Frequently Asked Questions: Q: Are your homes air-conditioned?   A:  Most houses in our neighborhood do not have AC because usually cool mountain temperatures make it unnecessary. July and August can get quite warm during the day though! Temperatures cool down at night. Depending on the house you stay at, ceiling fans or free-standing fans are provided. Central air conditioning is at Rivermont Cottage and the 12th Tee Lodge. Treetops Lodge has new wall unit ACs in the upper-story bedrooms. The basement-level bedroom is always cool!  Q: Can we bring our pet? A: Yes, if 1) you let us know in advance, 2) the pet is well-behaved, 3) the pet is on flea control such as Advantage or Frontline. We do not want a flea problem! 4) The pet does not shed  Q: Are there shopping malls, spas and/or casinos nearby? A: No. If you are looking for this type of entertainment, you will be unhappy in our area. If you want to get back to nature, do some hiking, go to the top of Mt. Mitchell, spend quality time with your family and grill out on the deck, this is the place to visit!  Q: Do you provide linens? A: Yes, the houses are fully-equipped. You will arrive to a clean house with freshly made beds and bath towels in the bathrooms. We offer Cable TV, wireless internet, free long-distance calling to the US and Canada, and kitchen utensils. You should bring your clothing, personal hygiene items and food. We provide a starting supply, but please bring toilet paper, paper towels and trash bags.  Q: Should I bring a flashlight? A: Yes! We strongly recommend bringing a flashlight in case you arrive after dark. You’ll need one to see your way to the front door and enter the code.  Q: Where can we go fishing? A: You can fish nearby park waters, Carolina Hemlock or Black Mountain Campground with just a NC fishing license and trout stamp. The neighborhood has a stocked trout stream, the South Toe River. BUT, you must also buy a pass to fish at the golf course pro shop. The cost is $50 for 3 days or $75 for a year.  Q: Do you supply a crock pot? A: Yes!  Q: Are we allowed to smoke in the house? A: NO!  Q: We have very bad allergies. Is your home allergen-free? A: No! We allow pets so there can be pet dander. Also, since you don’t live in the area chances are there will be pollen and plants you are not used to. Most bedrooms have carpet. Our homes are not recommended for those with extreme allergen sensitivity.   Q: Do you supply firewood? A: No. We can’t keep enough on hand for everyone to use. It disappears very quickly. You may find some when you arrive, but plan to supply to your own. Q: You don’t charge a cleaning fee. Do we need to clean the house ourselves? A: No. We ask that you take good care of our homes and leave them in reasonable condition. Before you leave, run the dishwasher or clean any dishes you’ve used and run a load of sheets (and any additional laundry you have time to run would be greatly appreciated.)  Q: How can we stay in contact by telephone while staying at the house? A: Your cell phone will not work in the mountains. If you happen to have Verizon, you may get some spotty service. We suggest you give the phone number of the house to anyone who may need to contact you. You can make long distance calls from the house to anywhere in the US or Canada - no calling card is necessary.  Q: Do we need to bring charcoal for the grill? A: No. The grill is gas.  Q: What if we need to cancel our trip? A: Do not make a reservation unless you are serious about coming. There are no refunds for cancellations within 30 days of the rental start date. If you book a house for specific dates, you are preventing the owner from taking another booking for those dates. If you are sick or for some other reason cannot make the trip, that is your responsibility and not ours. If you are concerned that you may have to cancel, there are many companies on the Internet that offer reasonably priced trip insurance. (We cannot put your deposit towards different dates after your booking resulted in an empty house on your original dates.)  Q: We have an older person traveling with us. Are there steps? A: Yes, all the houses have steps. Hemlock Chalet has only 1 step to the main level and the older person can stay in the main level bedroom. Rivermont Cottage is all on one level, but there are about 6 steps up onto the deck to enter the house. Treetops Lodge and the 12th Tee Lodge have many steps and are not recommended for elderly guests.  Q: I only want to sleep in a king bed. What house should I stay at? A: Treetops Lodge has one bedroom with a king sized bed, the 12th Tee Lodge has 2 king sized beds.  Q: How far is the house from X? A:  All houses are in the same golf course neighborhood. If you wish to see how far we are from something, please type in the address of the club house on MapQuest. 11484 Highway 80 South, Burnsville NC 28714.