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Relax & Unwind at the Chestatee River Retreat! Pet Friendly & Near Wineries

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Property grounds
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Property grounds
Exterior
Exterior detail

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
5 bedrooms3+ bathroomsSleeps 12241.5 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Pet-friendly
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Fireplace

Explore the area

Map
Dahlonega, GA
  • Frogtown Cellars
    ‪12 min drive‬
  • Consolidated Gold Mine
    ‪13 min drive‬
  • Wolf Mountain Vineyards
    ‪14 min drive‬
  • Gainesville, GA (GVL-Lee Gilmer Memorial)
    ‪39 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

5 bedrooms (sleeps 12)

Basement Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Basement Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Basement Bedroom 3

3 Single Beds

Honeymoon Suite

2 Single Beds and 1 King Bed

Master Suite

1 King Bed

3 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Basement

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Half on Main

Toilet

Honeymoon Suite

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Master Suite

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Kitchenette
Balcony
Separate dining area
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Relax & Unwind at the Chestatee River Retreat! Pet Friendly & Near Wineries

Dog friendly & convenient to local wineries!

We're located right on the Chestatee River near historic Dahlonega, Georgia.

Whether you're visiting the North Georgia mountains for a wedding, winery tours, one of our many festivals, admiring the fall leaves, a college graduation, a family vacation, or in hopes of striking it rich while panning for gold, we're certain that our home will be a place of rest and relaxation during your stay.

There's gold in them thar hills! Historic Dahlonega, Georgia, gateway to the Appalachian Mountains, is the site of the first major U.S. gold rush. Come pan for gold in the Chestatee river. This large home is located directly on the Chestatee just before the old Coppermines. It was recently renovated, and is ready for eager treasure hunters and vacationers. We have central heating and air with a ductless air conditioning system in the honeymoon suite on the top floor and we continue to make improvements each year to ensure our guests have a great experience!

This warm, inviting home on the river was built in 1997. It has five bedrooms, three and a half baths, two great rooms, and two kitchens. All the rooms have high ceilings including the ground floor. If you like vaulted wood ceilings and the heavenly sound and view of the river just one hundred feet off the covered back deck, this is the place to spend your vacation.

The upstairs living space consists of two suites, each on a different floor with their own private bathrooms, a great room, a dining room, a full kitchen, a half bath, and a covered porch overlooking the river. The master bedroom on the main floor has a king size bed and a full private bathroom. The honeymoon suite upstairs has an Amish king-size bed, a daybed with a trundle, a sitting area, a vaulted wood ceiling, and a full private bathroom. Guests with minor mobility issues can easily access the bedroom on the main floor (only two steps on the front porch). We also have a handicap shower/bathtub bench for the main floor master bathroom. The house is not handicap accessible although one previous guest with a wheelchair commented that she was able to get around the main floor just fine.

The terrace level (ground floor) has three bedrooms, a great room/kitchen combo, one full bathroom, and a patio under the main deck also overlooking the river. Two of the bedrooms have queen size beds. The third bedroom has two twin beds with a built-in loft for children.

In total there are two king beds, two queen beds, two twin beds with a built-in loft, and a daybed with a trundle bed.

The accommodations are perfect for two couples with children, large extended families, a girls, guys or couples retreat, groups attending a wedding (we get a lot), family and company gatherings and wine tour groups. The upstairs living area is also quite cozy if you’re looking for more of a romantic getaway or have a smaller group. The main floor and upstairs suite has an old feel to it even though the house is relatively new and it has an open airy feeling with high ceilings and lots of natural light from the windows. Several rooms have antique dressers and gold accents. For our larger groups, there’s easily enough room to park up to eight vehicles.

One of our favorite activities at the house is relaxing by the river with friends and family and roasting marshmallows around the fire pit.

Have you ever panned for gold? This house comes with several gold pans so your family and friends can come search for gold without ever leaving the property. Several guests have found gold right on the property.

There are many fun things to do in and around Dahlonega including outdoor sports like kayaking, fishing, hiking, mountain biking and golf. There are also a lot of great vineyards (Cavender Creek, Wolf Mountain, Three Sisters, & Frogtown to name a few nearby), restaurants (Bourbon Street Grille is our favorite for dinner or brunch), antique shops, arts and crafts stores, wildlife preserves, and festivals to explore. The Smith House is a historic family style buffet worth visiting. Lake Lanier is also only 30 minutes south of Dahlonega in Cumming and Gainesville.

Don’t forget to have your picture taken with our life-size wooden hillbilly, Jed! He’ll be out on the back deck with his moonshine awaiting your arrival.

Book this exciting vacation getaway… make your reservations now!

Lumpkin County Georgia Business License #3912 / Short-Term Rental License #005

There are smart doorbells installed by the front & rear entrances with audio and video recording capabilities for security purposes.

