On Cloud Nine - A Weekend Getaway to Cloudland at McLemore Resort
As a mom to a four-year-old little boy who is actively involved in school and sports, working a full-time job and managing the GU podcast, my life is constant chaos. So when the opportunity came up to visit the new Cloudland hotel at McLemore Resort for a little rest and relaxation, I said “how soon?”
It just so happened we were able to schedule our visit so that the dates coordinated with my birthday weekend. We packed up the car, dropped our son off with grandma, and made the short drive from Atlanta up the winding roads of Lookout Mountain to Rising Fawn, Georgia.
From the moment we stepped out of the truck, we knew this was going to be a special weekend. The staff at every touch-point of our weekend was friendly and went out of their way to consider everything we might need. The Cloudland is part of the Curio Collection of the Hilton Hotels, and as a Hilton Honors member we received additional perks with our stay such as discounts on meals and other amenities (like the spa).
The first morning, we got up early to make sure we had enough time to get breakfast at one of the resort’s main restaurants – The Creag – before our tee time at The Highlands course. We went with the classic buttermilk pancakes and a fried chicken biscuit with egg and ghost pepper cheese. (Johnathan definitely misread the menu and thought it said “pepper jack” cheese, so his taste buds were given a shock by the flavor of the ghost pepper and the waiter had to bring him a glass of milk.)
Before we headed out to the course, we met up with the Director of Golf Greg Leeker. Who took us on a private tour of the new course being built at the McLemore Resort. “The Keep” – designed by Bill Bergin and Rees Jones – will be roughly 7700 yards from the tips and is set to open in September. The course features cliff-edge views, undulation to rival Augusta National, and stadium-style hole created from the natural stone of the mountain landscape. I’d go on the record to say that this course will likely rival Bandon Dunes in terms of both difficulty, breath-taking views, and unpredictability of the weather.
After our tour, we headed back to the hotel where we had a golf cart waiting for us with our name on it and our bags already strapped to the bag ready for us to drive up to the clubhouse to prep for our tee time. They had already given us a bag of range balls for us to get a warm-up session in and even packed a cooler for us of waters for our round. They made sure we already had everything we could need to have the best round. And that we did – on the first hole, Johnathan holed out for an eagle!
The chilly weather and little bit of rain didn’t stop us from having an incredible day. Each hole on The Highlands course presents its own unique challenge, with the par 5 6th hole probably being the most unique and challenging one of the day. But it all builds to the finale on 18 – the hole that was recently voted #22 in Golf Digest’s roundup of Top 100 holes in America. It’s also ranking one of the best finishing holes in all of golf.
Pictures don’t even do this hole justice. From roughly holes 10-17, you’re still pretty tucked away in the trees. But as you come off the green of 17, you immediately get a “slow down” warning in both your golf cart and signage around you on the course. You weave around a few corners made of natural mountain stone and then out of nowhere, it just opens up into the most breathtaking view you’ve ever seen. The hole itself takes insane strategy to play – you can’t go left or your ball is gone forever, off the mountain. If you go too far right, it’s in the cliffside and you basically need the agility of a mountain goat to get it back into play. But who cares if you get a bogey when you feel like you’re standing in heaven making the putt?!?
After our long round in the chilly mountain weather, we made our way back to the hotel to enjoy a couple’s massage at Selah – the Cloudland spa and wellness center. They greeted us with robes and sandals and led us to our respective locker rooms to change before our treatment. We were in absolute heaven for 60 minutes; the technicians were so well-trained and paid special attention to each of our problem areas. After our massage we each spent some time in the sauna in our own locker rooms.
Once we had come back down to earth from our massages, it was time for dinner. The hotel has a few restaurants on the property and we chose to dine at the Auld Alliance. The wait staff and the chef went above and beyond to make our meal memorable. They took their time to explain the intricate menu & offered their advice on what wine would pair well with our meal. And the food itself – oh my god. Every single dish they brought to our table was the best thing I’d ever eaten. You could taste every single flavor in every single bite. I am by no means a “foodie” but it was one of the best meals we’ve ever had.
The entire trip from start to finish was unforgettable. The views alone are worth the price but then you add in the great golf course, mind-blowing massage, top-tier dining, and incredibly friendly staff – it made for an unbelievable birthday weekend. I definitely miss my son and my puppy and can’t wait to get home to see them, but I’m also already looking at the calendar to see when we might be able to go back again.
For more information or to book your visit to Cloudland: www.staycloudland.com
To book your round on the Highlands Course or for more information on McLemore, visit www.themclemore.com
Check out our podcast episode where we recap our visit (while still on location!) in even more detail!
