Guests at The Swag in Waynesville, North Carolina, take full advantage of the long-range views outside their luxury accommodations, enjoying the hotel’s position topping the Great Smoky Mountains. The road to get there is challenging, winding around the mountain until you reach a place to drop your car, welcomed by the staff that takes care of every need. It’s a special spot, offering a sense of community between the guests who share the small hotel during a stay. There are picnics on the hill, elegant meals, and experts teaching about nature in front of a warm, cozy fire.
Proprietor Annie Colquitt never expected to be dealing with a hurricane this far from the coast until Hurricane Helene came calling. As the storm made its climb through Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, the team decided to add to the overnight staff out of an abundance of caution, but no one expected what came next.
“Honestly, the idea of a hurricane this far into Western North Carolina was crazy. Our team felt the risk was trees falling on our driveway to The Swag and it might take us a couple of hours to get the chainsaws out and clear the road or some small flooding,” Coquitt says.
Out of an abundance of caution, an extra person stayed on top of the mountain overnight to help with any storm cleanup or needs. Everyone thought that was overkill, but as Hurricane Helene raged in the early morning hours, those employees stayed up to make sure guests were safe. While The Swag was protected on the mountain, horrible floods resulting from torrential rains swept through the nearby areas, decimating whole towns and cutting off roads.
“We were texting with our managing director, Will Jones, and other people from the team, and some messages were coming through and some weren’t. There was a lot of confusion,” says Colquitt, “Then around 2 [o’clock], we heard Jeb was coming to The Swag to cook dinner for the stranded guests, no matter what.”
Executive Chef Jeb Aldrich, who handles the culinary program at sister property Cataloochee Ranch, knew it was important to pitch in to feed guests where he could. The chef for The Swag was unable to be reached in neighboring Asheville.
Aldrich first attempted to drive onto the mountain, finally abandoning his car to hike with director of dining and events Emma Ledbetter up the steep trail to The Swag’s kitchen. He made culinary magic with the help of the hotel’s generators, bridging the time until emergency crews cleared the road for guests to come down the mountain.
Colquitt is grateful for so much.
“Every single staff member that stayed or ventured up the mountain while their own families and homes were in jeopardy clearly cares,” Colquitt says. “They were there because they felt they needed to be there. That makes them heroes in my book.”
The Swag employs 180 people in the area, including supporting local companies that produce the food, drinks, and treats used in the hotel. They reopened for business on October 10, much to the delight of their staff.
If this doesn’t sound like your ideal vacation, you aren’t alone. Western North Carolina was inundated by rain, even one location logging in over 31 inches during the event and suffered through hurricane and tropical-storm-force winds. There’s a sense that hurricanes only affect the coast, which probably caused some travelers to keep their plans.
How Can You Protect Your Travel From Unexpected Weather Disasters?
Robert Gallagher, President of the United States Travel Insurance Association, feels like he has a solution: “I recommend travel insurance for people who are traveling at any time.”
This makes sense for Gallagher, who is the chief operating officer of AIG Travel – Travel Guard Travel Insurance. But he makes a good point, as travel insurance can offer compensation for missed plans and natural disasters. Even so, it’s important to plan ahead.
“When a storm is named, it’s too late to buy travel insurance. The storm is a known threat, and coverage wouldn’t be applicable,” Gallagher explains. “Travel insurance should be part of your overall trip planning because of storms and weather, but also accidents, sicknesses, inconveniences, and other risks.”
“When a storm is named, it’s too late to buy travel insurance.”
According to Gallagher, there is a policy and provider for almost any scenario and consumers should thoroughly discuss the options and coverage with a qualified travel insurance agent. Also, there are ranges of policies that provide reimbursement for destinations that are uninhabitable or simply in an evacuation zone with a risk of a storm. There are even policies with what’s termed “inconvenience benefits.”
A good example is a ski trip in a location where there is no snow available. All concerns can be addressed, but the compensation that you receive is also a variable to discuss in your policy.
If this seems overwhelming, Gallagher suggests taking a comprehensive travel policy and reading through the benefits.
“Contemplate all the things that could possibly go wrong and look at what the policy would do for you. Then discuss it with an agent,” he adds.
What if you’re traveling without insurance? Every hotel, activity, vacation rental, or Airbnb should have a severe weather policy that you can read as you make your booking. It’s a good idea to thoroughly read cancellation policies and severe weather and travel disruption information. If you don’t see it, ask for it in writing.
As a result of Hurricane Helene, vacation rental booking website Vrbo activated special emergency coverage for travelers, but that didn’t include Haywood County, where The Swag is located. Instead, they recommended that travelers refer to the host’s cancellation policy for refunds if they weren’t in a covered county.
This action required Vrbo’s hosts to make full refunds to their customers who had travel plans between certain dates in certain areas affected by the storm. Vrbo also refunded traveler service fees. After an event, it may be beneficial to contact the main company involved in your booking and see if there is any change to policies.
With the wild weather we’ve been experiencing, the best idea to protect your trip is to be well-informed. While we’re all used to quickly signing paperwork and getting arrangements finished, travelers should take a moment to read the fine print thoroughly. Knowing your cancellation policy will bring you peace of mind. Travel insurance can add another layer of protection and confidence that your time and money will be well spent.