Property manager

Mitch Lathem
Premier Host

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Air conditioning

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs (limit 2 total)
Dogs only, rules & fee apply. 2 max per $100 fee.
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Smoking is allowed on the deck and patio
Guest acknowledge the property is located on the river and swim at own risk.
Do not allow children on back deck or in river without adult supervision.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts
A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Dahlonega

Located in Dahlonega, this holiday home is in the mountains and on the waterfront. Cavender Creek Vineyards & Winery and Three Sisters Vineyard are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those looking for area attractions can visit Chestatee Wildlife Preserve & Zoo and North Georgia Zoo. Discover the area's water adventures with kayaking and water tubing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with rock climbing and horse riding.
Map
Dahlonega, GA

What's nearby

  • Cavender Creek Vineyards & Winery - 5 min drive - 4.1 km
  • Crisson Gold Mine - 9 min drive - 9.7 km
  • Frogtown Cellars - 12 min drive - 12.2 km
  • Consolidated Gold Mine - 13 min drive - 13.3 km
  • Wolf Mountain Vineyards - 14 min drive - 13.2 km

Getting around

  • Gainesville Station - 32 min drive
  • Atlanta, GA (PDK-DeKalb-Peachtree) - 70 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬15 min drive
  • ‪Chick-fil-A - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Tomato House Farms - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Farmhouse Produce and The Kitchen - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Dairy Queen - ‬14 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Relax & Unwind at the Chestatee River Retreat! Pet Friendly & Near Wineries pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total).

What time is check-in at Relax & Unwind at the Chestatee River Retreat! Pet Friendly & Near Wineries?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Relax & Unwind at the Chestatee River Retreat! Pet Friendly & Near Wineries?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Relax & Unwind at the Chestatee River Retreat! Pet Friendly & Near Wineries located?

This family-friendly Dahlonega holiday home is located on the waterfront, 2.6 mi (4.1 km) from Cavender Creek Vineyards & Winery, and within 6 mi (10 km) of Chestatee Wildlife Preserve & Zoo and Chattahoochee National Forest. North Georgia Zoo and The Historic Holly Theater are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 164 out of 171 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 171 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 171 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 171 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 171 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

juliana e.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful stay

My daughters and I had a great and relaxing long weekend. House was well stocked and had plenty of room. Owner was attentive and helpful. My girls want to come back in the summer to enjoy the river.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Emily C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Family Retreat House

This house was perfect for our large family/friend needs. The three-floor split was great as we could give the teenagers their own space on the bottom floor with their own kitchen/living area. We LOVED being on the river! We had plenty of backyard space to play, have a fire and let the dog run and have fun. The communication with the owner was excellent and he made us feel very welcome and was very accommodating. Very quiet property and wasn’t too far from things to do. We highly recommend this listing!
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Shanda A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family girls trip

This property was beautiful! We loved looking out over the Chestatee river. The house was clean and comfortable and located in the middle of all the small towns we wanted to visit! We enjoyed our time there very much!
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Julia H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Christmas in the Mountains

We made wonderful memories this Christmas holiday, and we especially enjoyed gathering around the campfire making Smores (even though it was quite chilly). The property's amenities helped to make our vacation enjoyable.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

JAMIE C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great weekend

Everything was perfect
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Syd P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family gathering

Wonderful getaway with family. Plenty of room for togetherness and privacy as well. Love the for pit by the river.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Our favorite vacation rental

We travel quite often and this has been our favorite place to stay. The home is located close to the river and it’s so quiet and serene. The house is clean and has all the things we could possibly need. The owner is very friendly and keeps in communication during your stay. We love that it’s close to everywhere we like to visit. We have stayed here 3 times and will definitely be booking again.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Debbie H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic spot on the river

This was a perfect property for our family - 5 adults and three children, 1, 3 & 17. Everyone had plenty of space and we had everything we needed as far as kitchen equipment, bathroom supplies and amble seating inside and out. Loved S’more night by the fire pit, watching tv in front of the fire on a cold night and looking for animal tracks down by the beautiful river. So close to Dahlonega, the gold mine and shopping, but yet secluded. A wonderful retreat that will be long remembered.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

john m.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

perfect getaway

house was as advertised. stream in the back of house was gorgeous. plenty of space to relax and unwind with friends.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Julie S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice mountain getaway

We spent a weekend with our sons and grandkids and had a great time. Mitch was a great host, very responsive, and he left us firewood and smores for the fire pit which was a huge hit. The property being right on the creek was fantastic. Peaceful for us adults, and lots of fun for the grandkids who learned to skip rocks.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Anne K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fun friend group trip

The house is perfect! There was plenty of room for everyone in our group. The 2nd story porch was great for coffee in the morning and hanging out. The fire pit had tons of seating, and we were able to get firewood from the owners as needed. The biggest plus is the view and the tranquility of the river running right off of the back yard. I highly recommend this property for families, friends, or whatever kind of group you have. Looking forward to coming back soon!!
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Erin H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family Reunion- Girls Trip

Mitch was an excellent host and very prompt to answer any concerns. The property was enough room for all of us to visit and have our own space too! The location on the riverside was the best part, Mitch had firewood and smores waiting for our arrival. Parking was tricky as the driveway is very steep but if you drive around to the back of the house it is nice and flat for parking and entering from the rear entrance. Great location!!
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Blair M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Graduation Retreat

Location was perfect for our multigenerational group. Access to river made it relaxing and fun for all.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tami R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect location!

