K.C. C.
Yelp
Our first time in Helen we decided to stay as close to downtown and the river as we could. This hotel was in the ideal location, and it proved to be easy to get around and the view, for the most part, was great outside of the room balcony. First, the staff we met were excellent. Friendly, courteous and helpful. The hotel, thought, is in need of a renovation. It's a classic hotel with the door outside in a passageway. The lobby was classic 80s. The breakfast in the morning was minimal, but it wasn't hard to find a breakfast spot within walking distance. The room was OK but not a $199/night room. We had plumbing issues (which were taken care of quickly), the room was worn, the beds were comfortable, the bathroom was double sink split into two spaces which was great, but the door to the shower/toiled area couldn't close. The walls were in need of paint and some repair. The power outlets were not placed well for the 2020s. Some of the areas in the building were not lit up. We did see some workman walking around, but where they were doing the work was unclear.
The biggest complaint was they allow smoking on the balconies which sounds fair unless the breeze wafts the smoke onto your balcony, then it's just like being in the same room. They had an outside sitting area and steps leading down to the river which was nice. Except a group of people took over the sitting area and didn't leave all day. They were clearly on vacation with lots of drinks, smoking and loud voices. They weren't obnoxious, but sitting on the balcony was like we were part of their group. If possible, try to get a balcony room far from there.
We did get to watch the tubers float by on the river, which was fun.
Overall, we probably wouldn't stay there again unless they had a significant discount on the rooms. It is conveniently located and Helen is not that big, so walking was easy. Talking with some of the local businesses, it gets crazy there during the peak times, so I'm sure the hotel is full during those times. I don't think the number of rooms in the area is sufficient for the crowds, so competition won't drive renovation, but hopefully they will make that choice.