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ONCE UPON A STREAM- Storybook cottage on stream, perfect for family gatherings.

Family-friendly stay with outdoor pool in Sapphire

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A two-story wooden cabin with a stone retaining wall, surrounded by trees.
A multi-story wooden cabin with a stone pathway leading to it, surrounded by trees.
A spacious living area with a high ceiling, a fireplace, a dining table, and a view of the outdoors through large windows.
A lakeside area with lounge chairs and a dock with boats.
A spacious kitchen with a large island, wooden ceiling beams, and hanging pots.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

4 bedrooms4 bathroomsSleeps 14288 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Hot tub
  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Pet friendly

Explore the area

View in a map
Sapphire, NC
  • Place, Lake Jocassee
    ‪29 min drive‬
  • Place, Lake Keowee
    ‪38 min drive‬
  • Place, Western Carolina University
    ‪43 min drive‬

Room options

About the area

Sapphire

On lake.You'll find Nantahala National Forest and Hogback Lake within a 15-minute walk of this Sapphire vacation home. Also, Whisper Lake is within 3 miles (5 km) and Sapphire National Golf Club is within 6 miles (10 km).
View more Vacation homes in SapphireOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Lake Glenville - 18 min drive - 20.4 km
  • Lake Jocassee - 29 min drive - 31.0 km
  • Lake Keowee - 38 min drive - 52.1 km
  • Western Carolina University - 43 min drive - 55.4 km
  • Fred W. Symmes Chapel - 59 min drive - 72.1 km

Getting around

  • Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) - 63 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Grand Olde Station at Lake Toxaway - ‬14 min drive
  • ‪The Tavern @ High Hampton - ‬16 min drive
  • ‪Buck's Coffee Cafe - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Mica's Restaurant - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪The Orchard Restaurant & Guest Cottage - ‬15 min drive

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

ONCE UPON A STREAM- Storybook cottage on stream, perfect for family gatherings.

***Now offering ultra high-speed GIGABIT Wifi***

We are PET-FRIENDLY! Welcome to "ONCE UPON A STREAM!"

Escape from the ordinary and plan your next "adventurcation" in our storybook English mountain cottage complete with a rushing mountain stream that will keep the kids (and dog) busy for hours! Create memories with family and friends in the waterfall capital of the eastern U.S. that will last a lifetime. Don't settle for another ordinary vacation!

Our goal is to offer a concierge-like vacation hospitality experience- not just a place for you to stay. We pride ourselves on helping you plan the perfect mountain getaway with recommendations on things to do, places to visit, and amazing restaurants and boutiques. That is truly what makes us different and why many guests choose to book with us. The mountains are meant to be a stress-free environment; we're here to make sure that holds true for your group!

Just over an hour from Asheville, NC, ONCE UPON A STREAM is located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in beautiful Sapphire, North Carolina. The cottage is conveniently located near shopping, dining, and all sorts of recreation. Cashiers, NC is just ten minutes away and the quaint town of Highlands, NC is only 25 minutes away. Lake Toxaway, NC is also nearby- just ten minutes away. There are more than a dozen spectacular waterfalls to hike and explore less than a half hour away.

SAPPHIRE VALLEY RESORT
Our guests also have full access to the Sapphire Valley Resort and all of its amazing amenities including the private Lake Fairfield where you can fish, and sail, paddle, and swim. Visit nearby Narrows Falls and all of the fabulous amenities at the Sapphire Valley Resort. The Sapphire Valley Recreation Center offers gem mining, three swimming pools (one heated indoor and two outdoor), two saunas, two hot tubs, locker rooms, mini-golf, arcade and game room, lounge with WiFi, tennis, playground, running track, par-3 golf course, direct access to the Horsepasture River, and much more. Guests can also purchase discounted tickets to the Biltmore Estate and other area attractions and tours.

*Please note- there is $5/day per person fee for guests over the age of 14 charged by the Sapphire Valley Resort for guest amenity cards. No minimum number of days required.

SKI SAPPHIRE VALLEY is also inside the Sapphire Valley Resort and offers tons of fun during the winter months. There is a Blue-diamond ski slope complete with quad chair lift and also a Bunny Slope. Frozen Falls is the tubing run and very popular with the kids. Our guests receive 25% off skiing, tubing, and rentals with their guest amenity card. Ski and Snowboard lessons are available at a very reasonable rate.

