Oak Ridge Lodge is available for rental as a scenic/quiet vacation home, located 12 miles from Athens (Uber serviced). The lodge has three floors, and is rented as a whole. The lower floor (Bulldog Suite) can be rented separately for short stays one month out. The Lodge sleeps 12, with 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 2 full kitchens, 3 separate HVAC units, a beautiful gas stove in great room, WiFi throughout, 3 Direct TVs, Bluetooth sound systems, Keurig coffee makers, smoke detectors, first aid kits and toiletry baskets-we have spared no amenity! Oak Ridge Lodge is located in an area with some of the best road and mountain biking routes, so it’s perfect for anyone interested in cycling during their stay. A fire pit in the front yard is always ready, and yard games (horseshoes, corn hole) as well. We have a gas grill on the porch, and a gurgling goldfish pond and meditation rock out front. Five bird-feeders are kept full to keep our wonderful songbirds happy.
The main level has the Great Room, a large sitting area and a dining room section with a table that sits 8. It features a 60" TV, an amazing 18-speaker sound system (bluetooth) and a piano. This vast space was repurposed from a functional photography studio to a space for entertaining, and is decorated with antique photography equipment acquired by the owner from a photography studio that was in downtown Athens in the 1940s, which along with the beautiful pine floors and high ceilings provides an interesting and unique look. A antler art piece from north Georgia is the centerpiece for this great room, and it adjoins a full kitchen and dining room area. There is a vanity and full bath off the great room.
The main level master bedroom suite is a 2017 addition to the original building. It's located at the back of the building and has its own entrance/exit and a hot tub on the deck outside the door (that deck has a wheelchair ramp also). This bedroom is a literal suite unto itself, with a queen bed, full bath, satellite TV, a personal HVAC system, a cabin-custom vanity, an alarm clock with charging station, and a Bose bluetooth sound system. This master features many windows that allow natural light to fill the room when the curtains and blinds on the glass doors are open, with complete privacy when closed.
The main level kitchen features all brand-new appliances, including a double-door refrigerator, large microwave, oven with range top, commercial ice maker, dishwasher, toaster oven, and large Keurig coffee maker. The small dining area in the kitchen space has its own entrance/exit to the front porch (where another dining table is on the porch). The front porch runs the length of the Lodge, with rockers and views of the countryside vista , and faces west, so a lovely place to sit and watch the sunset.
The first floor of the lodge (called the Bulldog Suite) can be a whole separate apartment (and rented as such), as a door from main level offers steps to this whole other living space, complete with two bedrooms, dining room, kitchen, and living room and full bath. The master bedroom has a king bed, and the second has two twins. There is a full bath (tub/shower) and full kitchen (complete with same amenities as top kitchen), and a killer living room with a pull-out queen sleeper sofa. The living room has an amazing stereo (bluetooth capable) and Direct TV with soundbar. There is a laundry room with washer/dryer, and the whole suite is decorated with a collection of images and artifacts from the owner's years of as a professional photographing the University of Georgia Bulldogs.
Oak Ridge Lodge has the look and feel of being in the north Georgia mountains, surrounded by lush woods and situated on 20 private acres. It is perfect for a quiet getaway and big enough for large crowd...a "staycation" for locals, or a vacation for traveling guests. There are horses and donkeys and constantly-visiting deer on the property, and 5 bird feeders keep the feathered friends chirping. Unlike many “rustic” style properties, however, the space has been recently renovated and features modern amenities, ensuring that guests won’t need to give up the conveniences of home. Its location, just over the Oglethorpe County line and about a 15-18 minute drive to downtown Athens, makes it a perfect spot for visiting football fans, allowing them to stay outside of the traffic and crowds of game days but close enough to quickly and easily drive in to tailgate and go to the game. The same goes for anyone looking for a place to stay when traveling to see a concert at the Georgia Theatre, going to Athens’ annual cycling event, the Twilight Criterium, or attending a conference or other event at The Classic Center. Everyone loves the place, and leaves "wowed"!