The Fontana Village Resort & Marina in North Carolina has completed the first phase of a property-wide restoration plan that includes updates to The Main Lodge, lodge guestrooms and cabins, operational enhancements to the Fontana Village Marina and the Fontana General Store, improved digital infrastructure, modernized recreational amenities and a refurbished riverside campground. The renovation, led by managing partners Robin and DeAnn Turner, who acquired the property last year, emphasizes the area’s history while adding modern elements, drawing inspiration from the Great Smoky Mountains and the Appalachian region.
The Main Lodge and its accompanying guestrooms were the first areas to be updated in the multiyear restoration campaign. The lodge’s lobby, formerly used for guest check-in, has been restored to highlight the original architecture and design elements like wooden vaulted ceiling beams, natural stone floors and stacked stone walls. Dedicated seating areas outfitted with custom-made furnishings by Stickley Furniture and Artistica Home complement the Pendleton Fabrics and unique area rugs from Shaw Floors. Updated workspaces and a new executive conference room are surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass and a twelve-foot live edge slab handmade by a local craftsman. The center of the room has a conversation pit with blue leather upholstery and a handcrafted table.
All 42 lodge guestrooms and 14 cabins were upgraded and redesigned. Drawing inspiration from Fontana’s history and founding during the American Industrial Era, designers opted for textures and materials unique to that period. The team selected a palette of rustic hues that mimic the Appalachian terrain and its native flora, supplemented by Pendleton fabrics in shades of twilight. Guestroom walls display original photos from the Fontana Photo Archive dating back to the 1940s as an ode to the property’s past. In-room amenities include Moen and Kohler fixtures and Mincey Marble in the bathroom along with Keurig Coffee Makers.
More recently, the resort’s Wildwood Grill dining concept rebranded to Quill’s Canteen, a fast-casual, counter-service style restaurant set to open in early to mid-April. The resort’s Mountview Bistro will be evolving into Hazel’s.
Before this phase of restoration, several smaller yet integral enhancement projects were addressed throughout the grounds, including at the General Store (which now operates 24-7 and serves as guest check-in), a new marina and an arcade room. In June, MMI Hospitality Group was selected to lead day-to-day operations, which included the appointment of a new general manager to oversee the restoration.
Phase Two restoration efforts are currently underway and will feature the modification of event spaces like the Carolina Room and enhancements to the remaining guestrooms, suites and cabins throughout the property. Managing partners have invested approximately $10 million in the restoration campaign of Fontana Village and estimate the full scope of the project to be completed by 2028.