The Lap of Luxury: Blackberry Farm
This is a good story. A story not just about great food, wine, wellness and luxury, but about a family's passion to carry out a vision created long ago. The roots of Blackberry Farmlocated in the Tennessee Smoky Mountains were planted in 1976 as just a nine-room inn by Sandy and Kreis Beall. With time their fortified roots grew a small inn into a vast property- a 69-room boutique hotel destination so sweet that the awards and accolades of being a top small luxury hotel of the world will make your head spin.
Taking the helm from his parents over a decade ago, the late Sam Beall, who sadly passed away in 2016, took his parents' vision and passionately made it even grander by adding to the 4200-acre property with a spa and wellness center, two additional restaurants, a farm to table concept and a retail program. Sam and his wife, Mary Celeste, invested their hearts and souls into Blackberry along with their team of over 400 staff members to create an illuminated property oozing with charm and southern hospitality. Mary Celeste acts now as proprietor so she can continue Sam's legacy and further realize his dream.
If you have not heard of Blackberry Farm nor had an opportunity to stay, you should put it on your travel bucket list, for it will be a trip to remember. It accomplishes everything that ADEPT (an acronym for art, drink, eat, play, travel) stands for. It is definitely a special place for special occasions.
HIGHLIGHTS:
1. A three course candlelight dinner at The Barn, a beautifully restored old structure with a massive fireplace, an open kitchen and a chic lounge.
2. After any meal, retire to a cozy nook by anyone of their many fireplaces to read a book, share a single malt or bottle of wine or play a board game.
3. Take a meandering walk along the horse pasture and fishing stream to the trailhead where you'll find a yoga platform and several moderate hiking trails through the Smoky Mountains.
INSIDER TIPS:
1. When dining at The Barn, ask your server for a private tour of the 100,000+ bottle wine cellar and the new "wine tunnel" and you will be in for quite a treat.
2. Become a Friend of Blackberry and get perks! They have an annual SALE in November when they offer special room rates in the off-season. Take advantage of the sale if you are interested in living it up on The Farm at a discount. Sign up here: FRIENDS OF THE FARM
3. Arrange for a spa treatment in the Wellness House and you have your choice of yoga, Barre or other exercise classes for free on the same day. Otherwise, each class is $35.
Photos provided by Blackberry Farm.
