NC Theatre is also proud to announce eighteen students from their flagship training program, the North Carolina Theatre Conservatory in North Raleigh, appearing in the production, including Joseph Gaitens in the role of “Flounder.” He has previously appeared on our stage in Les Misérables and Oliver!

It should be a great show.  For tickets to NC Theatre’s production of The Little Mermaid, visit http://www.NCTheatre.com or call Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000

We spent the 4th of July in Raleigh. We checked into the Raleigh Marriott City Center, which turned out to be in the center of all the 4th of July firework action.

This was my first time staying overnight in the Raleigh Marriott City Center. It is a great location, of course. It's very clean, and has very little wear and tear for a property built in 2008. The rooms have double beds rather than queen beds. The bathrooms are medium-sized and updated. The hotel has incorporated local artwork into its decor which is a nice touch. Our room had a painting of Raleigh's historic city market area. I liked that added touch to give the rooms a local flair. 

I would definitely stay at the Raleigh Marriott City Center again, but many nights, it is priced over $300 per night with taxes and parking. Since I live here, that price is a lot for me to personally spend to stay at a downtown Marriott (And yes, I cover a lot of luxury hotels, but those hotels are in a different league and overall, the properties offer different experiences than a chain hotel like a Marriott can offer ) in my own hometown just because I want to do so for fun. This particular hotel has a good restaurant, and a Starbucks in the lobby. Children under 4 can eat at the breakfast buffet for free. All of those are great perks. 

There are very few Downtown Raleigh hotels and the area's demand for rooms keep prices on the rise. I will say that the Raleigh Marriott City Center is probably one of the best full-service hotels in  Raleigh with an indoor pool, room service and a great location. There are other nice hotels in the area, but the Marriott is one of those hotels where you can park your car in the garage underneath the hotel and not retrieve it again for several days. Restaurants and museums are all within walking distance. There are a few other downtown hotels that I would consider if I were a tourist, but I've not personally checked those out yet. 

More information on the Raleigh City Marriott can be found online.  

It was great to use as a base for Downtown Raleigh's 4th of July celebration. Fireworks went off right next to the hotel. The group rate for this spectacular event was $119 plus tax so sometimes great deals can be found. 

Hope you had a great 4th of July. 

The Blue Ridge Parkway

Watauga County, known as North Carolina’s High Country, is about a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Raleigh.  The area is bustling in the winter ski season, is home to Appalachian State University, and is a refreshing vacation retreat in the spring and summer.  

Tucked away on a quiet, curvy, mountainous road in Valle Crucis, North Carolina, is a little slice of heaven called The Mast Farm Inn. 

The Mast Farm Inn is located in Valle Crucis, North Carolina

Here, you can enjoy the crisp, early-morning, mountain air while taking in nature’s beauty. You will feel as if you are a million miles away from the daily grind of life, and it is here where you can renew, recharge, and relax, all in mountain luxury.

The farmhouse has seven unique rooms.

The Mast Farm Inn, a historic property placed on the National Register of Historic Places, is about 15 minutes from Boone, North Carolina, and 30 minutes from the town of Blowing Rock. This country inn is an ideal base for exploring the area.  The farmhouse, dating back to the 1880s, has seven unique, luxurious rooms that are wonderful for a couple getaway.  The inn also has eight cabins on property, some historic and some brand new. 

Historic cottages on the grounds have been restored, and modernized with luxurious touches.

Our Cabin: Mam’s Refuge

Nestled on a mountain above the farmhouse, we stayed in the cottage called Mam’s Refuge, built last year.

As soon as you step inside, it is a retreat like none other. 

The cabin living room

The all-wood, 1,000-square-foot cottage has a living room area, a downstairs bedroom, one full bath, an eat-in kitchen, and an upstairs bedroom loft.  But what took this cabin from ordinary to extraordinary was the beautiful décor.

I felt as if I had stepped onto a photo shoot for a magazine.

I adored both bedrooms in Mam's Refuge.  Such cozy, and comfy beds.

Special Touches 

My children loved the delicious cookies that the inn left for us in our cabin upon arrival. They even took the time to personalize our welcome and to remind us that they were just a phone call away if we needed anything.

Delicious cookies and coffee at The Mast Farm Inn

Mam’s Refuge has all the amenities you expect in luxury hotels such as high-quality linens and bath toiletries.  The in-room coffee was exceptional.  I typically drink tea at home, but I could not resist the French Roast coffee while there.  My husband remarked that it was the best coffee he had enjoyed in a hotel room in a very long time.

Since this cottage and Uncle Earl’s Haven, located next door, are Mast Farm’s premiere family cabins, I loved that they had a basket of children’s books available for reading. Here my children are enjoying a bedtime story about the adventures of Angelina Ballerina.

This is the view of the living room from the loft area

The Breakfast

The Mast Farm Inn is also well-known for its farm-to-table dining.  A gourmet breakfast is included in your daily room rate.  My kids loved taking the wooded trail to the main inn for breakfast, which is served from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Our cabin was a short walk to the main inn.

Our breakfast was a culinary, mountain-man breakfast delight with an oatmeal parfait, farm-fresh eggs, Southern grits, bacon, and a cheddar-cheese biscuit.

Breakfast is different every morning at the Inn.  This is the Monday morning breakfast.

The inn has an intimate, award-winning restaurant called Simplicity at the Mast that serves dinner to the public Thursday through Saturday evenings.  It was not open while we were there, but I think it is a must-do for a future trip when our children are a lot older and both children can handle a fine-dining-type experience.  My restaurant-loving son is almost there, but, unfortunately, my 2-year-old has a ways to go.

Mam’s Refuge and Uncle Earl’s Haven can be rented weekly, and you can also deduct daily breakfast from the cost. On some mornings, you may enjoy not racing against the clock and instead enjoy a leisurely breakfast in your own cabin.  My kids even had toaster pastries before walking down to the real breakfast, shortly after 9 a.m.

There is no doubt that The Mast Farm Inn captures the charm of the area, and, quite honestly, it was very hard to leave the tranquil bliss of our cabin.

Rates vary at the inn depending on the season and room type. Rates for our cabin range from $299 to $389 per day.

Want to Go:
The Mast Farm Inn 
2543 Broadstone Road,
Valle Crucis, NC
828-963-5857


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The Mast Farm Inn hosted my family during our trip to Watauga County, and sponsored our stay for this "Pack Your Bags" feature.  Affiliate links in post.