"The Inn has a very pretty location on the banks of Lake Toxaway and benefits from co-location with the neighbouring country club (which is well-manicured, offers decent bistro-grade food, a stunning golf course, tennis/other sports and a small leisure pool best suited to children). Lake Toxaway is a quiet lake surrounded effectively by privately owned communities (ie minimal public access), so if you are looking for a peaceful setting, this is it. Positives: - Our mansion room was spacious with character, a comfortable bed and good bed linen - The food is fair but a bit over-priced; service in the restaurant was mixed - some good, some not - The lady running the bar was engaging and helpful - Spa: treatments competent and staff were kind - Grounds: well kept Downsides: - Room: Tiny bathroom - if someone is standing at the wash basin, you can’t open the door - with a roaring extractor fan filled with dirty fluff. Small towels (no bathsheets). Bedroom had no soundproofing to the corridor. Ancient coffee maker dispensing only lukewarm liquid. No in-room safe for valuables. No mirror in the bedroom. Bed still unmade at 2.30pm on any day - Service: With a few exceptions, staff were very friendly but they had very limited service skills. Simple requests (e.g. a kettle) were met with weak excuses (“we don’t have any!” and the offer of a jug of hot water). A good hotel seizes on small things with good grace as a chance to make your day - The spa: shared spaces are small and dark, with no dedicated relaxation area to enjoy after a treatment - Public areas of the hotel - more cleaning and maintenance required e.g. some dirty windows and tables, dusty light fittings, disintegrating plasterwork on the landing; outside terrace and garden furniture felt unloved - Price: way too expensive for what it is. Three nights here in our room was more expensive than three nights over comparable dates in June at the Four Seasons in Manhattan! I just checked. In summary: Reality check required. Objectively, I can’t make sense of the rave reviews. The Inn itself is quaint but definitely not great. I am not looking for a “city luxe” experience here - but at this price, you should expect top quality comfort and quietly excellent service that goes the extra mile. The hotel needs investment in buildings, equipment/fittings, facilities, cleaning, staff and training. Based on our experience, it’s trading on a pretty location and the country club facilities, rather than the quality of its core offering."