suites

There is the right kind of accommodation for every kind of guest at The Swag Country Inn, may it be something as private and intimate as a romantic getaway or as grand and exciting as a hiking trip, guests will find what they want among the Inn’s 14 guest rooms.

Each of these rooms is uniquely decorated – no two rooms are exactly the same. However, they’re all decorated with original artwork, woven rugs, handmade quilts, and many rustic antiques – all of which are a fine complement to the Smoky Mountain scene. Most rooms have their own wood-burning fireplaces, private balconies, and steam showers, while the more romantic rooms have Jacuzzis, soaking tubs, and even saunas.

The accommodations are categorized into three groups: Swag House Rooms, Chestnut Lodge Rooms, and Cabins & Suites.

The Swag House Rooms are found in the Main Swag House. Danny’s Room is a charming, romantic, king bedroom that comes with a wet bar, steam shower, and views of the Smoky Mountain. Laurin’s Room comes with a fireplace and a two-person steam shower. The king bed Bishop’s Room is known for its spacious reading area and balcony. Rock Room is another one with a large reading area, but it also has a stone terrace and a shower for two. The Salmon Room has a king bed which can be converted to two single beds and features handicap accessible features. Finally, Gail’s Room is a corner room which offers premier views, a second floor, and an outdoor shower and soaking tub.

The Chustnut Lodge Rooms offer more space and privacy. The Ridgeview Room and The Loft offer romantic corner hideaways with a king bed, wet bar, fireplace, whirlpool tubs, and even a balcony with an outdoor shower. Just down the stairs, the Hideaway, is also a romantic lodge, but with an authentic barn siding and a sauna for two, on top of the other luxurious amenities.

There is also a wide selection of Cabins and Suites that offer secluded accommodations with a wet bar and a fireplace. The Two Story suites have one bedroom each of the two floors. The Terrace Suite offers a stone terrace for additional seclusion on top of the other amenities. Woodshed is a luxurious cottage that offers a stone porch with skylights. Formerly known as the Family Room, the Matthew’s Suite comes with so much room because of the living room with cathedral beamed ceiling. Finally, there’s The Cabin suite.

Every single one of the Inn’s accommodations is a combination of the Smoky Mountain’s natural surroundings and the comforts of a modern home. Each room contains a wide range of luxurious amenities. On-site amenities include hiking sticks, saunas, library, and sport equipments for their respective courts and facilities.

The Swag Country Inn offers special packages that guests can opt for to enhance their stay. For instance, there are a lot of special amenities that come from Romantic Packages that’s perfect for a couple’s romantic getaway, including: Hour long massages, Keepsakes, Chocolate-covered strawberries, Locally crafted sea-salt caramels, And other treats.

There are also some Additional Packages available to all guests. These include: Guided fishing trips, Art tours, Biltmore Estate tickets, Eco-tours, Yoga classes and Swag Bar treats.

More weekend and day trips: Best Family Vacation Ideas in North Carolina and Romantic Weekend Getaways in North Carolina. Photo:

2.Dining at The Swag

The Swag Country Inn is an all-inclusive inn and it offers its guests award-winning dining with family, friends, and couples. Guests have made-to-order omelets for breakfast to start their big day in the mountains. They’ll also get packed lunches for their picnic in the middle of their adventure. And when they return at the end of the day, they will be greeted with hors d’oeuvres for social hours before finally dining on the inn’s four-course meals.

The inn also offers special dining events for its guests on some days of the week. There are gourmet picnics on Wednesdays, barbecues on Thursdays, and brunches on Sundays. The inn also hosts cooking classes, and guests can pick which classes they want to take, depending what cooking techniques they wish to know about. Non-overnight guests need to make reservations to be able to take part of dinner, Wednesday Picnics, and Sunday brunches.

Dining at the inn offers award-winning cuisine that’s made only by the best chefs, using fresh and locally available herbs, vegetables, fruits, and other ingredients. The inn’s menu is filled with the dishes made from produce grown by local farmers.

Note that the inn doesn’t serve alcoholic beverages. Guests, however, can bring their own wines and spirits. Photo:

3.Plan This Vacation

Getting to The Swag Country Inn takes about two and a half miles of private driving, which is equivalent to a climb of over 1,000 feet. Unlike other inns, this one doesn’t recommend that travelers rely on GPS technology to find their way. This is because the system has been known to lead travelers to rough terrain. Instead, guests are encouraged to rely on the directions provided by the inn on their website. Travel time will vary depending on where the guest is driving from. Traveling from Knoxville takes only 2 hours while coming from Atlanta will take 3.5 hours.

Over the years, The Swag Country Inn has been recognized in many ways for their luxurious accommodations and excellent service.

From 2009 to 2014, it has been on the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List and has likewise been featured in National Geographic Traveler, Departures Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal.
One of the three most memorable retreats by the Hideaway Report
Dubbed by the NY Times as one of the “1000 Places to See Before You Die.”
Recognized by the New York Post as 1 out of 10 Small Inns Worldwide with uncompromised privacy and sophisticated amenities.
One of Zagat’s Top US Hotels, Resorts and Spas
One of VacationIdea's Best Romantic Weekend Getaways in North Carolina