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Urban Escape w/Hot Tub, Backyard Oasis, Min to Uptown!

Urban Escape w/Hot Tub, Backyard Oasis, Min to Uptown!

Photo gallery for Urban Escape w/Hot Tub, Backyard Oasis, Min to Uptown!

The front of The Zen Retreat...at night...there is landscape lighting surrounding the house.
Enjoy your time on the deck with the gas dining table, hot tub, fire pit and outdoor day bed and new large outdoor sectional...this house has room to relax and more!
The BRAND NEW kitchen...
The Dining Room...
The Main Bedroom with Asian accents...

Overview of Urban Escape w/Hot Tub, Backyard Oasis, Min to Uptown!

Reviews
9.4 out of 10 Exceptional
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 7297 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Hot tubHot tubHot tub
  • FireplaceFireplaceFireplace
  • Pet-friendlyPet-friendlyPet-friendly
  • Free WiFiFree WiFiFree WiFi
  • WasherWasherWasher
  • DryerDryerDryer

Check out the area

Map
Charlotte, NC
  • Popular LocationNovant Health Matthews Medical Center7 min drive
  • Popular LocationSouthPark Mall12 min drive
  • Popular LocationBojangles' Coliseum14 min drive
  • AirportCharlotte, NC (CLT-Charlotte-Douglas Intl.)29 min drive

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 7)

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 3

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Office
Garden
Dining Area

About this property

Urban Escape w/Hot Tub, Backyard Oasis, Min to Uptown!

Welcome to The Zen Retreat! This is a gem of a house, one that is truly unique. Be prepared to spoil yourself to a hidden paradise with an abundance of options for relaxing and having fun, both inside and outside in an inspiring retreat setting!

15 min. to Uptown. 20 min. to Panther Stadium. 25-30 min. the Speedway. 25-30 min. to the White Water Center. 20-25 minutes to Charlotte Douglas airport.

Consider The Zen Retreat your urban escape and the perfect place during your visit to Charlotte.

PLEASE NOTE THERE IS A TWO NIGHT MINIMUM FOR ALL WEEKEND BOOKINGS.

If you are looking for a traditional house, this is not the house for you. If you are looking for something special, then you have found the right spot. As soon as you set foot on the property, be prepared to have all your worries disappear as you are surrounded by peace and tranquility. The atmosphere is pure magic and with every breath you take, your mind and body will begin to feel like one. Nestled in the very private neighborhood of High Timbers, the house truly brings its neighborhood namesake to life as the entire property is tress lined and brings a welcome serenity and privacy to your stay. The attention to detail, both inside and outside of this Zen-style house won’t escape your attention. Start your mornings with a cup of coffee on the rear deck of the house and enjoy the view of 2 waterfalls and ponds and enjoy the blissful sounds of the cascading waters. Guests can cozy up to a book in the 2 story living room relaxing in front of the fireplace or enjoy a movie on the 65 inch TV, with Blu Ray player, Firestick with all apps and a Polk Audio surround sound system. I am a chef and the living room houses a library of cookbooks and food-related books for you to enjoy, which can be used to create edible delights in the NEWLY renovated kitchen. The ENTIRE kitchen has been redone, with new appliances including a gas stove, with dual convection oven. It includes new granite countertops and cabinets. The house boasts three bedrooms, each with its own personality. The Master Bedroom is furnished with Asian inspired décor and comes with a king-size pillow-top bed. The bedroom has its own bathroom with a bathtub. Both other rooms are furnished with queen size beds, and an additional fold out twin bed, also with a memory foam mattress. Each share a second full bathroom. The exquisite dining room seats 6+ and the fully equipped kitchen overlooks the peaceful back yard, with everything you need to get your cooking game on. Take your cooking skills outside and whip something up on the gas grill or the egg smoker/cooker and enjoy the fruits of your labor while sitting at the gas fire pit outdoor dining table. Jump in the hot tub and let the peaceful surroundings of The Zen Retreat take over. There is also a lovely breakfast room and screened in porch to start your day in the best way possible. The house is super pet friendly and our four-legged friends are more than welcome. They will enjoy the house as much and possibly even more, once they get to explore the fenced-in backyard. The Zen Retreat also offers its own Concierge Service with a slew of optional services available for guests to enjoy, from general grocery stocking and much more, we have you covered! (See the list under the "Other Things to Note section) We are sure all your guests will love The Zen Retreat and look forward to having you!

Guest access

Guests will have access to the entire house, inside and out, with the exception of two closets and the garage.

