When I began planning a surprise Mother’s Day trip, I thought back on our favorite girls’ trips. From Hawaii to Costa Rica, we’ve had some great memories – but one in particular stands out, and the location might be a bit of a surprise: Walland, Tennessee!
Six years ago, we visited Blackberry Farm, where we experienced everything from the impeccable art required to carve and prepare a lamb to the test drive of a Lexus convertible that I almost rolled down a hill in the Great Smoky Mountains…you can read more about that experience from the blog posts way back when.
This past February, the family behind Blackberry Farm opened their newest gem: Blackberry Mountain, also in Walland, TN. This Virtuoso partner property is everything we wanted it to be and more – and I have no doubt that our Epperly Travel clients will feel the same way. Plus, we’ve got some amazing amenities at either property for guests who book through Epperly :
- Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Complimentary Full Breakfast daily for two per bedroom
- $100 USD Spa/Wellness credit to be applied towards spa service or wellness activity
- Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
As for my Mom, she was unaware of Blackberry Mountain’s existence even as we stood outside of the gates to the new property. This video will go down as one of my all time favorite moments:
The immaculate lodge is perched at the top of the mountain with views as far as the eye can see.
The great part about both properties is that there is no one clear cut winner – both are fantastic, depending on your travel needs. A large part of what our team at Epperly Travel provides clients is destination and resort matching, a complimentary service on our domestic travel planning. We’ll help guide you to the right spot, make sure you get those extra amenities, and leverage our contacts so you’re taken care of. If you’re ready to get started with the planning, let’s get started – use this form to request your trip.
Want to learn a little more about the two? Here’s how they stack up:
LOCATION + ACCOMMODATIONS
The first notable difference between the properties is the location: and it’s all in the name. Blackberry Mountain sits on top of a mountain with grand, sweeping views of the valley below – you even have a view of Blackberry Farm! Down in the valley, Blackberry Farm sits on a working farm, a much more even surface for easy walks and a bit more diversity to explore via golf cart because of the farm life.
I personally preferred Mountain’s individual stone cottages in terms of accommodations. Entry level rooms at Blackberry Farm are beautiful, but definitely snugger. Your Epperly agent will help you choose the right room type for you, especially if space and golf cart access (at Blackberry in particular) are important to you. Get started with the planning here.
ACTIVITIES
Blackberry Mountain activities are geared toward a youthful spirit and active adventurer: think everything from sound bath meditation to mountain climbing.
Back over at Blackberry Farm, guests have more traditional and low-key offerings, like farm tours and fly fishing.
From my experience, either destination can be made into as active or relaxed as you’re looking for. Our team will work with you alongside Blackberry’s concierge to bring an excellent itinerary to life.
CUISINE
The meals at both Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain are outstanding, but the distinguishing factor between the two: Farm is geared toward local, regional cuisine, whereas Mountain takes influences from across the globe (for instance, you might see Asian-inspired dishes on Mountain’s menu, versus Farm’s Southern flare).
HOSPITALITY
At Epperly Travel, we love finding ways to surprise our travelers when we can and our partnership with Blackberry Farm is one that allows us to go above and beyond for guests.
In honor of Mother’s Day, I wanted my mom to experience one of the ways that we like to surprise our clients. I gathered several photos from over the years and worked with the Blackberry Farm team to display the photos in the room.
As soon as she saw the photos, my mom had the moment that we strive for at Epperly: hand-to-heart, tears-in-eyes, surprise and delight. “This is what makes you guys so special,” she said. “I never understood what a difference that personal touch was until experiencing it myself.”
Upon checkout, one of the bellman recognized us from the photos. “You two are the ones with the photos!” He proclaimed. We were so surprised that he knew anything about it! He continued, “The entire team got so excited about that project – the head of our forestry team actually hand-made the photo frames when he heard about it!”
And that was my hand-to-heart moment. To know that a property like this is going this far above and beyond for our guests? That’s a level that every five star hotel should strive to reach.
So what’s it going to be for your next getaway, Blackberry Farm or Blackberry Mountain? The good news: our team will guide you every step of the way, from choosing (or arranging a split stay!) to scoring those extra amenities and ensuring the extra special touches. We can’t wait to craft your hand-to-heart moments, too.
