East Tennessee's Blackberry Farm earns top honor in Travel + Leisure magazine

7/8/2011

Blackberry Farm, the five-star luxury hideaway near Walland, is ranked as the top resort in North America by Travel + Leisure magazine in the August issue.

The magazine with an international following released on Thursday its 2011 World's Best Awards survey, which also ranks top hotels, cities, cruises, islands, family travel and spas. Blackberry ranked 12th last year in Travel + Leisure's World's Best survey.

On the magazine's list of top resorts this year, Blackberry Farm was given a score of 94.4 and finished just ahead of Stein Eriksen Lodge in Park City, Utah; San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, Calif., which ranked first last year; Four Seasons Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyo.; and Stephanie Inn, in Cannon Beach, Ore.

Liz Marsh, spokeswoman for Travel + Leisure, described the annual World's Best Awards as a gauge of the preferences, tastes and habits of sophisticated travelers and said the survey results provide insight into where and how people are traveling and what they now are looking for around the world.

"Readers like Blackberry Farm for many of its characteristics, including its service, restaurants and food, and rooms and facilities," Marsh said. "Blackberry Farm not only fares well in the region, but it is rated among the best hotels around the globe, ranking No. 24 on the list of Top 100 Hotels overall."

Blackberry, which is owned and operated by Sam Beall and his parents, Ruby Tuesday Inc. CEO Sandy Beall and wife Kreis, first took guests in 1976 and has received other accolades for its service and amenities during its 35-year history.

Blackberry spokeswoman Sarah Chabot said the Travel + Leisure result is the highest overall ranking the 62-room resort has received and should result in more business.

"It's very important for us," Chabot said. "It puts us in the same conversation with New York, London and Bangkok."

Source: Knoxville News Sentinel