We provide first in class concierge service and love to help our guests plan the ultimate mountain vacation. In addition, we provide our guests with access to our website complete with all of our favorite restaurants, things to do, and places to see.

Once Upon a Stream is ideally set up for a two or three-family vacation getaway. The cottage is three levels with 4 BR/3.5 BA and sleeps up to 14 persons comfortably.

MAIN LEVEL: offers a large master en-suite with a King-size bed topped with luxurious linens and high-end pillows. Relax after a long day of hiking in the over-sized jetted tub while enjoying the treetop view and taking in all of nature's beauty.

UPPER LEVEL: features two additional bedrooms and a loft with pullout couch. The 2nd bedroom has a queen-sized bed topped with fine linens and pillows. Bedroom 3 has two queen log beds with amazingly comfortable memory foam mattresses and fine linens and pillows.

LOWER LEVEL (Basement aka KID CAVE) includes a large rec-room with two sets of mountain log bunk beds, a 55" 4KHD TV, BlueRay Player, and Foosball! The basement also includes bedroom #4 with queen bed and full bathroom.

Ideally situated on a 2-acre private lot, the cottage will spoil you to the point where you won't want to leave. Greet the morning with a cup of coffee on the large back deck. Stroll down the backyard hill along the meandering boulder pathway to the stone patio below and enjoy a glass of wine as you listen to the noisy stream. The kids will stay busy exploring and hiking up and downstream- bring your dog too!

Whether you stay for a few nights or a few weeks, we strive to create a one of a kind experience for you at Once Upon a Stream. Please contact us for more information on booking your mountain getaway.

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  • Kitchen
  • Washer
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Property amenities

Ski

  • Close to skiing
  • Ski lift privileges
  • Snowboarding nearby

Pool/Spa

  • Communal pool
  • Heated pool
  • Hot tub
  • Indoor pool
  • Outdoor pool
  • Sauna

Internet

  • Available in the house: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Car required
  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Blender
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric kettle
  • Ice maker
  • Kitchen island
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 4 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Memory foam mattress
  • Sofa bed

Bathroom

  • 3.5 bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Jetted bathtub
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Fireplace
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Books
  • DVD player
  • Games
  • Smart TV
  • Stereo
  • Video games
  • Video library

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Barbecue grill
  • Firepit
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Work spaces

  • Desk

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoking not allowed

Services and conveniences

  • Concierge services
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Limited housekeeping

Location highlights

  • In a village
  • In the mountains
  • Near a health/beauty spa
  • Near a hospital
  • Near the marina
  • On a lake
  • On a river

Things to do

  • Arcade/game room
  • Billiards/pool table
  • Boat
  • Foosball table
  • Golf
  • Gym
  • Heated pool
  • Kayak
  • Optional golf privileges
  • Ski lift privileges
  • Snow sports gear
  • Table tennis
  • Tennis
  • Basketball nearby
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Ice skating nearby
  • Jet skiing nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Motor boating nearby
  • Mountain biking nearby
  • Mountain climbing nearby
  • Rafting nearby
  • Spelunking nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Water skiing nearby
  • Water tubing nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Deadbolt lock
  • Fire extinguisher
  • First aid kit

General

  • Garden
  • Property located in a resort
  • Unit size: 3,100 square feet

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 25

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Rules

See Rental Rules in Exhibit A of Rental Agreement.

Pets

  • Pets are welcome
  • Service animals are exempt from fees
  • Note from host: Most dogs allowed. Non-refundable PET FEE applies.

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Note from host: Families are very warmly welcomed!

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Long-term renters welcome
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a private host, not a professional engaged in trade or business. Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited. Long-term renters welcome. For guests' safety, the property includes a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock in each accommodation.

Property is also known as

Once Upon Stream Rushing Mountain Stream Pet-friendly House
Once Upon Stream Rushing Mountain Stream Pet-friendly Sapphire
Once Upon Stream Rushing Mountain Stream Pet-friendly House
Once Upon Stream Rushing Mountain Stream Pet-friendly Sapphire
Once Upon Stream Rushing Mountain Stream Pet-friendly
Once Upon A Stream Rushing Mountain Stream Pet friendly!
Once Upon A Stream Rushing Mountain Stream Pet friendly!

