Sautee Inn Bed and Breakfast is located just outside Helen, Georgia, about three miles away north; and Cleveland, Georgia, about the same distance south. Sautee Nacoochee is a town on the northeastern side of the state in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Eight units (with seven attached baths) are available for patrons to choose from year-round. All overnight guests at the Inn are invited to join the hosts for breakfast each morning, usually, at 8:30 am on weekdays or 9:00 am on weekends. Ron, one of the four owners, describes the interior of the home as a "Vintage Farm House Victorian," and a significant amount of antique furniture and fixtures decorate the inside. One unit, Garden View, is pet-friendly, allowing visitors to bring small dogs to the Inn. The bed and breakfast was built in the late 1800s, and it has an abundant amount of history and a relatively large amount of green space outside. Sautee Inn Bed and Breakfast is surrounded by various mountains, which offer hiking trails, water falls, lakes, tubing, and other outdoor recreational activities.
Sautee Inn Bed and Breakfast offers a total of eight units for reservation in the two-story home, with three suites on the first floor and five on the second floor. According to Ron, each space has its own interior style, although they all follow a "Farm House Victorian theme." As an example, he mentions that the unit known as Yellow Rose has many color-coordinated flowery decorations and furniture that are primarily yellow and white. Every room comes with basic toiletries, says Ron, such as soap, shampoo, and conditioner, as well as towels, "comfy" bedsheets, hair dryers, and Wi-Fi. Evening snacks are left in the dining area for patrons as they arrive back from their evening activities. There is also a community refrigerator where guests can grab drinks such as soda, bottled water, and more. There are some differences between the accommodations. Ron mentions that the most popular suite tends to be Mountain View because "it is a king-room that is accompanied by a porch swing just outside while overlooking the best view on the property." Garden View contains a kitchenette with a full-size refrigerator, microwave, sink, utensils, plates, and cups. All guests are invited to breakfast the following morning in one of two dining areas, out on the deck, porch, or in your room.
Breakfast typically begins at 9:00 am on weekends and 8:30 am on weekdays, though Ron remarks that they can be a bit flexible with the time. The meal usually consists of a gourmet entree and a fruit dish. In the past, patrons have been served entrees such as "fluffy cheezy eggs," blueberry french toast, baked tomatoes, thick-cut Canadian bacon, homemade sausage patties, and seasoned potatoes. Ron mentions that his partner Mike "has mastered waffles." The staff alternate between making sweet courses and savory dishes to provide guests with different presentations each morning if they are staying multiple days. Accommodations can be made for those who have specific diets or allergies, including gluten-free, fat-free, and others, as Rebecca once owned her own bakery and specializes in dietary issues.
Several common areas are found in the home, which involves two dining rooms, a formal parlor (60" TV screen), a screened-in sun porch, and a three-season porch that overlooks Nacoochee Valley. The owners describe their home's interior as "late-1800s Farm House Victorian." There is a significant amount of seating available outside, and one can find a gazebo, an outdoor deck, three old barns that can be used for photography, and a creek. Ron explains, "We are one of the few properties where our frontage is from the original Unicoi Turnpike, which was built in 1817." The Unicoi Turnpike is a historic Cherokee road found near the establishment that was created to make a better path between central Tennessee and the Savanna River.
The business also sells antiques to patrons who are interested. Ron explains that he buys and sells antiques and acquires local art, prints, busts, and other similar items. In the future, the inn plans on selling honey, coffee, and homemade skin cream, all of which will be acquired by local vendors.
Beyond the property line, one can find various mountains, each with its hiking trails and other opportunities for outdoor recreational activities. A few of the relatively many noteworthy places for hiking include Unicoi State Park and Mount Yonah. Tubing is another popular activity in the city of Helen, and one can visit places such as Cool River Tubing to ride down the Chattahoochee River. Several mines, such as Dukes Creek Gold & Ruby Mines, offer activities such as panning for gold, breaking geodes, and scavenging for fossils and gems. There are a variety of restaurants and wineries in the vicinity that the owners of Sautee Inn Bed and Breakfast like to recommend to visitors. A few that they mention by name are Mully's Nacoochee Grill, Harvest Habersham, Nacoochee Grub, and Cowboys & Angels.
Another attraction the owners say that guests shouldn't miss include the Alpine Helen with its German Oktoberfest Celebration lasting for several weeks in the fall and its Christmas parades and many fine restaurants and watering establishments.
