What’s better than staying in a well-appointed hotel on vacation? Sleeping in the treetops! Our Inquisitive TravelingMom Amy channeled her inner 9 year old and delighted in the tree house rooms at Historic Banning Mills in west Georgia. The grown up mom in her, though, appreciated the amenities and home-like touches. Whether or not you decide to sail through the trees on the Guinness-certified world’s longest zip line canopy tour, you can still appreciate the view when you stay in a Georgia treehouse hotel room.
As much fun as it is to have to entire family together, I sometimes try to have one-on-one trips with each of my kids. They get my full attention and we can do activities that really speak to their personality. Teaching kids to compromise is a necessary life lesson, but sometimes it’s beneficial to make something all about them. My oldest and youngest kids are cautious, so when I got the chance to go zip lining at Historic Banning Mills in West Georgia, I knew it would be a great adventure for me and my fearless middle son. The fact that we were to sleep in a tree house was the icing on that adrenaline cake.
A Georgia Treehouse Hotel Room Tour
As you can see, the tree house rooms at Historic Banning Mills have all the comforts of home! The shower was a bit small and I couldn’t adjust the nozzle. The shower pressure, though, was better than I’ve had at some high-end hotels. They do include toiletries like soap and shampoo. As mentioned in the video, the mini-frig kept things super cold. If you are not used to the sounds of the great outdoors, you might want to bring ear plugs. Squirrels scampering across the roof wasn’t my favorite way to wake up. Also consider a sleep mask.
Breakfast Is Served
Stays at Historic Banning Mills include a hearty breakfast. There is no menu; the chef serves up a great variety of food each morning and your breakfast is plated in the kitchen and then brought out. The server does ask each diner how they would like their eggs cooked, and you have the chance to note dietary restrictions or allergies when you reserve your stay. When you arrive, foods such as fruit, yogurt and cereal are already set out for you while the hot food is being prepared.
I had mentioned to our server that my son is a picky eater. She went out of her way to try to find enough things that he would like. He doesn’t eat eggs in any way but he loves bacon and biscuits, so she had the chef serve him a little more of those instead of the eggs.
Stay For Dinner
Banning Mills does not have a walk-in restaurant, but you can order a picnic-style lunch ahead of time. With advance reservations, a gourmet dinner for 2 ($75 total) is offered in the dining room and you get your choice of entrees. Selections need to be communicated 24 hours in advance or you will receive the “chef’s choice.” I didn’t read the fine print and neglected to make our selections. The chef chose the Chicken Caprese and I could not have been happier; it was delicious. My picky son wasn’t enthusiastic. The accommodating server brought him just the chicken breast without the toppings. We had creamed corn and a potato mix for our sides.
The shrimp and grits appetizer paired nicely with a fresh garden salad. Also included were a few different bread selections. I don’t consider myself picky but I am certainly not a foodie. My family enjoys mid-level restaurants and rarely do I branch out of that. I appreciated that this dinner introduced me to a higher culinary level than I usually enjoy, but it was all presented in a down to earth manner. Even if you don’t consider yourself a “gourmet dinner” type of person, I urge you to give it a try.
No, dessert is not served with bites taken out. It just looked so good that my blogger instincts laid down and gave up to my taste buds. I quickly remembered my need for a photo, though. The dessert on the right is a lemon cake and the left is obviously chocolate. Although they offer to-go boxes, I assure you that we didn’t need one that evening.
On-Site Amenities at Historic Banning Mills
Regardless of whether you are staying at the inn or in the tree house rooms at Historic Banning Mills, there are fun amenities available to you. We enjoyed a quick dip in the full-size pool before dinner. After dinner, we picked up some clubs and balls for the mini-golf course. In a room across from the dining room is a pool table available for guest play. Next to the check-in desk is a selection of DVD’s that you can take back to your room for viewing. In addition to the no-cost options, there are several levels of zip lining that you can do and other fun things in the general area.
Enjoy The View
My kids love exploring nature and there is plenty of it here. The walking trails are perfect for some quiet down time. Kids love to dip their feet in the Snake River and splash. There are acres of wooded property for you to explore, including paper mill ruins and Creek Indian paths.
The tree house rooms at Historic Banning Mills are perfect for romantic getaways or family fun! Whether you fly through the trees on the zip lines or keep your feet planted firmly on the hiking trails, a stay at Historic Banning Mills in West Georgia will satisfy your need for outdoor exploration.
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Thanks for the review. My husband and I are going down and staying Thursday night on our way to the beach. I quite excited about staying in the treehouse.