Neighborhood overview

The neighborhood is called High Timbers and The Zen Retreat reflects the name of the neighborhood as the property is tree-lined and very shady, offering loads of privacy. The entire neighborhood is full of mature trees and is in essence a private Cul-De-Sac community. There are only 2 entrances to the neighborhood and it is ALWAYS very quiet. If you have children, rest easy knowing that this is a very safe spot for them to play and be kids. The neighbors are great...Check out my neighbor Bob across the street, he has the quirkiest back yard you have ever seen. It has been featured on numerous TV shows nationally. Just say hi, he is super friendly.

Getting Around

The Zen Retreat offers enough parking for multiple cars on the property. The house is located off of Monroe Rd and Sardis Rd North. There is an abundance of shops, restaurants, and stores in the area. Please look at the Guidebook for my recommendations. FYI, since these are the questions I get the most concerning the house. The Zen Retreat is 15 minutes from Uptown Charlotte and is a straight shot on 1 road right to the heart of the city. It is 20 minutes from Panther Stadium It is 25-30 minutes from the Speedway It is 25-30 minutes from the White Water Center It is 20-25 minutes from the airport Consider The Zen Retreat your urban escape and the perfect place for a wonderful stay that will cap of your visit to Charlotte.

Other things to note

Attention-
The Zen Retreat Concierge Services
The Zen Retreat has arranged for pre-arrival and during stay services. These services are arranged through Liomai, our Zen Retreat Concierge at
+1 (704) 248-1778.

Please note, there are two active security cameras, one covering the stairs from the front entrance and another at the back door covering a portion of the deck.

If you are interested in a wonderful stay in the mountains of North Carolina, check out our other property, the Cozy Cabin, an NC Mountain Escape, which is near Boone. Whether you are looking to have a romantic getaway for two or to making new family memories, The Mountain Retreat is the perfect place for you! This gem of a cabin is perched on the hillside with everything you need for a perfect and peaceful getaway.
https://www.vrbo.com/854107

Please Note-
Please make sure to enjoy your stay as if you are visiting friends and family. Be respectful and tidy. No b-day parties or NYE parties for anyone under 25 years of age. No parties or gatherings larger than 7 people without prior approval. People booking for parties will be required to leave a double deposit. Weddings/receptions/events will be negotiated on a case by case basis. The house is NOT meant for entertaining unless discussed and agreed to ahead of time. Extra guests or visitors are not allowed without prior approval. Failure to do so will forfeit your deposit and all monies received for your stay. Any lost keys will be charged a fee of $75. Any parties or gatherings need to be addressed with the owner prior to arrival. Any failure to do so will result in complete forfeiture of the security deposit and all monies received for your stay. Any use of the house for photo and video purposes will need to be requested prior to the stay, there are additional fees for such matters. Any failure to do so will result in complete forfeiture of the security deposit and all monies received for your stay. There is NO SMOKING inside the property, any sign or smell of smoking inside of the house will result in complete forfeiture of the security deposit. The house is ALWAYS pet friendly, with no additional charge. If guests do not pick up after their dog(s), there will be an $85+ fee applied. Lastly, there is a $50 per half hour fee for late checkouts. Check out is at 11 STRICT, especially in light of the present situation and time needed for enhanced cleaning. Please feel free to reach out for any and all of the above.

Property manager

Richard Gruica
Premier Host
Premier Host

Languages

English, Spanish

Amenities

Hot tub
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17
Please check pics for railings and my open plan.

Events

No events allowed
Failure to discuss prior to stay deposit is lost

Pets

Pets allowed: limit 2 total
We welcome all our four legged friends.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
There is NO SMOKING inside the property.
The guest has to send written confirmation agreeing to the house rules and policies. Failure to do so will result in the cancellation of said booking.
No b-day parties or NYE parties for anyone under 25 years of age. No parties or gatherings larger than 7 people without prior approval.
Any violation of rules or terms will result in a full loss of deposit and the guests will be asked to leave with no refund.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Note from host: Failure to discuss prior to stay deposit is lost
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock

We should mention

A car is recommended for transportation to and from this property

About the area

Charlotte

Located in Charlotte, this vacation home is in the city center and on a river. SouthPark Mall and Queen City Quarter are worth checking out if shopping is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's popular attractions can visit NASCAR Hall of Fame and Carowinds Theme Park. Looking to enjoy an event or a game? See what's going on at Spectrum Center or Bank of America Stadium. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Charlotte, NC

What's nearby

  • Novant Health Matthews Medical Center - 7 min drive
  • SouthPark Mall - 12 min drive
  • Bojangles' Coliseum - 14 min drive
  • Spectrum Center - 15 min drive
  • Quail Hollow Club - 17 min drive

