It all started in 2018 when Sweet Marcy and I stumbled on a literal shack at the edge of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. By stumbled, I mean Marcy found it on Zillow for an overpriced song and said "Let's go".
The reality was there was a popular trail that ran right beside (literally 8 feet) from corner of the shack - The Fall Branch Falls section of the Benton MacKaye Trail. That's one of those unchangeable features that one must accept when buying property. Too much noise - the opposite of what we were seeking for our soon to be couples retreat.
The reality was there was a popular trail that ran right beside (literally 8 feet) from corner of the shack - The Fall Branch Falls section of the Benton MacKaye Trail. That's one of those unchangeable features that one must accept when buying property. Too much noise - the opposite of what we were seeking for our soon to be couples retreat.
"Just trust me - I've got a feeling about this one" She said.
We arrived at noon on a summer September day.
I grinned when I saw there were many dozens of cars at the bottom of the cabin driveway - sweet vindication. So much traffic, this was going to be an easy victory for me.
As we drove by, we noticed a party was going on. Tents, tables, hot dogs grilling, music going. We parked and asked a few people what was going on.
"It's a trail closing ceremony. Today is the last day this section of the trail will be open - it's being routed around the other side of this mountain."
Marcy grinned and walked up the driveway toward the cabin.
I grinned when I saw there were many dozens of cars at the bottom of the cabin driveway - sweet vindication. So much traffic, this was going to be an easy victory for me.
As we drove by, we noticed a party was going on. Tents, tables, hot dogs grilling, music going. We parked and asked a few people what was going on.
"It's a trail closing ceremony. Today is the last day this section of the trail will be open - it's being routed around the other side of this mountain."
Marcy grinned and walked up the driveway toward the cabin.
I stayed and talked to the guy at the grill cooking hot dogs and explained to him what we were doing there.
"Oh, you're looking at the shed - ha - good maybe someone can do something with it".
He then explained that one of the Benton MacKaye trail volunteers was a real estate agent named Jeff and was around the trail somewhere.
I thanked him for the info, and wandered up the soon to close trail across the creek from the shed.
Something happened in those 150 feet from parking the car to where I now stood, looking across a creek at this little run down shed. A seed of a dream had been planted and was already taking hold.
I saw Sweet Marcy walking up behind the cabin and realizing this might be a meaningful moment, I pulled out my phone and took this picture.
"Oh, you're looking at the shed - ha - good maybe someone can do something with it".
He then explained that one of the Benton MacKaye trail volunteers was a real estate agent named Jeff and was around the trail somewhere.
I thanked him for the info, and wandered up the soon to close trail across the creek from the shed.
Something happened in those 150 feet from parking the car to where I now stood, looking across a creek at this little run down shed. A seed of a dream had been planted and was already taking hold.
I saw Sweet Marcy walking up behind the cabin and realizing this might be a meaningful moment, I pulled out my phone and took this picture.
Moments later a spry man in his 50s came bounding down the trail. Feeling overly optimistic, I said "Hello sir, I bet your name is Jeff and you're going to sell me this cabin."
His name was in fact Jeff, and He did sell us that cabin.
His name was in fact Jeff, and He did sell us that cabin.
What happened next was 3 years of blur.
We started the process of dreaming, planning, navigating red tape - so many roadblocks just evaporated as we started walking through them. Environmental, building codes, financing, power company, water supply, design, COVID, construction - at each step of the way, we pressed on and doors continued opening even when it didn't seem like they would.
There were moments we asked each other through tears if it was really worth it.
We were raising two young boys at the same time - ages 3 and 5 when this all started.
We pressed on dreaming and believing in what could be.
So many miracles happened.
So many blessings for us and for others that lined up perfectly to make this little dream happen.
Too much to go into detail here - another story for another day.
(Including our house keeper, Savannah who reached out during the build - insisting she was the right person for the job)
She's been with us through 5 years of perfect 5 star reviews.
There were moments we asked each other through tears if it was really worth it.
