The proprietors of Mountain Brook in Sylva have pulled off an unusual accomplishment. They've taken a group of cottages built in the woods in the 1930s and renovated them enough to win AAA approval without losing the rural feel of the original buildings.

No two are alike. They're built variously of log, stone, brick and frame. The cottages called "Romancers" have a whirlpool-sauna area and a bedroom from which you can see the fireplace in the living room.

Guest in all cottages may use the whirlpool spa and cedar sauna in a separate building surrounded by mountain laurel and rhododendron.

In another building, the game room includes a pool table, pinball machine, some sports equipment, board games and a lending library.

Other amenities on the property include a picnic area, charcoal grills, nature trails and a stocked trout pond. You don't need a license to fish here. The Mountain Brook folks provide bait and tackle, charge a nominal sum for each fish you catch and expect you to keep the fish, not throw them back.

Mountain Brook is near a number of waterfalls, as well as the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Nantahala Gorge and Cherokee Indian Reservation. It's an easy drive to Biltmore Estate and to the town of Franklin, known for gem mines, where you can buy a bucket of dirt and sluice through it for precious stones.