We stayed here on a girls trip. The accommodations were exactly as described. House was clean and well organized. Everything worked. Our favorite places were the back porch (the swing is amazing!) and the fire pit. Check in and check out were super easy. The host was readily available, but we had no issues. We hope to stay here again, and stay for longer.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful place by the river

Very Cousy and beautiful place . The host was very courteous. Leaving us s’mores for the family. Beautiful river view .. We surely booked it again to spend time with the family
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jeannette B., USA

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice home and location

Three floors of “home” with all of the amenities including a backyard river, fire pit and s’mores, made this vacation one for a repeat. The family thoroughly enjoyed it and our week together. We were warm and cozy there and had plenty of local shopping and fun when we were out and about.
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Greg W., Alexandria, VA

Great place for large groups looking to relax on the river. Highly recommend!

Had a wonderful stay! Host was responsive and gracious. Plenty of parking and interior space. Convenient to wineries, parks and Dahlonega.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Michael G., Winder, Georgia

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wedding Getaway

As is described in the pictures on the VRBO website. A perfect place for family to enjoy together and make great memories. Loved the River being right behind the place and an absolute perfect place to have a cup of coffee in the morning .
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Makisha G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Serene and Calm

Truly enjoyed just gazing and listening to the river. Definitely would like to go back.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jessica A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

It was great!!

Very peaceful, loved the river.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome home

We have stayed here twice and I highly recommend! The owner is awesome to work with and the home is always clean. The view of the water is amazing. We love that the home is in a quiet remote area but still close by to everywhere we wanted to visit.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Tonya M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place on the river!

We came for a girls trip and had an amazing time. The home has plenty of room and everything you need. The sitting area next to the river was perfect. All of this and just 2 miles to our favorite winery.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Carol S.

Wonderful get away

We stayed at the cabin for my sons wedding at Montaluce. This place was perfect! Close to town, wonderful property and beautiful scenery. Beds were great the kitchen was well stocked. The back deck is very relaxing! Will stay again!
Stayed 5 nights in May 2019

6/10 Okay

Heather O.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness

Girls trip

Host was very responsive. The floors were dirty in common areas and lots of dust on all fans. The outside had lots of spiders that were dead still all over the back porch. Porch needed to be cleaned off. Fire pit needed cleaning out. Beautiful location. Nice host. Needs some updates but would stay again if there was more attention paid towards the cleanliness of floors and outside.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Kelly S.

Wonderful

Really nice place. In town for a wedding and it was perfect. Nice and clean. Would stay again.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2019

About the host

Hosted by Mitch Lathem

Host profile image
I'm a happily married father, local real estate broker, nature and wildlife photographer, volunteer soccer coach, world traveler, outdoor enthusiast, adventure junkie, working for an international Christian missions organization.

I'm a native North Georgian. Born, raised, and currently living in Gainesville, just 20 minutes south of Dahlonega. My wife, Monya, and I met at Young Harris College in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains and then hung around Athens for a few years to earn our degrees from the University of Georgia. It was love at first sight. It just took her a few years to realize it. We got married in the fall of 2007 at Big Canoe, yep you guessed it... in the mountains. She went on to get her master's from Brenau University and is an elementary school teacher. She thinks she's smarter than me, she's probably right. She's certainly better looking.

Our team consists of our daughter, Adri (9), and our son, Adler (6). I always tell everyone, "we've done our part and created our replacements". She's compliant and contemplative, like her mother, and he's our little strong-willed explorer, just like his old man. We have the most gentle and loving Great Dane Lab mix named Sophie, a temperamental self absorbed cat named Coal, and a spastic rescue squirrel named Lucky.

My hair is quickly turning gray. It started at 17. I like to think of it as my pre-mature crown of glory. It's probably just hereditary. And yes, I was born with a beard.

Why they chose this property

There's just something about relaxing by the river, listening to the sounds of crickets chirping and water rushing around the rocks on a cool, crisp mountain night that really restores my soul. Whenever our family is looking for a moment of respite, we go to the mountains. It has always been a dream of ours to own our own place to retreat and we're happy to share that with you!

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests