Forrest Hills Mountain Resort

What Forrest Hills Mountain Resort does

Forrest Hills Mountain Resort is a family-owned destination resort and wedding venue operating on a 140-acre property at 135 Forrest Hills Rd, Dahlonega, Georgia, in the North Georgia mountains. Founded in 1977 by Frank Kraft and currently led by the third-generation Kraft family, the resort serves four primary customer segments: couples seeking romantic getaways, wedding parties ranging from intimate elopements to 150-guest celebrations, corporate retreat groups, and family/friend reunions. The all-inclusive stay-plus-event model combines accommodation, on-site dining, activities, and event coordination in a single location, supported by 27 employees and a dedicated group sales team.

The core product is a diversified lodging portfolio including 32 private cabins with hot tubs and fireplaces, 12 luxury bi-level suites with steam sauna, and 5 group lodges accommodating 8 to 16 rooms each. The resort operates 7 meeting rooms, 4 dining rooms (including the Secret Garden couples-only venue and the Hideaway family restaurant), and multiple wedding venues including Chapel in the Woods, Rose Garden Dining Room (capacity up to 200), and Secret Garden Gazebo. The technology stack is minimal: a third-party booking engine at secure2.irm1.net, toll-free phone reservations, and organic social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Recreational offerings (horseback riding, carriage rides, Chuck Wagon dinners) and spa services are delivered through independent operators (Dahlonega Carriage & Horse Rides, GAmountainMassage.com) under ecosystem partnerships.

Revenue is generated through five streams: nightly accommodation rentals (the largest by volume), wedding and event packages with published rates ranging from $399 for elopements to $11,420+ for 140-guest events, on-site dining and banquet catering, recreational activities, and spa services. The resort hosts 125+ weddings per year and reports a 60% return-guest rate since 1991. Pricing is transactional per stay/event with seasonal variation, plus add-on packages (Romance, Adventure, Girlfriends Getaway). Distribution is fully direct-to-consumer via the proprietary website, toll-free phone line, and a group sales team handling inbound enterprise (corporate retreat, wedding) leads, with no disclosed third-party OTA dependence. Serving only the U.S. North Georgia regional market, the resort does not participate in any public listing, has no disclosed funding, and shows no M&A activity.

Name

Forrest Hills Mountain Resort

Legal name

Forrest Hills Resort

Website

https://forresthillsresort.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Forrest Hills Mountain Resort is a family-owned, 140-acre North Georgia destination resort and wedding venue founded in 1977, serving couples, wedding parties, corporate retreats, and family reunions with 32 private cabins, 12 luxury suites, group lodges, on-site dining, and event hosting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mountain Resort and Wedding Venue Hospitality

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Hotels & Motels (7011), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Mountain & Alpine Lodges (THAGAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mountain & Wilderness Lodges (THAAAHAE), Cabin & Cottage Campgrounds (THAMAJAD)

Keywords

• Mountain resort lodging
• Destination wedding venue
• Cabin rental hospitality
• Corporate retreat packages
• Family reunion accommodations

Headquarters

HQ city

Dahlonega

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Accommodation Revenue: Nightly rentals from 32 private cabins (each with hot tub and fireplace), 12 luxury bi-level suites with steam sauna, and private hotel units with 4, 8, 12, and 16 rooms. Rates vary by accommodation type and season.
2. Wedding & Event Services: Wedding packages including ceremony venues (Chapel in the Woods, outdoor pavilion, Secret Garden), reception halls, catering, custom wedding cakes, photography, and horse-drawn carriage rides. Hosts over 125 weddings per year.
3. On-Site Dining: Multiple dining venues including Hideaway Dining Room (family-friendly), Secret Garden Dining Room (intimate couples), and banquet services. Serves breakfast daily and dinner nightly except Sunday.
4. Recreational Activities: Horseback riding, carriage rides, and Chuck Wagon dinners offered through independent operator Dahlonega Carriage & Horse Rides. Additional revenue from adventure packages bundling activities with lodging.
5. Spa Services: Massage therapy and wellness treatments at The Haven spa, including couples massage, individual sessions, and reflexology. Operated by independent provider GAmountainMassage.com.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Forrest Hills Mountain Resort operates a 140-acre family-owned mountain resort in Dahlonega, Georgia, offering private cabin rentals, luxury suites, and group lodges alongside full-service wedding venues, on-site dining, banquet catering, and recreational activities. The resort packages its lodging with weddings, corporate retreats, family reunions, and themed romantic/adventure getaways, and supplements its offering through partner-operated horseback riding, carriage rides, and spa services.

Product overview

Forrest Hills Mountain Resort is a family-owned hospitality business (operational since 1977) offering a portfolio of lodging and leisure products. The core offering consists of three accommodation tiers: 32 private cabins with hot tubs and fireplaces, hotel rooms and luxury bi-level suites (12 at Mountain Laurel Inn, additional at Wilderness Lodge), and 5 group lodges functioning as private mini-hotels for 8-16 rooms each. Event services include wedding packages ranging from intimate elopements (10 guests) to large celebrations (150 guests), with venues including the Chapel in the Woods, Wedding Garden, Rose Garden Dining Room, and Secret Garden Gazebo. Group retreat products serve corporate teams and family reunions with meeting facilities, team building activities, and all-inclusive meal packages. Dining operates through two branded restaurants (Hideaway for family dining, Secret Garden for couples) plus banquet catering. Add-on experiences include The Haven Spa (massage services), horseback and carriage rides via third-party operator, and activity packages combining lodging with local attractions like gold mine tours and winery visits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private Cabin Rentals

Quantifiable outcome

• 60% return-guest rate since 1991
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dahlonega Carriage & Horse Rides (GeorgiaHorseRides.com)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependently owned and operated business providing guided horseback trail rides, carriage rides, and Chuck Wagon dinners at Forrest Hills Resort. Operates from the resort property. Offers 1-hour, 2-hour, and half-day trail rides plus romantic carriage rides for couples and wedding parties.
• Timothy Landon PhotographyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRecommended wedding photographer for resort wedding packages. Provides 3-hour photography coverage for Secret Garden All-Inclusive packages at $699. Works with couples on ceremony and portrait photography.
• GAmountainMassage.com (The Haven Spa)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent spa operator providing massage therapy and wellness services on-site at Forrest Hills Resort. Offers couples massage, individual sessions, and reflexology. Services available by appointment on Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays, and Wednesdays.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Château Élan Winery & Resort: A luxury destination resort in Braselton, Georgia offering lodging, weddings, vineyards, dining, and spa services. Comparable as a high-end Georgia resort competing for the same destination wedding and weekend getaway demand in the Atlanta/North Georgia drive market.
• Old Edwards Inn and Spa: A luxury boutique resort in Highlands, NC in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, similar driving distance from Atlanta. Comparable as a four-season mountain destination with romantic getaway positioning, spa, multiple dining venues, and wedding/event business.
• Dillard House: A long-standing family-owned North Georgia mountain inn in Dillard, GA focused on country dining, group/family stays, and wedding business. Comparable as a multi-generational family-operated North Georgia resort with on-site dining and group event emphasis.
• Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa: A mountain resort and conference center in Young Harris, Georgia in the North Georgia mountains. Comparable lodging tier (rooms and suites), conference/retreat focus, on-site dining, and equestrian/recreational amenities target similar couples, wedding, and corporate segments.
• Callaway Resort & Gardens: A destination resort in Pine Mountain, Georgia offering lodging, gardens, recreation, weddings, and family programming. Comparable as a regional Georgia resort competing for weekend leisure, wedding, and family travel demand from Atlanta and the Southeast.
• Mountain Lake Lodge: A historic mountain resort in Pembroke, Virginia (and the filming location for 'Dirty Dancing'). Comparable as a four-season mountain destination resort with cabin and lodge lodging, weddings, retreats, and family programming in an Appalachian setting.
• The Ridges Resort on Lake Chatuge: A mountain/lakeside resort in Hiawassee, Georgia in the North Georgia mountains. Comparable as a regional GA mountain resort offering cabins, wedding venues, dining, and recreation for the same weekend getaway and event customer segments.

Regional players

• Lake Lanier Islands Resort: A large-scale Georgia resort on Lake Lanier with multiple hotels, waterpark, golf, and event facilities. Comparable as a regional Georgia drive-to destination, though at a larger scale and more leisure-park orientation than Forrest Hills's boutique mountain positioning.
• Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge: A state-park lodge in Dawsonville, Georgia adjacent to Amicalola Falls with mountain-view lodging and event facilities. Comparable as a North Georgia mountain lodging competitor for the same drive-to leisure and group/wedding demand, though at a more limited service tier.

Broad incumbents

• Blackberry Farm: An ultra-luxury Relais & Châteaux resort in Walland, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. Comparable as a high-end Appalachian mountain destination with strong wedding, culinary, and seasonal programming positioning, though at a substantially higher price tier.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ForrestHillsGa
• Facebookfacebook.com/ForrestHillsResort
• Instagraminstagram.com/forresthillsresort
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forrest-hills-mountain-resort

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forrest Hills Mountain Resort