This post is sponsored by Wally & Denise Ray of Grandfather Chalet in Banner Elk, North Carolina.

It honestly came out of the blue. I’d just snagged my daughter to give her “one last hug as a fourteen-year-old” as she headed to bed. Tugging her closer, I burst into tears and buried my face in her hair.

Surprised, she pulled back to look at me. “What’s wrong?” she wondered. I honestly had no idea. She’s my youngest daughter and I guess her birthday just hit me differently, which was ironic, since the day before I’d laughed at a couple of friends for the same thing.

Since our oldest turned sixteen in the fall, I’ve felt the time crunch to make the most of our time together before they’re off to college and out of the house. Unfortunately, our budget doesn’t always allow for making big memories and extravagant vacations. But thankfully, despite the size of our big family, we’ve found creative ways to have meaningful, memorable fun while our kids are still living in our home.

Lodging

We chose an experience to gift our six kids for Christmas but needed lodging. Thankfully, we found this beautiful Grandfather Mountain Chalet in Banner Elk, North Carolina that made the perfect home away from home.

Depending on our destination often depends on the kind of lodging we look for and in this case, we preferred a home so we checked out Airbnb. I will say, about a year ago, we had a terrible experience with a home listed on Airbnb so we were a little nervous about this one, but it was perfect. Beautiful and within budget no matter when you book a stay. Our family of eight absolutely loved our stay at the beautiful Grandfather mountain chalet! It was exactly as pictured!

The beautiful main living room was open and lovely with a convenient gas fireplace and pure coziness. One of my favorite things about open concepts is being the chef while still hanging out with everyone and feeling a part of it. And the kitchen is stocked so well – plenty of spices and oils – and TONS of dishes (for adults AND kids!), cooking, and bakeware. They even stocked a small cooler we used to pack for lunches while we were gone for the day. We have such a big family that I hate packing extras like laundry detergent, towels, and all the other things some places require you to bring with you. The Grandfather Mountain Chalet has all of these things stocked in their beautiful rental home.

Not only did the wood walls lend to the cabin look we love but I also loved the furniture, tons of cozy blankets everywhere, throw pillows, and candles. It was such a beautiful place and easy to relax in this space.

Space for Everyone

Our teens loved staying on the upper level and felt cool having their own living area and kitchenette. They thoroughly enjoyed popping their own corn and making hot chocolate in their living room for movie night. We love our games so I liked finding an enclosed bookshelf with tons of fun new games to play as well as a few bestselling books. We absolutely make use of those games one evening around the dining room table! The loft area was pretty cool and all of our kids rotated sleeping there so they could sleep in the fun space.

We had a blast and loved staying in the Grandfather Mountain Chalet. I wanted to know what our kids’ favorite things were. They willingly fired answers back at me – the automatic shampoo/conditioner/body wash dispensers in the shower. The loft was obviously a huge hit. And the “movie area” – what they called the upper-level living area was perfect with extra seating and blankets. 🙂

One last favorite of mine! Little touches like the cute baskets on the beds in each room were great! Filled with bath towels, hand towels, washcloths, and a cute bag of sample-sized toiletries made for a sweet gift. This home sleeps eight (which was perfect for our family) with three bedrooms and a loft. Because of the two living rooms and how the bedrooms are situated, I think it is perfect for another big family like ours. Or even two smaller families who want to vacation together but also have their own spaces and privacy. The top floor even has its own entrance/exit!

Great Location

We stayed here with our destination ski vacation in mind and it was about 20 minutes from the slopes. It is a great location for so many fun activities in the area any time of year you stay. Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain are 15-20 minutes away. Grandfather Mountain, Banner Elk, Linville Falls, and Boone are all super close and have plenty to offer.

Overall, we were very pleased with the beautiful, comfortable accommodations and highly recommend staying at Wally & Denise’s chalet. They are awesome hosts and quick to respond when we needed anything. Go check out their Airbnb and make your budget-friendly reservations for your next vacation today! Be sure to let them know Amanda sent you. 😉

For more vacation ideas and budget-friendly options, check out Everything You Need to Know to Plan a Visit to the Ark Encounter and Tips for Visiting the Ark Encounter.