Black Fox Cabin: The Couple Building Mountain Escapes Where Architecture Meets Nature

Every meaningful place begins with a story.

For Black Fox Cabin, that story began with a couple searching for something they couldn’t quite find.

While celebrating their engagement, Jessica Santos and her husband stayed at a luxury mountain retreat that sparked an idea: what if they created their own modern escape — one that felt more intentional, more connected to nature, and more personal?

Jessica brought a background in marketing and storytelling. Her husband brought years of woodworking experience and a passion for building with his hands. Together, they saw an opportunity to combine their strengths and create something beyond a traditional vacation rental.

They wanted to create a place where architecture, nature, and hospitality came together.

A retreat designed not just to be visited, but to be experienced.

That vision became Black Fox.

“We weren’t trying to build just another vacation rental. We wanted to create a place where people could reconnect — with nature, with each other, and with the feeling of getting away.”

— Jessica Santos, Founder of Black Fox Cabin (quote pending approval)

Today, Black Fox includes two distinct mountain retreats: the original Black Fox Cabin and The Den, a mirror cabin designed to reflect the surrounding landscape. While each space has its own personality, both share the same philosophy — thoughtful architecture, immersive nature, and an experience intentionally designed for couples.

Building the First Black Fox Cabin by Hand

The journey started with finding the right piece of land.

Instead of choosing a destination based only on popularity, Jessica and her husband focused on finding unrestricted property with mountain views, privacy, and the freedom to create something truly their own.

They found that place in Hayesville, North Carolina — a mountain setting that offered seclusion while still being close to Lake Chatuge, hiking trails, wineries, and nearby towns.

Once they found the land, they began bringing their vision to life.

The first Black Fox Cabin was built over the course of a year, combining Jessica’s experience in marketing and brand storytelling with her husband’s craftsmanship and woodworking skills.

But the goal was never simply to build a cabin.

It was to create architecture that shaped an experience.

Every design decision was made with the guest journey in mind — from the placement of the windows that frame the mountain views to the natural materials that create warmth and connection with the surrounding landscape.

The architecture intentionally draws the outdoors inward, allowing guests to experience changing light, seasons, and scenery from inside the retreat.

“The view was always the starting point. We designed the cabin around the landscape because we wanted nature to be the main feature of the experience.”

— Jessica Santos, Founder of Black Fox Cabin (quote pending approval)

At Black Fox, the view is not an accessory.

It is part of the design.

The original Black Fox Cabin became the foundation of everything they were building — a private mountain escape where couples could reconnect and experience nature in a more meaningful way.

Explore the original Black Fox Cabin on Locèlle.

Designing Retreats for Two

One of the most intentional decisions Jessica and her husband made was designing Black Fox specifically around couples.

Rather than creating large vacation homes meant for groups, they focused on creating intimate one-bedroom retreats designed for romantic getaways, anniversaries, proposals, and meaningful time together.

The smaller scale was intentional.

By designing specifically for two guests, Black Fox could focus on creating a more elevated and personal experience — from thoughtful amenities to private outdoor moments.

“We intentionally created a space for couples. We wanted it to feel private, romantic, and like a place where people could really focus on each other.”

— Jessica Santos, Founder of Black Fox Cabin

The cabins are designed around connection: slow mornings with mountain views, evenings under the stars, and uninterrupted time away from everyday distractions.

Guests are welcomed with thoughtful touches like romance packages and s’mores kits, creating an experience that feels less like a rental and more like a private escape.

Creating More Than a Stay: Thoughtful Experiences for Couples

Because Black Fox was designed specifically around couples, Jessica and her husband looked beyond the cabin itself to create moments that make a getaway feel unforgettable.

The experience extends beyond the architecture and views.

Guests can personalize their stay with thoughtful additions such as romance packages and s’mores kits — small details designed to transform a beautiful mountain retreat into a meaningful memory.

For Black Fox, these offerings are not simply add-ons.

They are part of the story.

