The Colquitts, from Knoxville, Tennessee, intend to maintain The Swag’s rich traditions. 

Waynesville, North Carolina (April 16, 2018) —The Swag, a 14-room mountaintop hideaway, owned and operated by Deener and Dan Matthews for 37 years, was sold to Knoxville, Tennessee residents David and Annie Colquitt on April 13th.  The award-winning Swag will reopen for the season on April 20^th, 2018, and the Colquitts’ intend to preserve the rich character and traditions established by the Matthews.

“Continuity is the order of the day,” said David Colquitt.  He and his wife, Annie, honeymooned at The Swag in 2011, and they plan to spend quite a bit of time at the mountaintop inn meeting guests and overseeing operations.  General Manager, Greg Hoover, who joins The Swag from the Old Baldy Club in Saratoga, Wyoming will be attending to the day-to-day operations along with a team of 30 –many whom have been with The Swag for years.

The Swag has long been a special place for Annie Colquitt, whose grandparents, Jim and Natalie Haslam, are good friends of the Matthews and the family spent a great deal of time at the mountaintop hideaway bordering Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  “Our intention is to preserve what the Matthews have built,” Annie Colquitt said.  “The Swag has been a special place for my family for decades.”

Recognized as the #2 Resort in the South  in Conde Nast Traveler’s 2017 Readers Choice Awards, The Swag was also named “Most Romantic” under Hotel Standouts  in the January 2018 Grand Awards special edition issue of The Hideaway Report, Andrew Harper’s member-exclusive monthly publication.

The Swag consists of 14 rooms in cabins made of hand-hewn logs and decorated with antiques, regional artwork and handmade quilts. Most rooms have a private balcony, wood-burning stone fireplace and steam shower.

Guests also can enjoy hiking trails, lectures, massages, racquetball, badminton, croquet and a treehouse, among other activities.

The all-inclusive Swag, which resides on 250-acres of private property, 5,000 ft. high, has many deep traditions and trademark features, which the Colquitt’s will continue to offer.    These include a rotating roster of special event leaders who share their expertise and knowledge in the area’s of storytelling, birding, painting, bears and wildflowers as well as a midweek picnic on the property’s Gooseberry Knob overlooking four mountain ranges and the bountiful Sunday buffet brunch.

Rates at The Swag start at $520 per night, with a two-night minimum, and are available through November 24th.  All prices include a hearty breakfast, picnic lunch, an evening social hour on the front porch with hors d’oeuvres, a four-course dinner and welcome gift.   Suite and Cabin accommodations are also available.  Single rate, less $50 per night.   For reservations or more information visit www.TheSwag.com or call 800-789-7672.

About The Swag
The Swag offers 14 luxurious accommodations, most with wood burning stone fireplaces, allowing guests a peaceful environment where they can rest, relax and rejuvenate. Located on a secluded mountaintop just outside Waynesville, North Carolina, the inn is an ideal destination for romantic getaways, weddings, corporate retreats and much more. The 2.5-mile private drive leading to the inn climbs more than 1,000 feet. For more information, visit The Swag online.

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