We were raising two young boys at the same time - ages 3 and 5 when this all started.
We pressed on dreaming and believing in what could be.
So many miracles happened.
So many blessings for us and for others that lined up perfectly to make this little dream happen.
Too much to go into detail here - another story for another day.
(Including our house keeper, Savannah who reached out during the build - insisting she was the right person for the job)
She's been with us through 5 years of perfect 5 star reviews.
We hosted our first guests spring of 2021
In the 5 years since we've opened, we've hosted hundreds of guests.
- Couples looking to get away for a few days of quiet connection
- Singles looking for the kind of peace that only comes in the woods by a creek
- Hurting people
- Celebrating people
- People hungry for something they couldn't find in the noise of the city
Sweet Marcy and I still get emotional when reading the notes guests leave.
Just recently we read "we connected in this quiet place in a way we haven't in over 20 years of marriage"
- Couples looking to get away for a few days of quiet connection
- Singles looking for the kind of peace that only comes in the woods by a creek
- Hurting people
- Celebrating people
- People hungry for something they couldn't find in the noise of the city
Sweet Marcy and I still get emotional when reading the notes guests leave.
Just recently we read "we connected in this quiet place in a way we haven't in over 20 years of marriage"
We realized the power that comes from a truly great retreat
Since building our little retreat (and creating a sweet community around it Instagram) we had the opportunity to visit dozens of other retreats.
Many of them owned by hosts who wanted the same things we were looking for - to create incredible retreats where people can make memories and grow closer together.
Many of them delivered exactly this kind of great experience.
We learned the hard way though that some of these "retreats" were just duds with misaligned goals and intentions.
There's a key difference between a Host that owns a retreat and a property owner that owns a retreat as part of their investment portfolio. Not saying investment properties are bad, but the intention behind the retreat changes the guest experience. There is a useful purpose for places like that - it's just not what we're capturing here.
Many of them owned by hosts who wanted the same things we were looking for - to create incredible retreats where people can make memories and grow closer together.
Many of them delivered exactly this kind of great experience.
We learned the hard way though that some of these "retreats" were just duds with misaligned goals and intentions.
There's a key difference between a Host that owns a retreat and a property owner that owns a retreat as part of their investment portfolio. Not saying investment properties are bad, but the intention behind the retreat changes the guest experience. There is a useful purpose for places like that - it's just not what we're capturing here.
There's got to be a way to highlight these really great retreats
I launched The Best Retreat in an attempt to find and collect in one place, those retreats that are truly great.
- 100% focused on creating a great guest experience
- Design that is intentional and allows one to really rest and connect
- Online presentation that aligns with reality
- Exceptional reviews to back it all up
- 100% focused on creating a great guest experience
- Design that is intentional and allows one to really rest and connect
- Online presentation that aligns with reality
- Exceptional reviews to back it all up
My dream is to create a community around these great retreats
For guests to be 100% confident in the place they booked. To KNOW they have an exceptional stay waiting on the other end of that drive.
For hosts to have a community of people around them doing similar things. With resources supporting experience forward hosts - all aligned on creating the experience.
For hosts to have a community of people around them doing similar things. With resources supporting experience forward hosts - all aligned on creating the experience.
That's why The Best Retreat exists. Not as another listing site, but as a place where retreats built with real care can be found by guests who are looking for exactly that.
We know what it takes to build something like this.
We know the difference between a place that was designed to create an experience and a place that wasn't.
If you're a host who poured yourself into your retreat, we'd love to hear about it.
If you're a guest looking for something that you can trust, this is a good place to start.
With all the heart in the world.
Spenser
Founder - The Best Retreat
We know what it takes to build something like this.
We know the difference between a place that was designed to create an experience and a place that wasn't.
If you're a host who poured yourself into your retreat, we'd love to hear about it.
If you're a guest looking for something that you can trust, this is a good place to start.
With all the heart in the world.
Spenser
Founder - The Best Retreat