A couple visiting for an anniversary, celebrating a milestone, or simply taking time away together is looking for more than a place to sleep. They are looking for an experience that feels intentional from arrival to departure.

By creating these moments, Black Fox has built a hospitality model centered around connection — where the cabin, the landscape, and the details all work together.

The Den: Architecture That Reflects the Landscape

After creating the original Black Fox Cabin, Jessica and her husband began imagining what could come next.

The Den became a new expression of their design philosophy — a retreat that explored the relationship between architecture and the natural world.

The mirror cabin was designed around one central idea:

What if the building itself could become part of the landscape?

The reflective exterior allows The Den to visually blend into its surroundings, capturing the forest, sky, and changing mountain views throughout the day.

Rather than competing with nature, the architecture disappears into it.

Inside, The Den continues the same design approach as the original cabin: warmth, simplicity, and a focus on the surrounding environment.

The smaller footprint was intentional, proving that thoughtful architecture can create a larger emotional experience without requiring a large space.

Every element — from the placement of the cabin to the outdoor living areas — was designed to maximize the feeling of privacy and connection with nature.

Explore The Den on Locèlle Stays.

Turning a Passion Project Into a Hospitality Brand

Creating beautiful cabins was only one part of Jessica and her husband’s journey.

They also had to build awareness and create a brand around the experience.

With Jessica’s background in marketing, Black Fox was approached as more than a property launch. It was a storytelling project.

They reached out to brands whose products aligned with their vision, including materials, saunas, hot tubs, cold plunges, and outdoor amenities.

In exchange, they created high-quality photography and content that showcased how these products naturally lived within the Black Fox experience.

Combined with influencer partnerships and strong visual storytelling, the strategy helped Black Fox gain significant attention after launch.

Within the first week of opening, the property secured approximately a year’s worth of bookings.

The success showed the power of creating a stay with a clear identity.

When a property has a story, guests don’t just want to visit it.

They want to become part of it.

Building a Brand Beyond the Booking Platforms

From the beginning, Jessica understood that creating a memorable stay was only one part of building a successful hospitality brand.

The other part was creating a direct relationship with guests.

Like many independent hosts, Black Fox initially used third-party booking platforms to introduce travelers to their cabins.

These platforms helped bring visibility to the property, but over time the team shifted their focus toward their own direct booking website — creating a channel where they could tell the full story behind Black Fox, communicate directly with guests, and create a more thoughtful experience from discovery to arrival.

Today, approximately 90% of Black Fox bookings come through direct channels.

“Direct booking allows us to have a relationship with our guests before they arrive. We get to share our story and create a more personal experience.”

— Jessica Santos, Founder of Black Fox Cabin

For Jessica, the value goes beyond revenue.

Direct booking allows Black Fox to connect with guests before arrival, share the story behind the cabins, and create a relationship that feels more personal than a traditional marketplace transaction.

The major booking platforms helped introduce guests to Black Fox, but the brand itself was built through storytelling, community, and direct connection.

The Future of Black Fox

Jessica and her husband represent a growing group of independent hosts who are redefining what modern hospitality can look like.

They are not simply creating rentals.

They are building brands around architecture, storytelling, and meaningful experiences.

“When people stay with us, we want them to feel like they discovered something special — not just booked a place to sleep.”

— Jessica Santos, Founder of Black Fox Cabin

The original Black Fox Cabin and The Den represent two different expressions of the same idea: that a place can be designed not just to be seen, but to be felt.

For Jessica and her husband, Black Fox was never just about building cabins.

It was about creating spaces where people can reconnect — with nature, with each other, and with the feeling of discovering somewhere unforgettable.

That is what makes Black Fox the kind of stay Locèlle was created to discover.

Stay at Black Fox Cabin

Located in Hayesville, North Carolina, Black Fox Cabin offers two private mountain retreats designed specifically for couples seeking a nature-filled escape.

Explore more mirror cabins on Locèlle

→ Black Fox Cabin

→ The Den
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