RiverStone Resort And Spa Review And Extra Credit Entries!

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I love to travel, but one of my favorite things about traveling is the accommodations where I stay. For some people it is the food or the entertainment, but not for me. I love hotels and everything they have to offer. When I was told that the Dollywood Cabin Rentals were overbooked because of how wonderful they are, but instead I’d be staying at RiverStone Resort and Spa I was eager to get on the road and into my 2 bedroom 2 bathroom condo.

When we arrived I immediately noticed the beautiful golf course. I don’t golf but I could tell that this was a really nice course. The entire grounds were beautiful with trees and streams and rocks, breathtaking. I can’t imagine how gorgeous it would be in the fall with the changing leaves or the winter with the snow. I simply do not get out enough in the Orlando area apparently.

The staff was so nice and really happy to assist me. I had a spa appointment nearly as soon as we arrived so I sent my family on down to the room and decided to just sit down and veg out in the spa. The spa had this really neat fountain that looked like a big painting and really helped me relax after a long drive with loud children.

When Kelly Marie came to get me I was ready to relax even more. She led me to a treatment room that had my own bathroom and shower and 2 massage tables in case you wanted to have a couples massage. I was there for the Blueberry Bliss Slimming Treatment and I laughed when I walked in and there was actually a bowl of pie filling style blueberries on the counter. I accused Kelly Marie of simply running to the nearest grocery story and spending $1.99 on the treatment and she immediately “got me”. We cliqued which made the experience that much more fun.

The treatment was wonderful. I love body wraps, they are my favorite treatment to experience at a spa. Now, I’m not sure it slimmed me up at all, but I have to assume that those claims are more based on a skinny girl with one little cottage cheese mark on her butt that ends up just being a crease from her size 2 shorts. But even so, the Blueberry Bliss Slimming Treatment made my skin softer and I smelled great. The mini massage aspect is to die for. Kelly Marie has magic hands so be sure and request her if you book a service. Locals receive a discount at RiverStone Resort and Spa so call and ask about that too.

When I arrived back at the condo I was highly impressed with what I saw. The condo was decorated to perfection and immaculate as well. “This place is huge!”, is one of the first things I said to Tim who had already begun unpacking. No worries about making room for every one’s belongings because in the RiverStone Resort condos, it’s just like being at home. Meaning plenty of drawers and closet space. The master bathroom also has a large 2 sink vanity and a jacuzzi tub and separate shower.

The perks of staying in a condo instead of a hotel are pretty simple. You get a washing machine to do your laundry, which means you can pack less things and you have a full kitchen so you can cook if you so choose. We did not cook because we were simply too busy, but we did have cereal in the morning in our room. There were two porches to sit and enjoy our breakfast. In the front of the condo is a screened in porch but with little view, and the back porch has a gorgeous view but no screen. Luckily there weren’t a ton of bugs at the time we visited. There were lightning bugs or fireflies which was fun for the kids since we don’t have them in Orlando.

The amenities at The RiverStone Resort and Spa are unrivaled. Two words. Lazy River. Yep, there is a lazy river at the hotel. It even has a water fall pouring into it. I could have spent hours in the lazy river alone. There is also an indoor swimming pool with a kiddie pool and a hot tub. A word of caution, the floor is super slippery. I had to walk very carefully and saw more than one adult fall down, not to mention the kids literally just flinging themselves all over the place. I mentioned this to the manager and he said they have put down grit but it must need more. Hopefully he’ll take my advice because that was just dangerous. You can also go fishing or walk along the Pigeon River.

If you aren’t a fan of the water options there is also a nice arcade where the kids and even the adults can play videos games. If I allowed my kids to have free roam of this arcade I’d be poor in less than an hour. Jason loves video games so much and it was hard to pull him away. My husband and nephew wanted to play pool every night so obviously it’s for big kids too. The RiverStone Resort also has a really nice playground for the kids. It was a bit hot when we were there so the kids only played on it the first day but it is a lot of fun and there are benches for parents to sit and relax. I mentioned the golf course which is called the Gatlinburg Golf and Country Club. It is a challenging course and they have Gatlinburg Golf and Country Club packages if you are interested. Finally for adults there is a fitness center with some really fancy looking equipment. I didn’t use it but I have friends who swear that they work out every day of their vacation no matter where they go. That is just crazy talk as far as I’m concerned, but to each their own.

The RiverStone Resort and Spa was just the perfect place to stay with kids but it would be equally as perfect for a couple or a family reunion. It’s just that special. I plan to visit again as soon as I can because I already miss the lazy river.