Barnsley Resort

We were genuinely excited about our stay at Barnsley Resort. We vacation often in East Tennessee and North Georgia, and this place had recently caught our eye. And let’s be clear: the *property itself is stunning*. The architecture is charming, the cottage décor hits the right balance of rustic and refined, and the spa was world-class. The golf course? Absolutely beautiful—one of the prettiest I’ve ever played. But here’s the thing: the experience didn’t live up to the setting. Let’s start with the basics. Housekeeping was non-existent unless we asked for it. On day two, they didn’t even empty the trash. The in-room coffee maker was broken. We requested a new one. That one was broken too. The third machine finally worked—barely. The restaurant was underwhelming. The food lacked creativity and flavor—far from what you'd expect at a luxury resort. And the service? Uneven. Sometimes excellent and sometimes slow. Room service? Don’t expect anything close to luxury. We ordered dinner the second night and got a paper bag full of plastic containers and disposable utensils. It felt more like a budget hotel than a high-end resort. And for what it’s worth, that “picnic-in-a-sack” cost us over $150. The staff overall were friendly—except at reception. That team seemed completely checked out. Not welcoming, not helpful, and not informed. We also drive an EV and checked ahead to confirm they had fast chargers. They said yes. They were wrong. What we found were two tired-looking Level 1 chargers—basically useless. After two hours, we got an additional 3% battery and a charge (pun intended) of $11. The front desk shrugged. Literally. Thankfully, we found a real charger at Buc-ee’s nearby. The little things added up, too. No offer to help with our luggage, drapes hanging off the rods, paper coffee cups and fake creamer in the room, etc. Details overlooked that should never be ignored at this price point. **Bottom line:** Barnsley Resort has *enormous* potential. But it needs a leadership team willing to raise the bar, invest in training, and focus on delivering a truly exceptional guest experience. (They might want to study Blackberry Farm—or just read *Unreasonable Hospitality* by Will Guidara.) We ended our trip a day early and ate the cost. That should tell you everything.

This place is amazing! The rooms, staff and food everything was extraordinary. We had so much fun ar wine tasting with Katty! She is awesome! The gardens are beautiful. Rooms are so clean. I will be back for sure. Thanks so much for the great hospitality!

Lots of opportunity at the Barnsley, but much yet to be desired. We chose the Barnsley because it’s dog friendly, advertised lots of hiking trails and a 4-star hotel. Unfortunately, the stay did not live up to the expectations. The pros- all of the dining staff are amazingly friendly and knowledgeable! The food is also high quality and lots of diverse choosing. The Biergarten was only open on the weekend and we were able to dine once and it was quite nice. The con- the check-in staff wasn’t friendly and didn’t want to be bothered with questions about where hiking trails were located. No dog welcome bag/bandanas as described for the dog pet fee. To this end, we asked 3 other people and no one knew where the hiking trails were. We scanned a QR code in our cottage and it didn’t work. We found one trail and never ended up finding any others with lack of signage given how prominently advertised. The cottage was dirty and truly needs a deep clean to be considered 4-stars. The corners in the cottage near the ceiling had daddy long legs/bugs, water damage and paint peeling near windows, baseboards covered in hair/debris and towels had stains. The bathroom doors had obvious dirt and stains. We arrived Saturday evening and spent as much time outdoors since we weren’t thrilled with the room, but on Monday morning and then the remainder of our visit it was filled with non-stop construction noise, landscapers and traffic. It was hard to sit outside as it was constant buzz saws and landscape equipment. The only restaurant open was Woodlands and with the dogs we needed to dine outdoors but had to leave our lunch early because landscapers came to trim all the hedges in front of where we were sitting. Lots of potential here, but training of staff and choreography of visitor experience needs honing. While the cottages have been updated they definitely need a deep clean. It’s a shame the staff hasn’t been held to a higher standard given the potential to be a remarkable stay. For the price you can stay at Lake Oconee Ritz where the attention to cleanliness and guest experience is perfected.

Overall we had a very enjoyable stay! This is probably the most luxurious accommodation in the area (although very price compared to nearyby hotels). We were visiting family near by in Cartersville and it was a quick drive to and fro. The grounds are beautiful, and the rooms are spacious. We stayed from Saturday through Tuesday the third week of March and the resort was very quiet and not busy (Saturday was the busiest we saw). The rooms were quiet and we had a decent sleep, although our mattresses were a bit soft. We had young kids and they enjoyed the resort too. The smore offering with a bonfire in the evenings were a nice touch, and scones with tea/coffee at the Inn were enjoyed by us all. We did not get to enjoy any restaurants or amenities, but stopped in the gift shop and golf shop which were nice. Resort does have bikes to enjoy on the property, although we didn't have time to use them! All staff we encountered were kind and accommodating!

Attended an annual fundraiser for a very special non profit and Barnsley Resort again "knocked it out of the park!" The Barnsley team was first rate across the board, especially when the weather was less than cooperative and events had to be relocated on short notice. Special kudos to Jeff and the rest of the banquet staff!