The South at its Best

Pulling into Blackberry Farm, the legendary Relais & Chateaux resort located near Walland, Tennessee, I’m sure someone is playing a joke on me. Instead of the iron gate, brick columns or brass plaque I’d envisioned, the entrance was marked by a simple white sign with the words “Blackberry Farm” painted on it. “No way,” I thought to myself. “It isn’t even that great of a sign.”

But the moment we turned into the driveway and I spotted the perfectly manicured lawns, the freshly-painted white fencing and views toward Chilhowee Mountain, I knew I was in the right place.

My trip to Blackberry Farm had come about so unexpectedly that I hadn’t had time to do a deep dive into lodging options, but, if I had, I would have hoped for the room where I stayed, one of just four neat gingerbread-bedecked “Hill Cottages” tucked into a shady glade. Each has its own style; with its heart-pine paneling, leather furnishings and patinaed accessories; mine could have been decorated by Ralph Lauren. There were also two stone fireplaces — one inside and one on the expansive back porch — and a kitchenette stocked with Haagen-Dazs ice cream bars and other goodies. Although there was a golf cart for me to use, I either walked or, if it was dark, called for a ride to avoid getting lost.

And it would be easy to get lost. Blackberry Farm is spread over 4,200 acres of deep woods, meadows, fields and gardens. Some pathways are paved; others are hard-packed trails that wind over the hills and into rugged forests. From the miles of white fencing that hems the roads to a line of Adirondack chairs perfectly positioned to catch the sunset, emerald-green lawns and golden balds, everything is remarkably beautiful, a perfect rendition of itself.

The Barn, where a four-course formal dinner is served each evening, is another example. It’s a perfect shade of red, with bright white trim around the windows. Inside, a rough-hewn beamed ceiling arches overhead, giving the space a warm, lived-in feel. Tables are set with crisp linen napkins, crystal wine glasses, silver cutlery and equine-themed porcelain plates. A table near the kitchen is set with dozens of antique wine decanters; order a bottle from the 160,000 choices in the cellar. Choose your favorite, or ask the sommelier to decant it into the vessel best suited to the wine.

Reading the menu, it was easy to make out what was in season; what impressed me was the chef’s creativity in finding ways to utilize all those vegetables so deliciously. Handfuls of fresh mint tossed into the kale salad gave it a vegetative freshness that perked up the sweetness of the tender greens and crunchy apples; butternut squash turned out to be a remarkable foil for deeply seared scallops. Dessert, an elegant take on s’mores, was sweet and satisfying. All meals (but not alcohol) are included in the price of the room.

The next morning, when I got a last-minute invitation to join friends for a couple of hours of guided cycling along the undulating back roads of southeastern Tennessee, I jumped at the chance. I’ve taken a lot of cycling excursions over the years but had never experienced one like this. From loading and unloading bikes, adjusting helmets, carrying snacks, watching for traffic and navigating, all the while maintaining a lively dialogue about the region, our two guides did everything but pedal. All I had to do was watch the landscape scroll by.

Given the level of service involved in my bike ride, it was hard not to wonder how the prescient staff was able to keep up with the scope of activities available to guests at Blackberry Farm. Excursions are about as personalized as they can be. Tours on foot are separated into “walks”, “leisure hikes” and “aerobic hikes.” There are even two guided trail runs. Equestrians can choose not only their locale but their pace, a wonderful bonus for all riders.

Guests can also take more targeted excursions like bird watching, searching for wildlife and a walking stream exploration. Kids and adults come away from the farm tours a bit dusty, but always smiling, as beyond the gardens, the farm is home to sheep, chickens, donkeys, pigs and a friendly team of truffle-hunting Lagotto Romagnolo dogs.

Home to the Beall family, who moved to the property in the 1970s, Blackberry Farm opened as a resort in 1990. From the beginning, the Kreis’ and Sandy Beall were determined to immerse guests in a celebration of the southern Appalachians, from the landscape to the food, the ingredients and the culture.

In 2003, son Sam Beall took over management of the resort. Trained in hotels, wineries and the kitchen of Chef Thomas Keller’s French Laundry, Beall took the already refined resort to the next level with additions like a spa, restaurants, upgraded lodging options and a world-class wine program. He was also true to his Tennessee roots and used every opportunity he could find to share the story of the South with his guests through activities, menus, cooking classes, spa treatments and cooking techniques.

When Beall died in a tragic skiing accident in 2016, the resort had evolved from an in-the-know hideaway to a once-in-a-lifetime dream destination. Today, under the leadership of Sam Beall’s wife Mary Celeste, the resort has fine-tuned the experience even further. Case in point: my arrival. Storms were blowing through the region, delaying flights, closing roadways and wreaking havoc with Blackberry Farm’s carefully calibrated check in/check out process. But instead of forcing me to sit and wait for my room to be ready, staff miraculously rescheduled my spa appointment for late morning and sent me off in a golf cart. Thirty minutes later, steamed and robed, I sat in the sunlit lounge, peacefully awaiting my massage therapist. Instead of feeling stress, I was able to revel in the moment. And the massage.

On the day I left, clutching farmstead cheese and a boxed lunch for the drive home, I realized that one of the elements of Blackberry Farm that is rarely mentioned is the service. As I experienced on my cycle tour, staff members took care of so many details that all I ever had to do was enjoy the experience. It was the best part of a perfect visit.