Tribal leaders held a ceremonial kick-off Tuesday outside Murphy for the $110 million project.

Cherokee itself does not offer much in the way of sit down or casual dining restaurants which may make it tough for those staying for more than a day or so.North Carolina's Cherokee Indians are moving ahead with plans to build a second casino. The property is undergoing some major upgrades and I understand that there will be 2 new restaurants this year. We had pizza for dinner at Uno Express in the Casino Food Court and Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast the next day. I think that the biggest downside for us is that dining choices are extremely limited if you are not a buffet fan. There were a few spots in the room where housekeeping may have missed dusting or spots on the wall but we were happy with our stay none-the-less. The toilet is positioned so that it can be closed from the rest of the bathroom with a pocket door. No tub (we did not mind this at all) but a beautiful large shower. We had a king room that included a sleeper sofa. The ammenities are on the modern side, which is our taste, with a beautiful view of the mountains. Check-in was a very smooth process and they were very friendly and helpful.

Cherokee is just over the mountain from where we live in Tennessee and we thought it would be a nice quick getaway.

My husband and I got a Groupon deal for a 1 night stay. Last summer we rented a boat on Fontana Lake - wonderful day! & then a great night at the casino & hotel. It can be very tough as the rough just off the fairways can be very long in places, so hit is straight & play the correct tees. This course has grown up extremely well over the last 3 years and is now well worth playing as much as you can. We went skiing at nearby Cataloochee Ski area in Maggie Valley this trip, and in warmer weather we always play golf at the new Sequoyah National Golf Course. Service at the coffee bar in the morning is very slow, but the sitting area along the creek, inside or outside, is very pleasant for drinking coffee, etc and reading the paper. The new buffet is very nice though pricy, & if you don't like buffets, your choices are limited to Paula Deans, the new food court or the noodle cafe.

Smoke-free area is too small & some of the other areas can get unpleasant with the smoke. The casino gets better each trip as they finish more & more of the additions. We always sleep 'till 8 or 9 due to the room-darkening curtains & quietness in the hallways. The hotel is first class with super rooms - spacious, luxurious, large bath, etc. We go every 8-10 weeks or so whether we need to or not.

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