Cherry Ridge Retreat

The honest review

Cherry Ridge Retreat takes a different approach than the big cabin-community operators in Hocking Hills: instead of clustering dozens of units close together, it spreads just eight luxury cabins across 148 private, wooded acres near New Plymouth, Ohio, with fishing ponds and miles of groomed trails on the property itself. Each cabin sits on its own site rather than in a row, which is the whole point — this is a retreat built around privacy and quiet, not proximity to other guests.

The cabins range from 1-bedroom romantic units up to the Lake House, a 4-bedroom cabin with a year-round heated plunge pool that sleeps up to 10 — the right size for two families or a small multi-generational trip. Every cabin includes a private hot tub, jetted tub, or plunge pool, a full kitchen, and a fireplace, and the property offers in-cabin massage and spa services for parents who want that built into the trip rather than driving to a separate spa. The location, within a few miles of Old Man's Cave, Cedar Falls, and Conkle's Hollow, keeps the state park's best hikes genuinely close despite the secluded setting.

What families should know: this leans adult-and-older-kid rather than toddler-friendly — the private hot tubs and plunge pools are a real supervision consideration with young children, and the vibe (verified 10.0/10 guest rating, romantic-getaway marketing) skews toward couples and families with tweens or teens rather than a playground-and-splash-pad crowd. There's a 2-night minimum most weekends (3 nights on select dates), and cancellations inside 14 days forfeit the full amount, so book with a confirmed travel window. Rates start around $279/night and the Lake House runs higher. For a family that wants a quiet, private base with real hiking access and doesn't need programmed kid activities, Cherry Ridge is one of the more polished options in the region.