"We have just enjoyed a wonderful fifth annual July visit to The Swag to celebrate our 56th wedding anniversary. The Swag is a premier lodge nestled on a mountainside in the Smoky Mountains high over Waynesville NC. It offers spectacular views, immediate access to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park by simply walking through a gap in the fence outside the main lodge, fine dining, pickleball courts, a spa, and a small gym and pool. An expert naturalist is often in residence and conducts a variety of activities, including organized hikes, talks about wildlife (bears, coyotes, bioluminescence and other interesting aspects of the natural world).  Other activities include a presentation on coffee making by their barista and wine tasting sessions. But if all you want to do is just have a wonderful place to  relax and enjoy being in the great outdoors, The Swag is one of the best places you can go. The Swag is a Relais and Chateaux resort so accommodations are excellent and range from a comfortable, well furnished bedroom for two to a cabin suitable for an entire family. À la carte breakfasts, packaged lunches (including backpacks and water bottles if needed), and four-course dinners are included in the daily rates. The lunch and dinner menus change daily, but dinner entree choices typically include beef, seafood, poultry and vegetarian options. On Wednesdays and Saturdays there is a mountain top lunch picnic with abundant food. Thursday evening is barbecue night. Food at The Swag is locally sourced and quality standards are exceptionally high.  Service here is truly exceptional. Everyone is dedicated to making your stay as enjoyable as possible. The kitchen tries to honor all special requests. Much of the resort's clientele return year after year, and guests are automatically offered a return reservation for the same time and accommodation next year at the time of checkout. This is great for established clients and has allowed The Swag to build a large band of loyal followers, including us, but this does make it harder for first-timers to get a reservation for a time and accommodation they would like. My advice is just keep trying!  We got our first reservation after many tries when someone cancelled while we were on the phone with the lodge trying to get one. Tradition means a lot at The Swag, and that is a good thing. My only suggestion to them is to consider adding an à la carte section to the dinner menu as many other fine dining establishments do. It would give the kitchen more opportunity to try out dishes before adding them to the prix fixe choices and allow guests who may not want a full four course dinner every night an alternative. I realize that this would complicate the traditional pricing scheme, but that should be manageable."

"Amazing property! So much to do - or do nothing - either way it's rejuvenating. Outstanding food! (Do not stay in the Hideaway room if you want privacy ;))"

"The most serene, luxurious yet rustic (in the best way), place ever. It is truly just perfect! Staff is amazing, the place is amazing....just sit back, enjoy wonderful food and drinks and enjoy God's beautiful creation!"

"Wow. I am truly blown away by everything The Swag had to offer. A friend recommended it for our anniversary trip and we could not be more pleased. The accessibility to the trails for every activity level made it so convenient to just up and leave. I went to The Still and got the "Walk in the woods" massage and it was so relaxing and much needed. The food.. WOW! It was some of the best food we've ever had. They have options for whatever dietary restrictions and/or preferences. The produce was clearly fresh and every meal was thoughtful and obviously high end. We had to split up our stay and were able to go in different rooms. The first couple of nights we stayed in Davy's room. It was the perfect size for us. I saw a previous comment about the bathroom in that room being a little small but I don't think it was. The only thing I would've liked is more lighting in there for getting ready (hair/makeup). The natural light that comes into the room is amazing, and if I had brought a portable mirror, I wouldn't bring it up at all in this review. But that doesn't take away any "stars" or bring down the quality of The Swag whatsoever! The other room we stayed in was The Hideaway. And even though we've only been there this one time, it was my favorite out of the two. I loved the balcony with the outdoor shower (even though we didn't use it). The bathroom was much bigger and has a stand-alone tub as well as a shower. The scents they offer for shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion smelled SO good. I'm picky with what I use in my hair but the ones provided were great. The water pressure in both rooms wasn't too little or too much, it was just right! The noise level was not a problem at all. We hardly heard any commotion or other people while staying in Davy's Room since it was on the top level, and we didn't hear the neighboring room at all. In The Hideaway, we could hear footsteps because we were on the bottom level but it was nothing that would't be heard in a normal room like that. I loved that they provide a sound machine because even though we didn't need it to drown out any noise, we use one at home so it made us sleep even more comfortably. The Swag was very clean at all times and did a wonderful job keeping up with everything around the property. Even when the breakfast and lunch crowd left the dining areas, the staff was always cleaning or organizing. There is absolutely nothing negative about this place. I know that it is expensive, but it is worth EVERY penny. The staff makes you feel so special and truly cares about what you have to say. Everyone is so friendly and calls you by name. We can't wait to go back!!"

"Spending several days at The Swag is an experience that folks will remember for many years. They will remember the extraordinary beauty of the mountains, the well prepared culinary meals, and the peace and quiet of a well managed inn."