Checking In: Chetola

Staying at one of the condos at The Chetola Resort has been on our list for years. We stayed at one once before when I was in elementary school, but as good as my memory is the only things I can remember about the trip was the name of the condo we stayed in (Finch #3), I slept on the recliner in the living room, and I may or may not have enjoyed some Rocky Road ice cream on the balcony.

Two years ago we stayed in a room at The Chetola Resort for their annual Symphony by the Lake celebration. Where we enjoyed music, a picnic of sorts, and fireworks after dark.

This year we rented a two bedroom condo since my sister and brother-in-law would be joining us for our annual vacation.  Having two bedrooms was ideal, because they’d be able to stay in the master bedroom and my mom and I could share the other bedroom.

Before leaving for our trip, we had considered having lunch at one of the restaurants on Main Street, but when we arrived in town we far too hungry to hunt for a parking place. So we opted go straight to the Chetola Resort and have our lunch at Timberlakes. This was the BEST DECISION EVER!

The weather outside was absolutely gorgeous compared to how it was back in Charlotte, so we took full advantage of the patio seating even though we overheard one of the wait staff mention that should it start raining we could just run inside while they took care of the rest.

The Chicken Salad Sandwich at Timberlakes makes every moment of the drive to Blowing Rock worth it, and it’s my go-to item on the menu. I literally order the same thing every time, because when something is this delicious, why order anything else?

Mom always enjoys the Summer Berry Salad when it’s in season along with a scoop or two of the chicken salad. Just writing about the chicken salad is making me want to pop back up to the Chetola just for a bite of lunch.

After lunch we got checked in and secured our map to the condo, Blue Ridge #2.

There were some pretty dramatic twists and uphill climbs on the way up to the condo, and we couldn’t help but think about what it would be like if you were driving up during the winter. I definitely wouldn’t want to be driving on the those steep curves if there was any bit of ice or snow. Thankfully we keep our mountain mini-breaks scheduled during the Spring to Fall seasons when there is no chance of wintery conditions.

The room I’d be sharing with mum had two twin beds, and a small closet to share, but the first thing I recognize was the matelasse coverlets on the bed. I used to have the exact same coverlet on my bed when I was growing up. Memories…

The Master Bedroom

Living Room

Reading Nook

On the drive up we had started listening to Ann Mah’s The Lost Vintage, which is amazing so far. If you’re looking for a book to bring to your next vacation (or better yet one that you can start reading right now) then The Lost Vintage comes with my highest recommendations!

To say that the decor in the condo was eclectic would be an understatement. It had a combination of English, French, Asian and American Indian influences throughout.

One of the things that makes staying in the condo’s ideal are the full kitchens. There are microwaves and a table in the rooms at the Chetola, but we were planning on making a breakfast and a dinner during our stay so having a full kitchen to work in was ideal. We stopped in at the Harris Teeter in Boone (just a 15 minute drive away) to pick up what we’d need for both meals and relaxed in the room until my sister and brother-in-law arrived.

Since lunch was so delicious, we were glad that we’d already made reservations at Timberlakes for dinner.

Throughout our meal these two would waddle from table to table looking for scraps and take a few drinks from one of the puddles left behind from the rain shower we had mid afternoon. A few of the waiters did their best to chase them away, but these two were very vocal in their objections.

Pecan Chicken for Mom

I went with the Pan Seared Salmon topped with spinach & tomatoes. Each of the Entrees come with the two side options that change daily, and I opted for the garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus.

Filet Mignon with a Cabernet demi-glaze and Garlic Mashed Potatoes for my sister.

My brother-in-law, Mike tried out the Jack Daniels Strip which has been a signature dish at the Chetola since 1997 and features a grilled NY Strip that’s topped off with Ashe County bleu cheese, mushrooms, caramelized onions and house-made Jack Daniels sauce.