Frequently asked questions

How close is ONCE UPON A STREAM- Storybook cottage on stream, perfect for family gatherings. to the airport?

This vacation home is 42.7 mi (63-min drive) away from the Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) airport, the closest popular airport to the property.

Does ONCE UPON A STREAM- Storybook cottage on stream, perfect for family gatherings. have an airport shuttle?

Airport shuttle services are not available at this vacation home.

Does ONCE UPON A STREAM- Storybook cottage on stream, perfect for family gatherings. offer free breakfast?

This vacation home does not offer free breakfast.

Is there a casino at ONCE UPON A STREAM- Storybook cottage on stream, perfect for family gatherings.?

No, there is no casino at this vacation home.

What time is check-in at ONCE UPON A STREAM- Storybook cottage on stream, perfect for family gatherings.?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

Is there free parking at ONCE UPON A STREAM- Storybook cottage on stream, perfect for family gatherings.?

Free parking is not available at this vacation home.

Does ONCE UPON A STREAM- Storybook cottage on stream, perfect for family gatherings. have a pool?

This vacation home features an indoor pool and an outdoor pool.

Does ONCE UPON A STREAM- Storybook cottage on stream, perfect for family gatherings. have a spa?

There are no spa services available at this vacation home.

How close is ONCE UPON A STREAM- Storybook cottage on stream, perfect for family gatherings. to downtown Sapphire?

This vacation home is 1.6 mi away from Sapphire.

ONCE UPON A STREAM- Storybook cottage on stream, perfect for family gatherings. Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 65 out of 73 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 7 out of 73 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 73 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 73 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 73 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a fantastic time! Very family friendly and Travis was super easy to communicate with.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We enjoyed our stay. The house is great. Very well taken care of and very clean and neat.would recommend this house to anyone and would stay here again.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great accommodations. Love the fire pit

Loved the house.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
House was lovely, nicely, appointed and clean. Community was quiet with winding roads through the mountains to get up to the house. Most of the property is a wooded backyard with a path down towards a quiet creek that our kids and dog love to play in. The pathway can be a little steep with uneven stairs so for anybody with mobility issues make sure to bring some hiking sticks or have another person for some support. Once we got to the creek, we hung a camping hammock from some trees and just enjoyed the sound of the babbling brook and the sun highlighting the moss-covered rocks. The location of the house is great with the grocery store about 12 minutes away and amazing hikes, waterfalls, rafting/tubing, and swimming holes within reasonable driving distance. Sapphire is a nicely appointed vacation village with nearby cashiers being an adorable town in the Village Green Park being a great place for families with young kids to visit. Would recommend this town and this vacation home for families as our multigenerational, multifamily visit was a huge success.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Mountain Escape for the Whole Family

Really enjoyed our time at Once Upon a Stream. Everyone from my 70 year old parents to my 7 and 8 year old found something to enjoy. Will book again!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2020
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely mountain home

This property was exactly as advertised .. property owner available and very responsive with questions … we would def recommend
Stayed 21 nights in Jun 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful and relaxing

The property was beautiful and relaxing. The space was perfect for our 3 families. We thoroughly enjoyed the outside and inside, and the location was great. The owner was easy to contact and accommodating.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Great House!

Great house...very clean, comfortable and close to all amenities. The property is beautiful and peaceful with the sounds of the stream. The owners are very quick to respond and provided us with a lot of fun ideas/activities to do in the surrounding areas. Definitely would stay again!
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2017
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wedding weekend

Comfortable stay. Very clean. Owner easy to work with.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic and fun time

Everything we needed was available and property was great. Best of all, the owner responded and assisted with any questions or issues.
Stayed 13 nights in Aug 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Learning to Ski

Fun property. Easy to get to. Close to small ski resort, great for teaching young ladies to ski.
Stayed 11 nights in Jan 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Getaway

The house was beautiful, clean, and well equipped. We traveled with a baby and dogs and the house supplied dog bowls and a crate. It also had a port a crib, booster seat, and a hiking backpack for the baby. The fire pit area was really nice and the dogs loved walking the trail down to the stream. We truly enjoyed our stay and would definitely stay again.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful place on the creek

