*I am now offering my guests the option to rent the pontoon boat for your summer rental fun to get out onto the lake, or have your evening sunset or cocktail cruise.

So, Welcome:

If you want a cross between my lovely grandmothers' “Sweet Briar” full silver service, breakfast, lunch and dinner charm and sensibility with myself, the artist (Undergraduate and Master’s),
who loves to create, design, and cook, you have found the correct Mountain/Lake Summit home. This is one of the first 4 original houses built here on Lake Summit and the first arrivals here get the best view.. You and your family/guests will feel its original charm, beauty, and tranquil spirit the minute you walk through the house and on to the front porch which overlooks the lake. You will instantly shed all of the tension, and will properly start your vacation *(if not, pour a glass of wine, or a higher octane in extreme cases). When you come back into the house you will find a very warm atmosphere with pickled knotty pine, art covered walls, beamed ceilings, comfortable furniture (antiques and traditional), heart pine floors with traveled rugs, and the original rock fireplace. Most of the walls are covered by my art (see pictures), art buddies, or local and International talent collected through my life’s journeys.

The house, though originally built in 1920 on this beautiful lake (dammed in 1919), has had all of the proper modernization's to the home without losing the feel of the original house. Probably the best descriptions of the property have been done by my awesome guests and their reviews and I definitely invite you to read them!

The house has three in-home bedrooms. All the mattresses and box springs, in the house and bunkhouse are new!! (Zzzz). The Master is on the main level with a king-size bed and the two other bedrooms are located off the lower level deck with very comfy queens. The house provides all quality cotton, white linens for the beds, white cotton bath towels and wash clothes. I also have various colored Beach towels for the lake.
(Please note: Due to time restraints on turning the house, you are responsible for washing and drying the beach towels you use at the lake before your departure, or bring your own beach towels)

Both the Master bedroom and the living room do have full size sofa's for your convenience if you have a small child you want to sleep with you in the same room or close in the living room area. Very comfy and extra sheets and pillows can be found in Master Closet.

The bunkhouse is a separate building across the driveway from the kitchen. This room contains two twin beds with an awesome wake up view. There is a separate HVAC unit. It is the perfect hideout for any of the family’s children, and in actuality a perfect room for a break from the kids! It has its own TV, sound system, and you can watch them from the kitchen (but can not hear them! YAY ! Laugh ). This is also a great place for a Massage! Massage table can be found under closest twin. *I have a masseuse you can call. There is also a dog bed out there if you need a babysitter for the kids. You do use the bathrooms in the main house.

The Main house is complete with two full newly renovated bathrooms, a Fully-Equipped Gourmet Kitchen with gas stove, Calphalon cookware, Henckles Knives, proper serving pieces and a centered butcher block (grab some herbs from the herb garden, upper deck of the boathouse!), an exquisite, often-used fireplace in the main room that’s sure to provide the perfect evening setting. Central air/heat, with ceiling fans as well. There are two large French farm tables which can hold 10 guests each, one inside and one on the expanding front porch. This house is sure to provide the space and accommodations for any size or type of family, group of friends, cozy enough for as few as two, or spacious enough for as many as eight.

Fully equipped with all the latest in technology, the house includes 6 flat screen televisions all with "smart" (Netflix) capabilities (which can also be left off), wireless internet, as well as a house surround-sound system for your music listening pleasure. The televisions maintain a "Whole House" DirecTV package. Yes guys, if there is a game, match or round, you can get the game, match or round. Almost any major sporting event. Welcome to your vacation as well!
(I recommend the large flat screen on the front porch for those sporting events, it also overlooks the lake, best of both worlds!) The stereo system has surround sound for the movie viewing which also goes through the main floor of the house, kitchen, porch, and cooking deck. There is a pair of VR Goggles, cards and other various games as well (including Twister!)

