(0)Your cabin rental in the Smokies is like a new home - with lots of great bells and whistles to make your stay more comfortable and fun. But that also means learning how to use new amenities. Watch our YouTube video - and continue reading - for some of our top tips for a successful cabin stay, from details on how to use your TV to handling nature’s critters - and everything in between. You can easily flip through chapters on the video by hovering over the bottom bar, which will show you where each topic is.
USING THE FIREPLACE
There are 3 types of fireplaces our cabins may have: electric, gas, or wood-burning. Fireplace season is October through April for gas and wood-burning.
Electric fireplaces may or may not be heated, so check ahead of time if it’s a dealbreaker for you. There will be an on/off switch, a timer (on the wall or in the panel nearby), or a remote.
For a gas fireplace, check that the pilot light is on. If it is, use the timer near the mantel to turn on the fireplace. If the pilot light is off: Open the panel near the fireplace, turn the ignitor knob clockwise to put in the OFF position, then turn counterclockwise until in the PILOT position to push in. While pushed in, press the ignitor repeatedly to ignite the pilot. If you have a grill lighter, hold it by the pilot assembly. Once you see a blue flame, stop pressing the ignitor or remove lighter while still holding in the knob for 10-15 seconds. Release the knob, turn counterclockwise to ON, and check the wall timer for ON, OFF, or AUTO. Select AUTO and turn wall timer until flames appear. If this does not work, please call for assistance.
Wood-burning fireplaces are opened by maintenance in fireplace season. Some properties provide firewood while others do not, so please check ahead of time.
ENJOYING THE HOT TUB
For the best guest experience, our hot tubs are drained, cleaned and sanitized, and refilled between each stay, so it takes time to get the heat back up to set temperature. If the hot tub is not heating: make sure it is not in sleep mode (SLP or SL on the display), try resetting the GFCI breaker, and make sure the water is covering the jets. If these do not work, please call for assistance. Hot tub jets do not shut off completely. If jets aren’t working, try turning the individual jets left or right to open and close them to your desired strength.
- Sulfur smell (from well water) and sediment (from mountain water) are safe and normal.
- To wake hot tub from sleep mode (SL): press light + temp buttons.
- Switch modes with temp and set buttons.
- Keep water level above jets using a hose; adjust water flow by turning jets.
- The floater contains bromine, which keeps the hot tub clean.
- We will reclean the hot tub to remove body products for a small fee.
POOL DAYS IN THE CABIN
Pool temperatures are set between 77 and 84 degrees for optimal performance and to prevent condensation in the pool room. Temperature can’t be raised above that, but if you have an issue with the pool not heating, give us a call. We will do our best to have a vendor check it out for you during your stay. If a replacement part is required, we will schedule an appointment based on vendor availability. The HVAC is also regulated by a pool vendor to ensure optimal performance and prevent humidity; it can’t be adjusted by guests.
MOTHER NATURE...IN THE CABIN
A cozy cabin in the woods sometimes comes with unexpected pests.
Ladybugs are protected in the Smokies, so we are not able to use pest control services for these. If you have a lot in your cabin, you may sweep or vacuum to remove them.
You may also experience carpenter bees on the outside of the cabin. Since most of our properties are constructed of wood, these bees love to bore holes for nesting inside the wood. This type of bee is fairly harmless and only the female can sting if provoked, so if you see bees flying around aggressively, it is more likely to be the male protecting his territory - but he cannot sting. Because of the chemicals and spray, we only perform carpenter bee treatments (if necessary) between guest stays.
Millipedes are drawn to moisture, so they can stop by from time to time. If you see millipedes and would like pest control, give us a call and we will send out someone to spray.
We LOVE black bears, and they often pop by a cabin. For your safety and theirs, never approach a black bear (or any other wildlife), and never attempt to feed them. If there is a bear outside your cabin, remain inside or give them space if you are outside. Also, please remember to lock the bear-proof trashcans provided!
USING WI-FI AT THE CABIN
If your property has Wi-Fi, the details for service should be on the refrigerator magnet and in the Hostfully guidebook you received via email. You may also find the password on the bottom of the router. Remember: internet service can be spotty or slow in the mountains. If you can’t connect, unplug the router for 30 seconds, plug it back in, and wait 2 minutes for it to reset. You may also have to reset your own device. If you still can’t connect, give us a call and we’ll contact the provider or help you troubleshoot!
NAVIGATING YOUR TV/CABLE
For TV with no signal: Look for the INPUT button on the remote and flip through the HDMI options. If you don’t find signal, try to unplug and plug the box back in to refresh the signal. Be sure the TV, box, and all cords from them are securely plugged in. If there is an error message, let us know and we will do our best to have maintenance troubleshoot for you.
USING JETTED TUBS
If your jets don’t have power, try to reset the GFCI button nearby. Next, check the main breaker for any tripped breakers. If you still have issues, give us a call so we can send a vendor to check for you. Some cabins have smaller water heaters, so if you don’t have hot water in the jetted tub, you may need to give the heater time to back up.
HAVING FUN WITH CABIN GAMES
If a game table in your cabin – air hockey, foosball, darts, pool table, etc. – is broken or missing pieces, please give us a call. We will do our best to help you locate the pieces or send someone to fix or replace the items when available. Because these are provided through 3rd-party vendors, game issues may not be able to be resolved during your stay.
KEEPING YOUR REFRIGERATOR COOL
The refrigerator can take up to 24 hours to cool everything down if you arrived and filled it up. If it’s warm, remove any non-essential items and do not turn to the highest setting. This can freeze up the unit and make it shut off. If the freezer is working, ice may be clogging the flow of cold air to the refrigerator if you turned the settings up too high.
USING THE HVAC
Once you arrive, the AC needs time to slowly decrease. While you may be warm from unloading vehicles, please do not drop the AC below 68 degrees as it can freeze up the unit and stop working.
WELL WATER
One of the perks of coming to the Smoky Mountains is enjoying a property in a private, remote location. These properties usually have well water systems, which can sometimes have different smells and color and contain some sediment since the water is coming from the well tank. Water conservation is key with wells, as the tanks need time to refill after each use. The well pump may stop working at times, so resetting the breaker can help get it restarted. If the electricity goes out, the pump will stop working; the breaker may need to be reset once the power is restored.