Nestled in the foothills of the southern Appalachians, about an hour north of Atlanta, on 145 tranquil wooded acres is Forrest Hills Resort. Cabins and lodges are built into the surrounding woods, each totally invisible to the other. It is a perfect get away and yet close to home.
Couples come back year after year, frequently requesting “their” special cabin with the in-room Jacuzzi and fireplace. In fact, there are 32 private cabins, each with a fireplace and Jacuzzi, and 12 luxury bi-level suites with saunas. If you can break away from your Jacuzzi, fireplace or steam room, there is horseback riding, horse-drawn carriage rides, a swimming pool, day spa, tennis courts and wooded hiking trails.
When you make your reservation, tell them that you want a special package. With your approval, you will find champagne and candles awaiting you on the dining room table. Want to take a stroll on the miles of secluded wooded trails? Let them know and a picnic basket lunch will be waiting.
One of the specialties at Forrest Hills are weddings. They average about 125 per year and there are several “Chapels-in-the Woods” for outdoor weddings and one indoor facility and they offer complete packages. It’s never too late for a renewal of vows. What could be more romantic?
If you want to include your family, there are lodge buildings that will house the clan in total seclusion. Breakfast and dinner are included. If your preference is quiet dining, there is the Secret Garden Dining Room reserved for couples only.
The wellness center and day spa deserve special mention. The resort has been expanding its offerings to include not only the standard massages but the teaching of wellness and lifestyle changes including alternative diets. Not to be overlooked though are the couples messages offered in the privacy of your own cabin.
Should you be there long enough to explore the countryside, there is Amicalola Falls, the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi River. The area has many unique features, including the local wineries which are open for tours and meals. The icing on the cake though is a visit to the historic town of Dahlonega.
HISTORY OF RESORT
It was in 1977 that David Kraft received his diploma from a south Florida high school. His sister, Denise, earned her degree at Palm Beach Junior College about the same time. Degrees in hand, they immediately left for the hills of Georgia. For 700 miles, David drove the U-Haul and Denise, having learned to drive a stick shift only the day before, followed in the car.
Their father, Frank, had purchased 140 acres of forested property northwest of Dahlonega and this teenaged brother and sister team arrived at the site to begin building, initially by themselves, what would become a world class resort hosting couples, families, conventions, weddings and so much more. In a true frontier spirit and setting, with no electricity, running water or financing, David and Denise used hand tools, drew water from the well, bathed in the creek and subsisted on food they called “yuk” and “gross” to build their first cabin.
The first cabin finished, they began work on others until a total of five had been built. That first winter, one of the coldest in recorded history for northern Georgia, they survived wearing one set of clothes that they worked in and slept in.
During the ensuing years, other family members joined the team and there are now three generations running this family business. They boast of a staff that is also into the third generation. It is rare today to find a resort of this magnitude that is not part of a chain.
If there is a theme at Forrest Hills, it is “Stop and Relax.” When you get there, there is no reason to use your car unless you want to go sightseeing. Everything on the property is within walking distance. The name is not a misspelling either. David and Denise’s mother said the resort should be a place where people should come “for-a-rest.” That is the derivation of “forrest.” Take a look for yourself at www.forresthillsresort.com.
