Harrah's Cherokee Valley River Hotel & Casino Review for May 2026

Murphy, North Carolina is a long way from anywhere. It sits in the far southwestern corner of the state, wedged between the Georgia state line to the south and Tennessee to the east, surrounded by the Nantahala National Forest and the southern end of the Great Smoky Mountains. It is the kind of place people drive through on their way somewhere else - or at least it was, until the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians opened Harrah's Cherokee Valley River here in September 2015.

That original casino was modest by any measure. A six-floor hotel, a relatively compact gaming floor, and limited dining options. What it had going for it was its location. Sitting within two hours of Atlanta, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, it served a vast catchment of casino-hungry visitors in states with no commercial gaming at all. The demand was real and the property was a proven success. So, in October 2022, the tribe launched a $275 million expansion project that transformed Harrah's Valley River from a convenient regional stop into something considerably more ambitious.

That expansion is now complete. A new 25,000-square-foot casino floor with a WSOP poker room opened in May 2024. A 1,300-space parking garage followed in the fall. And in early 2025 the 12-story Valley Tower opened, adding 296 hotel rooms, a rooftop Gordon Ramsay restaurant with views across the Smokies, a full-service spa, an indoor pool, and a fitness center. The property that once offered a quick gaming fix on the way to somewhere else is now a destination in its own right.

Harrah's Cherokee Valley River sits at 777 Casino Parkway in Murphy, North Carolina, just off the US 64 corridor on the southwestern edge of the state. From Atlanta the drive is approximately two hours north. From Knoxville it is around two hours southeast. From Chattanooga it is roughly 90 minutes east. The property is also about an hour southwest of the sister casino at Harrah's Cherokee in Cherokee, NC, making a two-casino trip a realistic option for visitors with an extra day. Free parking is available in a new five-story, 1,300-space garage with ten electric vehicle charging stations resolving a longstanding parking bottleneck that the general manager had openly acknowledged was sending some guests elsewhere during the construction period.

The 60,000-plus square-foot gaming floor is the largest in the region outside of the sister property in Cherokee, and the 2024 expansion added 25,000 square feet of new space that significantly elevated the scale and atmosphere of the floor. The layout is organized and navigable, with the slots section, table games pit, poker room, and sportsbook each occupying clearly defined zones.

The same slot mechanic applies here as at the sister property, Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort. North Carolina's tribal compact requires an element of skill in casino games, so after the initial spin on video slots players can hold selected reels and spin again. The experience closely mirrors conventional slot play but is not identical. It reminded me a lot of the old-fashioned fruit machines in British pubs, for those familiar.

Smoking is restricted on the casino floor following the tribal ordinance passed in late 2021, which a significant proportion of visitors cite as one of the property's most welcome features.

Table Games

With over 65 live table games, Harrah's Cherokee Valley River has a solid and well-rounded table games selection that expanded meaningfully as part of the 2024 casino floor addition. The lineup covers:

• Blackjack
• Craps
• Roulette
• Baccarat
• Three Card Poker
• Mississippi Stud
• High Card Flush

Electronic table games including electronic blackjack, craps, and roulette are also available for players who prefer that format. The table minimums definitely run a little high during busy periods, which is worth bearing in mind if you are more of a casual player.

Poker

The WSOP Poker Room at Harrah's Cherokee Valley River opened in May 2024 as part of the casino floor expansion and offers 10 tables running cash games and daily tournaments. Texas Hold'Em is the primary game, and the room participates in the WSOP Circuit, drawing serious tournament players to Murphy for major events. It is a significant upgrade from the original property, which had no dedicated poker facility, and gives Valley River a genuine poker identity for the first time.

Slots

With over 1,300 slot machines covering the main floor, the selection is broad and regularly updated. Popular titles from all the major manufacturers are well represented at denominations from penny games through higher stakes, with progressive jackpots running across the floor. A high limit area is available for players who prefer bigger denomination play.

