Low-Tech Getaway To Blackberry Farm
By SALLY WALKER DAVIES
Back in the days before cell phones, when laptops still cost a fortune and the Internet was this hard-to-imagine world and the dominion of college professors, there was this week-long event in almost everybody’s life.
It was called a vacation.
Back then, parents getting away for a kids-free vacation actually had to leave phone numbers for the hotel they were traveling to; the business centers of hotels contained fax machines and maybe a single word processor, and carpal tunnel syndrome was practically unheard of. Back then, a vacation was actually more than a long weekend, it was five or even six nights away from home, kids, work, and the usual routine.
In these high-tech days in which we now live, 24/7 accessibility has become a national ailment, cutting us off from true relaxation and rejuvenation. And as incredibly important as well all are to our families, our co-workers and our industries, it’s probably safe to say that they’ll all survive without you for a week.
But is getting away from it all -- truly away from it all -- really possible? Yes, especially if you run to the mountains of Tennessee, where your phone/PDA/Internet connection probably won’t work anyway.
Just forty miles from Knoxville, in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, is a luxurious retreat that redefines low-tech.
There’s nary a billboard or even directional sign pointing the way to Blackberry Farm; guests simply turn down an almost-hidden street just before the Towsend entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and wind their way through miles of pastoral scenery before arriving at the farm.
Blackberry started as a small family-run inn with six rooms, and has become one of the most acclaimed hotels in the world, with top honors for service from Travel & Leisure in early 2007 and being named the best small hotel by Zagat in 2004, among others.
There are now 40 rooms and cottages scattered through the farm’s 4,200 acres, but there’s always a place to find solitude on the grounds, whether from the porch of a cottage, down at the boat house, or on one of the many hiking trails.
Relaxation doesn’t come easy to those used to a fast-paced, always-connected life. That’s why most guests who visit here stay 4-5 nights, and often return annually to refresh and rejuvenate.
Complimentary activities include tennis, canoes, guided hikes and yoga on Saturdays. Bikes can be checked out for those who wish to explore the property on two wheels; trails range from easy to challenging. Games of croquet and badminton can be set up on the lawn. A line of rocking chairs, with a view to the mountains, beckon those who want to read or simply be.
Guests can also indulge in a variety of guided activities, from fly-fishing lessons right on the property to a fishing expedition with an Orvis guide out in the national park. Private or group lessons in horseback riding and sporting clays are offered; private or group yoga instruction is also available. For foodies, culinary options include farm tours and cooking classes.
Throughout the year, special culinary events and so-called ‘good life’ events are offered; the good life events are of the adventure type -- group cycling or mountain biking.
The farm is the backbone of the inn, providing meats from free-range organic livestock and heirloom produce, as well as eggs and fruits. Artesian farm-crafted cheeses are just being introduced, as are preserves; morel mushrooms are gathered from under shaded trees.
Three meals daily are part of the rates here, with the emphasis on ‘foothills cuisine’--– a luscious combination of traditional Southern fare and contemporary cuisine. Breakfast, for instance, might be blueberry - cottage cheese griddlecakes with pecan butter and served with spicy syrup; lunch might find one savoring the combination of basil-marinated corn on the cob with a sweet-tea brined fried chicken.
Yes, there are meeting rooms at Blackberry, and the staff can arrange a computer and Internet access for you if you insist. But the whole idea about Blackberry is to get away from it all, and make time for you to indulge yourself.
The question that remains, however, is can you put away the PDA, power down the laptop, and not even bother to leave a number where you can be reached -- unless it’s for the babysitter?
Blackberry Farm
Rates start at $745/night and include nightly accommodations, three meals and pantry snacks. Children over the age of 10 are welcome throughout the year; children under 10 are welcome at holidays and from July 15 – August 15.
It was called a vacation.
Back then, parents getting away for a kids-free vacation actually had to leave phone numbers for the hotel they were traveling to; the business centers of hotels contained fax machines and maybe a single word processor, and carpal tunnel syndrome was practically unheard of. Back then, a vacation was actually more than a long weekend, it was five or even six nights away from home, kids, work, and the usual routine.
In these high-tech days in which we now live, 24/7 accessibility has become a national ailment, cutting us off from true relaxation and rejuvenation. And as incredibly important as well all are to our families, our co-workers and our industries, it’s probably safe to say that they’ll all survive without you for a week.
But is getting away from it all -- truly away from it all -- really possible? Yes, especially if you run to the mountains of Tennessee, where your phone/PDA/Internet connection probably won’t work anyway.
Just forty miles from Knoxville, in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, is a luxurious retreat that redefines low-tech.
There’s nary a billboard or even directional sign pointing the way to Blackberry Farm; guests simply turn down an almost-hidden street just before the Towsend entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and wind their way through miles of pastoral scenery before arriving at the farm.
Blackberry started as a small family-run inn with six rooms, and has become one of the most acclaimed hotels in the world, with top honors for service from Travel & Leisure in early 2007 and being named the best small hotel by Zagat in 2004, among others.
There are now 40 rooms and cottages scattered through the farm’s 4,200 acres, but there’s always a place to find solitude on the grounds, whether from the porch of a cottage, down at the boat house, or on one of the many hiking trails.
Relaxation doesn’t come easy to those used to a fast-paced, always-connected life. That’s why most guests who visit here stay 4-5 nights, and often return annually to refresh and rejuvenate.
Complimentary activities include tennis, canoes, guided hikes and yoga on Saturdays. Bikes can be checked out for those who wish to explore the property on two wheels; trails range from easy to challenging. Games of croquet and badminton can be set up on the lawn. A line of rocking chairs, with a view to the mountains, beckon those who want to read or simply be.
Guests can also indulge in a variety of guided activities, from fly-fishing lessons right on the property to a fishing expedition with an Orvis guide out in the national park. Private or group lessons in horseback riding and sporting clays are offered; private or group yoga instruction is also available. For foodies, culinary options include farm tours and cooking classes.
Throughout the year, special culinary events and so-called ‘good life’ events are offered; the good life events are of the adventure type -- group cycling or mountain biking.
The farm is the backbone of the inn, providing meats from free-range organic livestock and heirloom produce, as well as eggs and fruits. Artesian farm-crafted cheeses are just being introduced, as are preserves; morel mushrooms are gathered from under shaded trees.
Three meals daily are part of the rates here, with the emphasis on ‘foothills cuisine’--– a luscious combination of traditional Southern fare and contemporary cuisine. Breakfast, for instance, might be blueberry - cottage cheese griddlecakes with pecan butter and served with spicy syrup; lunch might find one savoring the combination of basil-marinated corn on the cob with a sweet-tea brined fried chicken.
Yes, there are meeting rooms at Blackberry, and the staff can arrange a computer and Internet access for you if you insist. But the whole idea about Blackberry is to get away from it all, and make time for you to indulge yourself.
The question that remains, however, is can you put away the PDA, power down the laptop, and not even bother to leave a number where you can be reached -- unless it’s for the babysitter?
Blackberry Farm
Rates start at $745/night and include nightly accommodations, three meals and pantry snacks. Children over the age of 10 are welcome throughout the year; children under 10 are welcome at holidays and from July 15 – August 15.