Our family had a wonderful time this past weekend at Once Upon A Stream. Our young boys loved the lower level setup with the bunk beds and the foosball table, and most importantly they spent both days down exploring and playing in the creek. There was ample space to spread out when necessary so our little one could nap or so grandparents could relax. It really was a perfect setup for our family. Plus, it was close to multiple easy waterfall trails which we enjoyed as well.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Terrific Stay

We loved this house. It had plenty of room for our 2 families (10 people) and we could have packed 1-2 more families in. The house is very secluded, with a lot of hiking trails around. And the price was right. We'll be back for sure.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Roomy

The property was as advertised and we had plenty of room to spread out. Travis responded quickly to our calls. Overall, it was centrally located to what we wanted to do as a family of 6 adults and 5 children.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Beautiful house in the woods

We really enjoyed our stay at Once Upon a Stream! It was close to hiking, waterfalls and Cashiers. The owners, Travis and Kristen Eckert, were always helpful and answered questions quickly. The house was clean, roomy and comfortable. The kids enjoyed walking down to the stream and exploring around the land. Thanks for the great stay!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2016
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Loved it!

We love this area and Once Upon A Stream proved to be a wonderful house! It's just as portrayed in the listing. The owner, Travis Eckert, is a fount of information and very accommodating and concerned about his guests' comfort.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2019
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family Vacation Success

Three generations on vacation and it could not have been more comfortable. This house was perfect for having our own space while also providing an environment where we could gather. There really wasn't anything we needed that wasn't provided. Communication was great!!! Fantastic location for getting to restaurants, shopping and outdoor adventure.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great mountain escape

This is a lovely property in a secluded neighborhood. Great escape from city living. The leaves had changed and were beautiful here! We used the outside fire pit to roast marshmallows. It was a nice, clean house as advertised. Everything worked well and made for a great friends and family getaway.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022
Archival

10/10 Excellent

A Slice of Heaven

Our stay at Once Upon a Stream could not have been any better. The gorgeous house, the beautiful idyllic setting and the Sapphire location exceeded our high expectations. Our host, Travis. made sure that we were comfortably settled in and was readily available and willing to meet any need we might have. I highly recommend the house for a family vacation. For my family, Once Upon a Stream was a slice of heaven.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2017
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We really enjoyed our stay overall. The house was a great size, and the location was fantastic.A few things could be improved, though. The outdoor furniture was disappointing. Two of the chairs were broken when we arrived, and the remaining furniture was very uncomfortable. With a house like this, you naturally want to spend a lot of time outside, so having comfortable, functional outdoor seating would make a big difference.The third floor was also extremely hot during our stay. We only discovered the day before we left that the thermostat for that floor was hidden behind a picture. We never would have thought to look there and simply assumed the third floor was hot because it was the top level. Some instructions about the thermostat locations would have been very helpful.Finally, the listing mentions several great amenities, but we didn’t learn until after booking that many of them require an additional fee. We had planned on using the gym every day, especially with our teenage boys, so that was disappointing.Despite these issues, it’s a great house in an excellent location, and we truly enjoyed our time there.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family fun

We had a great time! The house was well appointed and plenty of space for my husband and I and our 3 (tween-teens) kids. They loved the kids cave and the foosball table. The upstairs had 2 nice sized bedrooms, but we didn’t even need those. Communication with Travis was great. Enjoyed several hikes in the area and the local restaurants.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful accommodations!

It was the perfect getaway. The house was nestled in the woods. We had enough space for everyone to have their privacy and gather. We enjoyed the balconies, fire pit, and the stream. The owner was always responded to us by phone and text, and problems we had were taken care of immediately. The Sapphire resort amenities were a big plus. Thank you!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing stay!!!

From the moment we pulled up it was just perfect! Beautiful house inside and out. Kids loved the creek and we all enjoyed the outside fires and the cozy easy to use fireplace. Everything we needed was there and there was plenty of room! I’d recommend completely to any extended family or just a small family. Travis was always in touch with us,warning us of winter weather (which my Florida born children loved!) and was constantly in touch with us to see if we needed anything. Great owners, Great place, Great Lifetime Memories for our family! Would stay again for sure!!!!
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family Celebration

We had 14 family members in our group. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We really enjoyed the stream below the house. We had small grandkids come over from Whisper Lake and put rubber duck in the stream to float down. I think the stream was the family favorite. Would definitely do this again. Travis responded quickly to any questions we had,
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023