Getting around

  • Charlotte Station - 22 min drive
  • Charlotte-Douglas Intl. Airport (CLT) - 26 min drive

Restaurants

  • Taco Bell - 4 min drive
  • McDonald's - 3 min drive
  • Custom Home Pubs - 3 min drive
  • Cookout - 4 min drive
  • New Zealand Cafe - 3 min drive

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 86 out of 110 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 15 out of 110 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 5 out of 110 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 110 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 110 reviews" "

9.2/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.4/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Brad S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends
This was the perfect property for our long weekend trip to Charlotte. We wanted a place to stay that would accommodate My wife and I, and 2 youngest kids (now adults) to host a Thanksgiving dinner to include our oldest daughter who now lives in Charlotte. We also had her boyfriend and 4 of his family join us. The house has a very open concept layout, with a nice kitchen, a large island that made prep and presentation of apps and dinner easy, dining area adjacent to kitchen, and a large living room for everyone watching the football games. The backyard has a large deck, with gas fireplace, and ho tub. It is landscaped very nice, and is fenced in to allow our daughter's bulldog to roam around. We enjoyed walking the neighborhood. It had deer that would often come waking past the backyard. Richard the owner was very good at communicating with us, and marking the property with little signs to clue us in on where everything was and how its works.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

DeAnne S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location
A unique place
The beds were comfortable with plenty of pillows. We did enjoy the kitchen and living room. The outdoor spaces need some work. The floors and stairs are a bit uneven and dangerous. Overall, our stay was nice.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Cindy G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful home and yard
Came here for a long birthday weekend with family. Even though it was in a neighborhood, it felt very relaxing and peaceful in the backyard. Especially loved the outdoor bed and fire pit dining table. Beds were very comfortable and the home was spacious, beautiful, and very Zen like.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Giselle W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Cute spot
THE GOOD: Overall, we enjoyed our stay at the Zen Retreat. We loved the decorations and all the amenities that came with the place! The screen porch is really cute, and we loved sitting out there in the morning. The neighborhood is very quiet and safe. NEEDS IMPROVEMENT: the hot tub. It is way too chlorinated. The chlorine was stinging our eyes as we sat in the tub and the chlorine also stripped the color from our bathing suits! We originally had blue swimsuits and now they are a faded gray. Please fix this! Your backyard is amazing but the hot tub needs some TLC and a good scrub. The back deck and screen porch could honestly just use a good power wash in general. Also, it said that the outside string lights were on a timer, but we did not see any of those light illuminate while we were there. Maybe a wiring issue? Lastly, please get your ice machine to work. North Carolina is extremely humid and hot- especially in the summer months. Not having ice to add to our lukewarm tap water the whole week was not a vibe. If you can’t get the ice machine to work in the fridge, you should have some regular ice trays for your guests to fill up. The only ice trays we saw were the huge blocks of ice for whiskey and other liquors- if you could provide regular sized ice trays, that’d be great.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Angela B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect girls trip
Me and 3 of my girlfriends rented this space for the Scentsy Convention and it was absolutely perfect!! 10/10 will rebook next time I come to Charlotte
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023

About the host

Hosted by Richard Gruica

Host profile image
I am always looking for a great meal, great drink, and great company and will do my best to make that happen. I used to work in the food industry as a Chef and Culinologist (I helped companies create the flavor portion to their products) and used to travel extensively for work. Since all things culinary have been a huge part of my life, I started an online-based dining and socializing group called Good Eats and Meets that is now in 7 cities in the US and is the largest group of its kind in the US. I have a grown daughter and son. My parents are Croatian and I am also fluent in Spanish and Croatian. I spend my time split between the US and Europe as I started a new company called Captivating Croatia, where I take guests on an intimate food and wine-centric tour of Croatia. I also started the Gypsy Table, a roaming pop up dinner series and Croatia Food Tours, which is a gourmet food and wine tour taking guests on wonderful walking tours.

Why they chose this property

Because it is totally unlike ANY house out there and it so many cool ways!

What makes this property unique

The Backyard is worth the money for the view alone. 2 ponds with waterfalls and landscape lighting with a hot tub to enjoy along the deck. A day bed next to the fire pit and an outdoor table for an al fresco dinner with a fire pit in the middle on the other side of the deck to enjoy. Grill up some tasty treat on 1 of the 2 grill available for you. One is a cooker/smoker/grill called a Grill Dome (similar to a Big Green Egg)or the super strong (I had the gas outlets re-drilled) gas grill for a perfect meal. That is just the tip of the iceberg. Just take a look at the pics and description and you will see all the other benefits.

Languages:

English, Spanish

Premier Host

Premier Host
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