Sautee Inn Bed and Breakfast owners would like their guests to "enjoy their stay so much that they want to come back." Ron explains that he and the other owners try to create an atmosphere everyone will enjoy and find relaxing. He states, "We want to be warm and welcoming, family-like."
The business will sometimes host events on the grounds, often decorating the property according to the season or holiday they are celebrating. In the past, Sautee Inn Bed and Breakfast has held events and activities for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and others. The inn was part of the White County Parade of Houses decorated for the Christmas season and to support the local library. The company can also host events for guests, such as weddings, bridal parties, and family gatherings, among others.
There are several policies that Ron and the other owners ask patrons to abide by while they are staying at the inn. There are designated smoking areas for one. Small dogs are permitted in the Garden View unit, as it is their only pet-friendly amenity. Visitors must keep their dogs in a kennel or crate if they are going to be gone, and the pets must not be left alone for extended periods. A few rooms have enough space and roll-a-ways for families to bring children, but kids must be under adult supervision at all times.
There have been many guests that have stayed at Sautee Inn Bed and Breakfast. A few of them have left reviews of their experience in Helen, Georgia, several of which mention aspects of the property, namely the location and the breakfast that was served. One previous patron wrote, "What an excellent location—secluded and private, but also close enough to many attractions, restaurants, and antique shops. Rebecca is a wonderful host, and her brownies are a great late-night snack to come back to. Our room was clean and comfortable, with a private balcony and private bathroom."
The business is open year-round, with the busiest season of operation occurring during the fall, specifically during Oktoberfest. The summer is reportedly another busy period for the company due to the outdoor recreational activities in the area. The typical demographic tends to be couples between the ages of 25 and 75. People often come to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or a weekend away from "real life," says Ron.
Sautee Inn Bed & Breakfast was built in the late-1800s along the Unicoi Turnpike because local travelers needed places to stay as they traveled for vacation, trade and the hidden hot springs of the Georgia Mountains. First built in 1870 by the Green family, the home was a wayside stop for travelers. William Clay Alley purchased the inn in 1896, however, two years later it was burnt to the ground. Eventually, the home was rebuilt with the same floor plan in mind in 1898 and became known as the Alley House. In 1937, Charlotte Templeton purchased the property and took down about one-third of the building. in 1957, Coleman Alley (grandson of William Clay Alley) repurchased the home and kept it as his family residence until 1972. John and Emily Anthony purchased the property and ran a restaurant called the Sautee Inn. The house changed hands several times until the current owners acquired the property in early 2022. According to Mike and Ron, "We're trying to restore it to its original state in 1898 with more upgraded amenities." They mention some changes they've made, such as the city water, 24kw generator, new insulated windows, upgrading the kitchen, relatively extensive renovations to the bathrooms, outdoor stonework, new lighting, adding the crushed stone drive, signage, addition of vintage furniture, and more.
There are four owners of the business, and each shares the day-to-day upkeep, cooking, cleaning, marketing, and renovations. The owners are Ron (marketing, finances, and assisting Mike where and when needed), Katie (a published cookbook author who once was a prep chef for Julia Child), Rebecca (owned her own bakery and carries the load of preparing the breakfasts and desserts daily), and Mike (contractor/handyman, who maintains the building and grounds as well as peeling potatoes). They were led into the industry because they wanted to buy real estate. Ron pitched the idea to the others, asking if they wanted to buy an inn, and after spending some time talking it over (about an hour), they decided to look for one. They purchased Sautee Inn Bed and Breakfast in March of 2022 and opened mid-May of the same year. Ron notes that it had been running as a bed and breakfast for about 15 years before they acquired the establishment and at that time had different seasonal hours. The inn is currently open year-round, but it was closed during the winter under the previous owners.
Ron's favorite part about running the bed and breakfast is the location and the natural surroundings. In his own words, "I love the view of the mountains in the morning, smelling the fresh-cut grass and the morning dew, and looking at the low-lying cloud cover and watching the sun burn it off." As with his partners, he also enjoys caring for people and trying to provide them with a positive experience while they are in Helen.
Mike, Rebecca, Katie, and Ron were friends before they were business partners, which they say makes "it so easy to welcome guests into their home. Much more than an investment, they want to give back to God by serving others with the gifts He has given them."
2178 GA Highway 17
Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia 30571
United States
Victorian
Ron, Katie, Rebecca, and Mike
