Riverview Hobbit Retreat
Riversong Forest Retreat
Newell, Alabama
Welcome to The Shire at "Riversong Forest Retreat!"
Coming soon: 9/21! Enjoy "second breakfast" in our secluded underground Hobbit House at secluded Riversong Forest Retreat, with a view of the beautiful river. Designed to look like a European castle on the interior, our underground LOTR retreat offers a luxe marble bath, granite kitchen, vintage art, tapestries, tiles, round doors/window and antiques. You'll feel like royalty in the hand painted 1880s bed. Enjoy amenities like pizza oven, firepit, griddle, and outdoor clawfoot tubs
This was the most challenging and complicated art project we have ever undertaken and the most incredible at the end of the build. I think you will find yourself feeling like you've crossed the pond to the Olde World of Europe or "The Shire."
Two years in the making, we designed the Hobbit House to look like the interior of a European castle, but of course it is underground and has the round front door of Frodo Baggins. Antique European tapestries, Renaissance furniture, built in 1700s tiles from Portugal, and custom tiles, European oil paintings, vintage art pieces, stained glass and much more. You'll have a lot to explore and check out.
And yet we have made every attempt to provide all of the creature comforts: high end memory foam bed, high thread count sheets, marble shower with pastel pebbled floor, vintage British stained glass, old stained glass church window, two outdoor antique clawfoot tubs for soaking and taking in the river view.
We also have a Keurig coffee maker, air fryer, two burner stovetop, Blackstone style griddle, firepit, and gas high temperature pizza oven, microwave, and fridge.
We began by digging a huge hole on the upper bluff of the Little Tallapoosa River and then installing masonry walls and layers and layers of waterproofing. We framed the roof with massive live edge beams, from the oaks and cedars on property, to hold the weight of the dirt and roof layers. The Hobbit House has a double massive LVL spine down the center, that we wrapped in old barnwood.
The round door is one of my favorite things and the steel hardware was custom crafted by Simone Wilson, a talented artist located in Atlanta. Because it is a Hobbit House, you have to duck and step into the round opening. The round opening from the bedroom to the living room is much larger and crafted with 140-year-old bricks and indigenous stones from the property. However, the door the bathroom is Hobbit sized, so you may have to duck!
We have two other Airbnb listings on property: The Starry Steampunk Wagon (further up 532), and Fairytale Cabin on Lake Wedowee, and a future Grain Silo. So you may encounter others at the resort, on the river road and hiking the trails. Or just driving down the River Road.
Brought to you by the team from the famed Alpaca Treehouse in the Bamboo Forest, this beautiful character rich space was inspired by the Lord of the Rings books.
THINGS TO DO:
-Star gazing. There is no light pollution, so check out the beauty of the Southern skies.
-Pan for gold in Wolf Creek. We leave you two black gold pans to try your luck. This area used to have gold mines and the river and the creek have gold flakes and maybe even nuggets.
-Fishing: The creek & river are filled with crappie, brim, and bass.
-Explore the Property
-Photography: So many opportunities.
-Wildlife Watching
-Kayak or canoe down the Little Tallapoosa/Lake Wedowee. Put in at Lamar Bridge, up river, and take out at our beach. Will need two cars
-Swim in the river or deep holes in Wolf Creek
-Soak in the Claw Foot Tubs with a view of the river.
-Make a Pizza in the Pizza Oven: Make your own custom pie in our oven. All accessories provided.
-Take a Hike: We have 100 gorgeous acres to explore or hike down country road 532 for easier walking.
-Check out the Muscogee/Creek Indian Trail Tree: Located down at the confluence where Wolf Creek meets the river/lake is a tree bent using a heavy stone to point the native peoples to special places of important. A confluence was a sacred spot for weddings/funerals.
-Search for Treasure: We have valuable bottles and other artifacts on the property just waiting to be found.
-Dig Arrowheads and Native Pottery: This was once the home to the bustling thriving Native Peoples/Muscogee or Creek Indians. There are artifacts to be found. We found an arrowhead recently.
-Forest Bathing:: Spending time in nature, with its perfect balance of sights, sounds, smells, and peaceful environment, offers essential rewards for our highly stressed mental and physical selves. No wonder the ecotherapy practice of forest bathing, otherwise known as Shinrin-yoku, is gaining steam for all the right reasons. Don’t be confused; the exercise has nothing to do with soap or water. Instead, the name refers to the way participants fully immerse themselves in — and reconnect with — nature.
Sleeps 2. No pets. Kids 12 & over welcome.
Photos by Joy Cannis Photography
