Caryville Home w/ Dock, Steps to Norris Lake!

Reviews

• Great location, family friendly

  5/5

  Our family enjoyed our time at the lake. The dock was accessible by foot or by car for those that needed a lift down. Great for fishing a swimming. Close to the marina(s). Fully stocked with all your vacation and kitchen needs.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

• Had high hopes but property fell short

  1/5

  This property had such potential, but it ended up being a disappointment due to cleanliness & the Evolve team.

  PROS: The location is great, the dock is great, the beds were very comfortable, and the tvs in all the bedrooms were great for our kids. The kitchen was stocked suitably for our party of 7, and there was the nice, new, clean refrigerator.

  CONS: The walk down the hill to the dock was steeper than we anticipated, so just beware if you're taking small children or older guests this hill would not be appropriate for them to walk up and down to the boat dock. Our biggest issue with this property however was cleanliness.

  I moved a dresser in a bedroom away from the wall to plug in a baby monitor and found 2 used condoms and food wrappers under the dresser. I reported it immediately and this is where the disappointment started. I was told that Evolve's cleaning team is typically one person and they don't move heavy furniture. That's fine, however I'm 5'7", 140 lbs and had no struggle moving this dresser on my own to plug in the cord for the monitor, so I would expect these dressers to be moved occasionally at best and be cleaned under. I will add, they sent a cleaning person out within 2 hours or reporting this however I just cleaned it up myself before that point.

  There was only 1 or 3 lightbulbs working in the downstairs bathroom. Not a huge deal, but still annoying that this was missed by cleaning crew.

  Lastly, the grill had a VERY thick layer of grease and food under the grates and it caught fire when we lit it. We wound up having to use the fire extinguisher to put the fire out. I reported this, and this is what earned this property a zero star rating. The Evolve property manager called me and it just went south from there. He asked me "if I expected a new grill at every VRBO I ever rent" and I replied no, however I expect to be safe in a property I rent and the house easily could've caught on fire quickly with my family inside at the time this all happened. Property manager asked how he could make it right and I said 50% refund for total cost of the trip. He said he would make some calls and get back to me. It's been almost 2 weeks and I haven't heard a word back from anyone from Evolve.

  I feel empathy for the actual owners of this property because it's a nice, comfortable place with great proximity to the lake, but Evolve ruined it.

  *I have pictures of the used condoms and video of the grill on fire*

  Manager's Response:

  Hi Kara, The homeowners were surprised to read your review, as they are accustomed to providing 5-star experiences, and would like to clarify the following:
  - The walk to the water is clearly laid out in our listing photos and referenced in our welcome book. However, for guests with mobility concerns, there is an option to drive and park within 15 feet of our private dock on the water.
  - The property had its carpets cleaned, including moving furniture, two weeks before your stay. After your 9:30 PM report, we promptly sent a cleaner who arrived within 75 minutes. A member of your party mentioned that the children had opened and hidden the condoms, which were likely from your group as they were not present after the last cleaning.
  - We apologize for the inconvenience of the light bulb issue. Our cleaner replaced the bulb as soon as we were notified.
  - The grill is brand new and inspected after each guest's stay. For safety, please supervise the grill while in use, as your absence triggered the neighbors' fire alarm. A grill brush is provided for additional cleaning if needed. Additionally, a new grill was delivered early the next morning for your convenience.
  
  Thank you for your insight, and please know that we strive to provide the best possible stay for our guests and take all feedback seriously to improve our services.

• Fun Even in the Rain

  5/5

  We used the porch to play board games (we brought with us) during the rain. We swam in the Lake and took out the Kayaks. They kitchen had everything we needed. The bathrooms were nice with lots of fluffy towels. Many things to do at this property. As others have noted, not appropriate for people who aren't comfortable walking down the hill to the Lake. It wasn't a problem for us but it may be for some.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

  Manager's Response:

  From the owner: "Thank you for your stay and welcome back anytime. As explained in the guest book you can drive around the point to the dock if you don’t want to walk down. There are signs where you can park 10ft from the water, next to the dock. We are glad you enjoyed your stay."

• 5/5

  Great house for boating at Norris Lake. Clean, well-kept, well-furnished. Liked the labels on the cabinets for where everything is stored. The driveway is very steep so if you plan to take your boat to the house before launching, you will need a fairly powerful vehicle.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

  Manager's Response:

  From the owner: "Thank you so much for your staying with us, Gregory. You’re welcome back anytime. There’s a car port on the flat part of the property by the driveway where a boat or trailer can be left. Everything in Tennessee is hilly but that's what makes it so beautiful."

• TN stay

  4/5

  Nice place. Not as close to the water as pictured and firepit not close

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

  Manager's Response:

  From the owner: "Hi Renee, thank you for choosing our home for your stay. We apologize if the fire pit’s distance from the house wasn’t to your preference. Our fire pit is much bigger than the norm around the lake, and we prioritize safety and space on our 2-acre property. Evolve did a great job with the pictures showing the actual view to the water and you also have the simple 2-minute drive around the gravel lane. if you prefer not to take the 1 minute grass walk to the water. We hope to host you again!"