Friday, July 30, 2010

A secluded, romantic, rustic lodge with incredible amenities and service.


A 33-acre retreat, set high atop a ridge in the Great Smoky Mountains, this beautiful log structure has multiple decks with rocking chairs overlooking distant hills and valleys. Bird feeders attract indigo buntings, hummingbirds, pileated woodpeckers, and many other varieties of wild birds. At night we heard the soft sounds of owls nearby.

This was our second visit to Berry Springs Lodge, and we reserved the Honeysuckle Springs unit. It has a plush 4-poster bed with beautiful linens, well-appointed furnishings,complimentary bottles of water, thick towels and robes, and when we entered our room, soft lovely music was playing in a CD player on the nightstand. A small basket of CD's is also furnished. Our room was an end unit, with comfortable outdoor seating on our private upstairs balcony. The balcony also has a softly-lighted modern hot tub (covered when not in use) which was absolutely spotlessly clean. It was wonderful at night lounging in the outdoor, private hot tub, looking up at the stars, and listening to the soothing Smoky Mountain night sounds...very peaceful and relaxing.

At night, a complimentary dessert and drinks are left in the dining room for one's convenience...just like raiding the refrigerator for goodies at home! Breakfast is a wonderful affair. It varies daily...my husband and I enjoyed a fresh bowl of mixed fruit with a flavored yogurt topping, orange juice and coffee, and French Toast with whipped topping and fresh strawberries and a side order of bacon and muffins. The breakfast menu is posted the night before, but can be customized the day before if a special dietary plan must be followed.

Patrick and Sue are a wonderful host and hostess, and I guarantee that once you have the Berry Springs experience, you will want to return again and again. The Gatlinburg-Sevierville area is sometimes very busy in high season, but Sue and Patrick provided us with a local "back roads map" that allowed us to visit the Arts and Crafts community in Gatlinburg without spending a great deal of time in traffic on the Parkway.

We highly recommend this facility to anyone who needs a wonderful getaway. We have celebrated two wedding anniversaries there, and will definitely return as our schedules allow.

Carol and Dick
Chattanooga-Signal Mtn., TN


Monday, July 26, 2010

The B&B to Measure All Others


This is by far, overall, the best B&B you will ever stay at. They have thought of everything. It is definitely in their attention to detail.

The rooms are all fabulous, very true to their website pictures. (Just as an FYI, the Sunset rooms do overlook the main entrance, which includes the parking area, so this is part of the view).

This B&B is a destination unto itself. Even if you didn't go sightseeing, you would have a great vacation just staying at the B&B. There are ponds to fish in (they provide the poles/bait), there are paths to bike ride on (they provide the bikes), you can play croquet, pitch horseshoes. You can even take out a canoe on the pond. They have a ping pong table, volley ball area, and I think a pool table.

Inside, the common areas are very relaxing and comfortable. They have a huge library of books, DVDs, and games. They also have a computer/printer which is handy for flight info/printing boarding passes. They even have a small work out area.

Most B&Bs give you a good solid breakfast. But here they are above and beyond! Compliments to the chef! Their evening snacks are very good, as well.

Everything about this B&B is just a notch above the rest. We definitely would recommend visiting here.

Colorado


Thursday, July 22, 2010

The perfect place for a wedding in the mountains


Our trip to Berry Springs was a combination of our wedding and the first part of our honeymoon. We couldn't have asked for anything more. We considered a full elopement, but in the end we invited a few family members and had our wedding on the back porch, overlooking the Smoky Mountains. Unbelievable? Yes. Breathtaking? Yes. Beyond our wildest dreams? Yes. Quiet? Yes. Laid back? Yes.

We planned this trip for months; we had our pick of any place in the Sevierville/Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area. We chose Berry Springs; and anybody else looking for a great bed and breakfast should do the same. Their website is accurate; it's how we picked it and everything is as described. You can spend all day on the grounds or take off and spend part of your day in the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area. Our suggestion would be to learn the roads in the area as quickly as you can (you can get around on the back roads and the bypass; but you have to figure it out first) and pick out a place to eat an early dinner each night (the breakfast at Berry Springs is so good, it lasted us until 4 or 5 each day) and maybe see some sights in Gatlinburg.

Getting around those areas can be tough; it's a tourist trap. But less than 10 minutes away from all the hustle and bustle is Berry Springs. It's out in the country, easy to find (well, we only took one wrong turn at the old barn, but we figured it out) and just a gem of a place.

Our room was awesome. We stayed in the one cabin that sits outside of the main lodge in one of the honeymoon suites. Everything is as it looks on the website. You will be pampered and spoiled and learn to like it, because that's what it is.

We will be back. And that's the bottom line. Believe the hype. Berry Springs is a great place.

Bethalto, IL


Monday, July 12, 2010

Loved it AGAIN!


Again this year we met our friends from Cincinnati (we are from Marietta, GA) to celebrate our mutual anniversaries (48 years!) at Berry Springs. We ordered our dinner so we could grill in the "summer kitchen" and it was wonderful! We also asked Sue to pack us a lunch for the next day (checkered tablecloth and all) and it was delicious. Breakfasts were tasty as always. We love sitting on the porch in the rocking chairs catching up with dear friends and sharing a bottle of wine. Sue and Patrick pay great attention to detail and it shows. We have made plans to return next year.



Marietta, GA

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Better Than a Four Star Hotel!

This was our first experience with a B&B. We have stayed in many four star hotels and this elegant and cozy Inn has exceded all of them. The best service, great food, excellent amenities. We wanted a quiet, peaceful, beautiful location and this B&B met all of our expectations. It is very close to Dollywood, Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountain National Forest. We will return to this B&B frequentlly...in fact we have booked a stay in October for the Fall color. Don't hesitate making a reservation here!



Farragut, Tennessee