Fontana Village is Renovating
If you’ve chased the curves in western North Carolina, there’s a good chance you’ve ridden along SR 28 and past Fontana Village. It’s a sprawling resort made up of a main lodge, more than 100 cabins, camping and RV sites, a pool with a lazy river, and more. The resort sits by the Fontana Dam, built during the 1940s to generate electricity for aircraft aluminum production during WWII. The dam only took 36 months to complete, and at 480 feet, it’s the largest dam in the eastern U.S. Fontana Village was erected to house the approximately 5,000 workers who built the dam.
Between then and now, the resort has changed ownership a couple of times. Last year, a group with local ties purchased Fontana Village and didn’t waste any time with renovations. Our editor-in-chief went to western North Carolina with his family to see what’s new. Over the winter of 2023-24, the entire main lodge was remodeled. The restaurant, now called Hazel’s, offers stunning views from the huge windows and a fine dining experience. The main lodge rooms got a new bathroom layout with wider doors providing more space all around. Everything inside the rooms is new, but the sleek design still retains the mountain feel.
The check-in desk has been moved to the General Store, which is much closer to SR 28 and easier to find. The Lodge lobby has a modern mountain cabin feel with a cozy fireplace and lounging area. Sitting just below the main lodge, the Patio and Garden rooms have also been significantly updated. There used to be a pool between the Main Lodge and the Patio Rooms, but that area is now a community space with a stage for live music, corporate events, and—of course—weddings.
The planned renovation process is set to completely update all the cabins over the next five years. Two of the Killboy cabins are already completed, with eight others upcoming. Easy to find and near the second restaurant, Quill’s Canteen, the three-bedroom, two-bath cabins include a kitchen and living room. Beautiful motorsport photography hangs on the walls, with matching gearhead lamps, clocks, and furnishings. An especially nice inclusion are the helmet racks and gear hangers—something you won’t find in a regular hotel. A fire pit with four Adirondack chairs provides all the entertainment needed after a full day of adventure on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains.
With more amenities in Fontana Village than we have space to write about, you might just have to ride by and see what’s new for yourself. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how far Fontana Village has come.