Perhaps the most stunning and noteworthy feature of the house, aside from its inner beauty, is its multiple locations for outdoor gathering enjoyment. Overlooking the lake, there are four different outdoor areas for entertainment at any time of the day or night. The lower level bedroom entrance has its separate great deck that overlooks the lake. The boathouse, besides the beach and dock, also has a new upstairs kitchenette/dining area opening to the attached upper garden deck. Again, surrounded by the smells of the herb garden, this is a perfect place for wine, cheese and appetizers. It has nice seating for any afternoon or evening (this deck is also fun to jump off of into the lake). The new kitchenette/dining/poker room is also a place for taking down lunch, or to get out of a passing shower (poker chips included).
Back up at the house, the courtyard next to the grilling area has a Chimenea for the outdoor fireplace feature and chill quaint gathering spot.

However, arguably the most enchanting and magnetic place on the entire property is the spanning front porch on the main level of the house. This wooden deck with natural Mountain Laurel rails and party lighting (electrical, candle lit, or combination) provide the ideal view of the lake at the perfect altitude to view on for what seems to be forever. The Western facing porch allows for the most perfect point of view for every sunset that one could ever ask for. Cameras will get a workout from this perspective, I promise. The porch includes the other 10ft French farm dining tables (breakfast, lunch and dinner lake views) with several candle opportunities. The other half of the porch has a seating area, a large porch swing and opens to the brick courtyard. There are the two proper grills (one gas and one charcoal) at this part of the house all allowing for unforgettable nights and fantastic dinners.

The boathouse and dock has 4 Kayaks for your use, and a paddle board as well as many other floatables. There is the new kitchenette upstairs with a refrigerator, an ice cream maker, fresh water sink and dinning table for eating lunch or playing games.
*( for past visiting guests, this used to be a bedroom)...

The house also has 3 Bikes for riding around the lake road.. Or if you are a more serious cycler a great area for your own bikes. Walking around the lake road is also a popular activity.. I am not going to comment on you runners.... ha.

There can be arrangements made for purchasing a permit and gate key access for your own boat. It does take a letter of permission from me and a few weeks to request a lake permit (requires proof of insurance, boat description and has to be done way ahead of time before your arrival).
Or... you can take the option to rent my 20ft pontoon with a 50hp Honda 4 stroke. The boat will be waiting at the dock at your arrival, keys in the ignition.... Gas will be topped off at the beginning of your stay and you re-top the boat at the end of your stay at the associations gas dock at the end of the lake for the next set of guests...(Easier, no launching, no permitting, no hauling, less expensive, and very easy to operate!!! A, "You are on vacation already!", alternative.). ;-)
I great way to explore the rest of the lake or take that occasional cocktail cruise! Quite frankly most of my guests do take advantage of the pontoon offer and I try to make it affordable for your enjoyment...

**You do not have to decide about the boat renting option when making house reservation. But please decide a few weeks prior to your arrival date so I can arrange for it to be there for your group. I only rent this boat to my guests. It is my personal boat, easy to maneuver, you can't get lost on the lake, and it comes pre-dented from being on a lake full of wooden docks and previous docking attempts from previous guests (laugh). Doggies love boat rides !

The lake is also, of course, a great lake to bring a Canoe or Paddle Board. Or just Kayak with my 4 included Kayaks or my one paddle board!

And sunning, floating and swimming off the dock is the toughest job you should have during your summer stay.

Tryon International Equestrian Center:
For those of you visiting or participating in the marvelous new Tryon International Equestrian Center, Welcome. Lake Summit is an easy 20 some minute drive up the mountain on I -26, just on the other side of Saluda. That short drive gets you up the mountain, at least 10 degrees cooler minimum at all time, plus the cool clean mountain lake to jump in to wash the days dust off..

Thanks for considering my property and I hope to see you all soon, from which ever direction you are coming from and for what ever reason it brings you here. It has been fondly dubbed "Camp Billy", a camp both for the young and the young at heart (And cheaper than other camps at the other end of the lake!). It is a great adult alternative to hang here while your kids participate in the other truly fine kids camps at the other end of the lake....laugh. But truthfully a great, fun spot with the whole family.

With all of this said, I would love to share the house I've built my life around. I am sure it will become as memorable for you as it is endearing for me.

Billy Gordon