Buffalo Whiskey Soak Above the Clouds at a Luxe 5BR Eagle's Nest Lodge

Some mountain houses have a view. This one is built around it.

Buffalo Whiskey sits at 5,200 feet on the front side of the mountain in The Lodges at Eagles Nest, a private gated community outside Banner Elk. The great room opens through a two-story wall of windows onto layered blue ridgelines that run all the way to Grandfather Mountain, and low clouds settle into the valleys below the deck most mornings. It was custom built in 2021, it sleeps twelve across 3,556 square feet, and it was designed for the kind of trip where nobody wants to leave the property.

### THE OUTDOOR ROOM

The deck wraps the mountain-facing side of the house and it is where this home earns its keep. A six-person hot tub is set flush into the decking, so the waterline sits level with the boards and the far edge lines up with the ridge beyond. A few steps down, a covered timber pavilion holds a floor-to-roof stacked stone fireplace that burns real wood, a mounted TV above it, and cushioned lounge seating under a wrought-iron antler chandelier and café string lights. There is an eight-seat dining table on the open deck, a Weber gas grill and a Blackstone flat-top griddle at the grilling station, Adirondack chairs, and rocking chairs on the covered porch. Stainless cable railing keeps the sightlines open, so the view is never behind a fence.

### THE GREAT ROOM AND KITCHEN

A dry-stacked fieldstone chimney climbs two stories to a vaulted tongue-and-groove ceiling, with a gas fire below and a TV above it. Dark leather sofas and four recliners gather on a wool rug, and clerestory windows stack above the main glass so the ridgeline is at eye level from the couch. The kitchen runs distressed white uppers against knotty alder lowers, with a heavily veined granite island seating six, a professional gas range under a stainless hood with a pot filler, a farmhouse apron sink, a French-door refrigerator, a beverage and wine fridge built into the island, and a dining table for eight beside the deck slider.

### THE LOFT GAME ROOM

Up the branch-railed staircase, a full-size pool table sits under a stained-glass billiard pendant beside a wet bar with its own sink and beverage fridge. Two hickory-log bunk beds share the space, so this is the room where the kids end up and stay.

### SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS

**Bedroom 1:** King, private ensuite bath with a double copper vessel vanity and a large walk-in shower, slider to the covered deck

**Bedroom 2:** King, private ensuite bath with a double copper vessel vanity and walk-in shower

**Bedroom 3:** Queen, mountain-view windows, TV and ceiling fan

**Bedroom 4:** Queen

**Loft game room:** Two twin-over-twin log bunk beds, four twin berths. Please note this is an **OPEN loft** shared with the pool table, not a private bedroom.

**Sleeps 12.** Three full baths and two half baths.

### GOOD TO KNOW

Central air conditioning throughout, a laundry room with a full-size washer and dryer, a two-car garage, and free parking for several vehicles on the paver apron and circular drive. This is a non-smoking home and pets are not permitted. Guests must be 25+ to book.

### THE COMMUNITY

Your stay includes access to Eagle's Nest amenities: the Great Camp with its amphitheater and summer concert series, mini-golf, playground and 24/7 general store; **Epic Chophouse**, where you have the option to dine while enjoying panoramic mountain vistas from a beautiful restaurant perched atop a knoll. The restaurant features soaring ceilings, glass walls, striking artwork, and covered decks with firepits, making it a wonderful spot to watch summer sunsets. Open year-round, the bar and dining room offer a welcoming place to gather during the colder months, complete with a massive stone fireplace.

Reservations may sometimes be available during the slower season, while during busier months, walking into the bar is often the best option. If you would like to try for a reservation at Epic Chophouse, please reach out to us and we can provide their phone number.

Eagles Nest Winery; pickleball, basketball and ball fields at the North Pavilion; and miles of hiking trails are also available to enjoy. Beech Mountain Resort is 10 to 15 minutes away and Sugar Mountain about 15 to 20. Downtown Banner Elk is a ten-minute drive.

NCREC License #C41500. Guests must be 25+ to book.