Sportsbook

The Caesars Sportsbook at Valley River opened in March 2021 and features a 32-foot video wall across a comfortable viewing and betting area with multiple kiosks and teller windows. All major professional and college sports are available including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, golf, tennis, soccer, motor racing, and UFC. Live betting, futures, and parlays are all on offer, and the Caesars Sportsbook mobile app extends wagering throughout North Carolina.

Rewards Club

Harrah's Cherokee Valley River participates fully in the Caesars Rewards program, connecting players to the network of 50-plus Caesars properties across North America. Members earn Reward Credits and Tier Credits through gaming, hotel stays, dining, and spa visits at Valley River and at any other participating Caesars destination. New members frequently receive welcome free play offers on joining, and the property runs regular promotions including drawings, multiplier events, and giveaways throughout the month.

The hotel at Valley River has been transformed by the $275 million expansion. The original property offered around 300 rooms in a six-floor tower. The new 12-story Valley Tower, which was completed in early 2025, added 296 additional rooms for a combined total approaching 600 guestrooms across the two towers.

Valley Tower rooms are available in double-queen and king configurations, most with spectacular views across the Great Smoky Mountains and Nantahala National Forest. Rooms include coffee makers, desks, high-definition TVs, and complimentary WiFi. The scale and quality of the new tower represent a significant step up from the original accommodation, and early visitor feedback highlights the views as one of the standout features of the stay.

The new tower includes a year-round indoor pool with mountain views, a fully equipped fitness center, and the 9,600-square-foot Valley River Spa, which offers six treatment rooms, plunge pools, a sauna, steam room, relaxation lounge, and a full salon. The spa is one of the most impressive casino spa facilities in the region and represents a genuine resort amenity rather than a token add-on.

Where to Eat

Harrah's Cherokee Valley River now has a substantially upgraded dining lineup following the 2025 expansion.

Ramsay's Kitchen is the undisputed highlight and the most talked-about new addition to the property. Situated on the 12th floor of the Valley Tower, the 12,000-square-foot restaurant has indoor and outdoor terrace seating with views across the Nantahala National Forest. The menu features Gordon Ramsay's signature dishes including Beef Wellington, pan-seared scallops, jumbo lump crab cakes, and sticky toffee pudding, with a 12-seat bar, private dining room, and wine cellar completing the package. It is a special restaurant that stands on its own merits regardless of the casino attached to it. I loved it.

Pool and Spa

The Valley River Spa is a 9,600-square-foot full-service facility with six treatment rooms offering massages, facials, and body treatments alongside plunge pools, a sauna, steam room, relaxation lounge, and salon. The year-round indoor pool with mountain views sits adjacent to the fitness center in the Valley Tower. Together these amenities give the property a resort identity that the original Valley River never had.

Entertainment

The UltraStar Multi-tainment Center at Harrah's Cherokee Valley River features 16 bowling lanes, a full arcade, and a bar, giving the property a family entertainment option that keeps non-gaming visitors engaged. The casino floor also hosts regular promotions, drawings, and events throughout the year, and the Caesars Sportsbook provides a lively sports-watching environment on major game days.

Harrah's Cherokee Valley River has undergone a genuine transformation. The property that opened in 2015 as a convenient but modest regional casino stop has emerged from its $275 million expansion as a full-service mountain resort with a world-class restaurant, a beautiful spa, a proper poker room, and hotel towers offering some of the most spectacular views of any casino property in the Southeast.

The slot mechanic quirk and the relatively compact scale compared to the flagship Cherokee property remain worth noting for first-time visitors. But the combination of an expanded gaming floor, Ramsay's Kitchen, the Valley River Spa, and a mountain setting that genuinely takes your breath away gives this property a compelling case as a destination in its own right rather than just a halfway house on the road to Cherokee. For visitors driving up from Atlanta or across from Tennessee, the journey is increasingly worth making on its own terms.