Riverbend Motel and Cabins

First and foremost this place has some of the friendliest staff to date. Not just friendly, but very helpful as well. They had great recommendations on what to do and where to eat in town and they never missed the mark. Every place we visited or ate on their recommendation turned out swell. So if you do stay here ask them what they think, or just let them know it’s your first time in Helen and they’ll gladly give you a run down in a visitors brochure complete with cliff notes.
The chalet we stayed in (chalet #1) was nice, not fantastic, but nice. In my opinion the price is high, but fair since it’s a touristy town. $ 470ish for 3 nights. It came with a full kitchen (stove, oven, microwave, full sized refrigerator) and was furnished with utensils and glassware (enough for about 4 – 5). It had a one bedroom loft with a queen bed and two bathrooms (no tub for our daughter who is 19mo but we made do with the large kitchen sink). The gas fireplace was cozy and operated on a 60 minute timer. Although the place could have used a good scrubbing (which I did since I’m OCD/​Military) it was fine enough. We also had a private balcony which was a nice place to have coffee with my wife right off the river.
Some things I think that could really spruce up the place:
— solid cleaning
— new couch
— fresh paint and walk repair
— replace dead lightbulbs
— fresh paint on the stairs leading to the cabin and some traction pads (slippery when wet)
— a truckload of gravel to improve parking
— solid pressure wash outside and fresh paint
— hangers (I might go buy a pack and leave ‘em)
I do recommend a stay here if just in support of the polite people who run the joint.

Absolutely will never stay here again. At this price point I would have expected much more.
We stayed in one of the river front cabins. The cabin smelled dingy and old. Curtains were falling off the rods, doors were difficult to open, stair leading up to the front door were worn and slick (it was raining), fridge had mold on the seal, rust on the sides. Microwave had something unidentified all over it. «Water Saver» shower heads provided a less than adequate flow of water to bathe, bathroom has mold on the floors. Outside balcony had one rocker and 2 metal bistro chairs that were miserable on your backside. Grill on balcony was rickety and I would be scared to use it. Guests are expected to remove their own refuse at the end of the stay.
What WIFI?
Do yourself a favor and stay in a brand motel with a number in it for about ¼ the price and you will get a better dollar for dollar return.

The Riverbend is clean and in a good location, but has seen better days. The owner is super nice and had great recommendations on where to eat. We stayed in a chalet and it was clean and the a/​c worked fine. The units are old and could use some serious updating and fresh paint. The furniture was beat up and there were no hangers in the entire unit. If you’re looking for a nicer place, there’s a Hampton Inn a stone’s throw away. A little pricey for what it is, but you also have a little kitchen and full size fridge. The free wifi did not worth reliably.

Expected better for paying almost $ 400 for two nights. Staff was friendly. Hotel is dated. Parking is horrible. Unfortunately, I found out after paying that there’s is a better gain hotel down the road for half the price.

So if you’re looking for a super fancy hotel, Helen is not the place for you to vacation. This hotel is one of the better ones in the city. That’s still not saying a whole lot but given the choices you have in the city, I’d stay here again.
The owner is super nice. He called us by name anytime he saw us. You don’t get that kind of attention other places.
The prices are great and the location is perfect. Those were the 2 main reasons we choose this hotel. It’s walking distance from the main little stretch of Helen. And it’s right next to the river.
The downside is that it is an older hotel. The rooms have been redone recently, but you can tell the work wasn’t done by a professional. The paint job is very sloppy and some of the bathroom fixtures need replacing. Also we didn’t have a shower curtain!!! That was my biggest issue. The beds were comfortable but the pillows were not.
We only stayed one night and if we were doing another one night stay, I’d come back. But for a longer stay I’d look for something a little better.

Mark the manager is superb. Trust his restaruant and hiking recommendations, except Raven’s Cliff was about 8 miles, not the four or five he thought. Alas, he doesn’t take pets anymore, but was very nice about ours (the last one before he changed his policy).

We selected this hotel based on reviews from another site. Yes, it is quite dated and several rooms are under construction, but if you simply need a good location and a bed– this place fits the bill. Reasonably priced and friendly management. Right on the river, we had a few drinks by the water. We stayed two nights and did not spend too much time in the hotel.

The motel is slightly dated, but the atmosphere made up for it. The staff was very helpful and friendly. My fiancé and I was staying there to visit Babyland General for her birthday and it was our first time visiting Helen Ga. The manager gave us some excellent advice on where to eat and visit while we were there. We had such a nice time, we stayed an extra night.

We were very disappointed in Riverbend motel and cabins. Expecting older and a little rundown but not FILTHY, DANGEROUS, and with so many things BROKEN OR MISSING. We stayed in one of the cabins. The handrails up the multiple flights of stairs were broken on both sides. It was not vacuumed before or during our stay. The dust layer on the walls, lamps, curtains, and all surfaces was unbelievably thick, months to years worth seriously. Luckily I had a can of Clorox wipes in the car and I used it! There was two bathrooms with two broken toilet paper holders, and broken toilet seat. One of the two tvs didn’t work and when I told the man at the desk he said yeah I know. The functional tv had a broken remote. There was a Jacuzzi on the deck that was not functional, disgusting and took up half the space. The free wifi was non-​existent. The non smoking cabin had obviously had someone smoking in it A LOT! There was a spot for two bench swings by the river but only one there. The free breakfast was minimal and not worth it. They kept around broken things so they could say they have the items. I generously gave it 2 stars for the great location, view of the river, and proximity to everything. Could be much better if they would hire real housekeeping and a good handyman. Are there not inspections in Helen, GA?