When Lee and Diane Wansor drove to Whittier, about 60 miles west of Asheville near Bryson City, to check out the Sunset Farm Cabins as a retirement project, they loved the property on sight and bought it without hesitation. After all these years, they still love it.

What's not to love? The cabins come equipped with everything you need except food. A picnic table and charcoal grill are outside.

In addition, the Wansors have a campfire every night, in a fire pit made of rock from the nearby Tuckasegee River. They provide the marshmallows. It's one of Diane's favorite features. "People bring their lawn chairs and sit around and chat and watch the kids play. We love that."

Two outdoor hot tubs overlooking the mountains are another popular attraction, as are the badminton and volleyball court and the horseshoe pit, all settled into a groomed lawn.

This is a good place to stay with a family. Four of the cabins have two bedrooms. In addition to being spotlessly clean, one visitor said, the place feels safe. For instance, from rockers on the cabin porches, parents can watch their children play. The cabins also make an ideal setting for family reunions, with a nice space for cooking outside.

When guests arrive, Diane gives them homemade brownies. This got started by accident. During the first year the Wansors were here, guests smelled brownies baking, so Diane offered them some. Later, these guests wrote in the guest book about the brownies, creating an instant tradition.

Sunset Farm Cabins

68 Vacation Drive, Whittier, NC 28789; (828) 497-2200 or toll-free (800) 408-4889; www.sunsetfarmcabins.com

INNKEEPERS: Lee and Diane Wansor