Tucked into a quiet corner of Tennessee’s Appalachian foothills, Blackberry Farm is well-known for its five star spin on everything from fly-fishing to dining and spa treatments. Proprietor Sam Beall isn’t one to rest on his laurels though, which is why they’ve totally reinvented their spa concept into an entire wellness experience for guests. To appreciate Mr. Beall’s brand of “let’s do this right” thinking, consider the property’s wine program; five cellars housing roughly 160,000 bottles…if you can’t find a wine you like at Blackberry Farm, well, stick to beer. Oh, and they have that covered too, as they are currently in the midst of getting their on-site brewery up and running (and already in need of shelf space for the trophies honoring their award-winning concoctions).
Let’s not get derailed with talk of wine and beer…because the big news really is the Wellhouse. Recently, as a guest of the property, I was invited to test-drive the offerings. Rather than renovate the old spa, they built a new structure nearer to the property's Main House and angled it just so for perfect mountain views. Reclaimed wood, soothing earth tones and iron accents lend everything a tastefully rustic ambiance. Guests can come and go using the outdoor pool and gym but group classes (for an additional fee) are a better bet. On a regular, rotating basis they offer barre, yoga, Zumba, pilates and aquafit options.
I scheduled a yoga class with some skepticism because so often “vacation” workout experiences are mediocre. Here, the yoga instructor knew her stuff and kept us challenged. She also set up the mats, brought in the additional accessories and gave everyone a water bottle. When class was over I just walked away—like a teenager from a messy room. The outdoor offerings, also for an additional fee, are where things get really interesting. Aerobic guided hikes, guided trail runs and deep woods meditation and yoga experiences make the best use of the destination---after all you are in the Great Smoky Mountains. They also offer private training and TRX & stretch programs—take note, all of these in-depth experiences require 24-hour advance notice.
The spa aspect of The Wellhouse delivers the goods too with facials, massages and several signature treatments including an Appalachian Body Purification and Smoky Mountain Skin Glow. Keeping to the rustic nature theme, the spa uses Tata Harper’s all-natural skin care line as well as Naturopathica. Visit the juice bar on the way out, make plans to attend a lifestyle lecture or a cooking or gardening class after a treatment. The selections are some of the most creative I’ve seen. Indeed, the menu of services is 44 pages long---much like the ostentatiously thorough wine list, Blackberry Farm has considered everything. Yet, despite all of the luxury trappings the thing I love most here is dusk down by the pond. It's an ordinary farm pond--nothing five star about it---but when darkness falls the fireflies glitter like Christmas lights as the frogs begin their serenade. This evening light show and symphony rival any spa treatment and it's a gift only nature can deliver; I'm just grateful to Blackberry for preserving it for us.
