When my 89 year old mother invited my sister and me to celebrate my sixtieth birthday at High Hampton Inn and Country Club in Cashiers, NC, we asked, “What is there to do there?” The answer both shocked and intrigued us…”Nothing, absolutely nothing but rock on the porch and relax, just what you two need!”
Because mid-October is the prime time for beautiful fall color in the Smokies, the oldest mountain formations in North America, and because we live far apart and wanted a special time together, we accepted the invitation. But my sister and I secretly shared the honest response, ”It sounds terribly boring!” We are both hyperactive, overly busy women from dawn till midnight, and the idea of doing nothing was beyond imagining! We agreed to go there just for our mother’s sake.
But what a surprise! High Hampton did not make Harper’s List of the 100 Best Hotels in the World for no reason!
The old wooden lodge, re-built in 1932 after the first one burned, has a huge porch on three sides with an inviting line of rocking chairs lined up for guests to enjoy the view of lake and mountains, or gardens and centuries-old trees. Inside, the huge lobby is centered by a four-sided stone fireplace and large chimney, surrounded by comfy, over-stuffed chairs and couches gathered in cozy clusters. From dawn till midnight guests lounge comfortably working jigsaw puzzles, reading newspapers and books, visiting, or doing crafts.High Hampton Inn lodge Each evening the hotel staff provides familiar entertainment which can include all ages: Bingo, horse racing games, nature slide shows, and sing-alongs. Guests quickly get to know each other, and everyone we spoke to were return guests from all over the country. Many had grown up vacationing with their parents here each summer and return now once or twice a year with their children, considering this their family camp.
In summer Kid’s Camp is in full swing with activities of all kinds from early morning till night. Little ones have fun at Noah’s Ark play school while older ones can enjoy fun with counselors or with their family and friends.
Far from just rocking on the porch, activities include nearly anyone’s ideas of fun.”The 18-hole golf course is challenging enough with its hills and streams and lakes for avid players, yet laid back enough for beginners to enjoy,” as the 85-year-old priest who has golfed here twice a year for four decades told us. Tennis players will find five excellent courts and one clay court to enjoy.
High Hampton cottageThe lodge faces the 18-acre lake teeming with fish and with the backdrop of the granite “Table Top” and “Rock Face” Mountains. Rock-climbing, fishing, boating, canoeing, and hiking are among the favorite pastimes of active guests. Surrounding cottages (one, two and three bedrooms) are nestled along the hills and streams nearby, with one wheelchair-accessible cottage. About 150 private homes are hidden in the trees surrounding the golf course, and many of these can be rented at various times of year.
But High Hampton fame is also built on its incredible food… down-home Southern cooking which included the freshest of vegetables and fruits, delicious home-made soups, including their speciality – cream of peanut. Homemade breads, jellies, rolls, pastires, cakes and unusual desserts line the buffet tables at every meal, and guests can select the two or three-meal plan. Of course, every guest enjoys the delicious cookies you’ll swear your gramma baked for complimentary teatime each afternoon from three to five P.M. Tea is cordially served by Miss Charlotte, an institution of gracious Southern hospitality for over a decade here. She had been the companion of the beloved Mr. McKee, whose father built the first inn and who re-built it in 1932. Both of the elder generation Mr. McKees were friendly mainstays in the lodge morning, noon, and night until their deaths. Now the third McKee, Will, runs the inn in much of his father and grandfather’s style, continuing the third generation of operaton and preparing his daughters to follow after him.
After just a few short hours in this lovely, comfy relaxing atmosphere with friendly down-home attitude of owners, staff, and guests, we let go of work-aholic tensions, got into the spirit of relaxation, and felt our muscles and minds let go. It was sheer bliss in the style of yesteryear, which our generation and our children’s know little of.
Although your mind rebels at first when you discover there is no telephone or place to plug in your computer, no Internet and no cell phone reception, no TV in your room, and no clocks or radio to jar your perfect relaxation, you’ll find relaxation is quickly more addictive than the 24/7 tense adrenaline rush we are accustomed to. And the peaceful feeling is WONDERFUL! Walking the leafy trails through the mountains is exhilarating and beautiful. You’ll find lovely photo-ops. Sit in the Adirondack chairs facing the lake with a glass of wine and watch sunset, hear the chitter of birds, watch Canada geese settle in for the evening, a little rabbit hop by. When have you had such an experience in this world today?
High Hampton Inn remains the favorite place of vacationers to the South from April through November today as much as it was in the early 1900’s when it was first built on the acreage which had been Civil War General Wade Hampton’s family farm and was inherited and run by his daughter and son-in-law, the Halsteads. Dr. Halstead was famous for beginning the use of rubber gloves and anesthetic in surgery in the late 1800’s, and the McKee family bought the property from them. The nearby town of Cashiers and ten miles away Highlands offer unique shopping experiences in quaint shops of locally-made items and upscale posh clothing for a shopper’s delight. And the largest waterfall in the East is nearby, along with other waterfalls. Just engage the locals in conversation about their surroundings to complete your exploration of the beautiful mountainous area. The climate is mild with cool nights and warmer days. Come, enjoy, and find out why guests return year, after year, after year to High Hampton Inn.
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