Buckhorn Inn Getaway!

Like millions around the world, we've stayed close to home for the past months, but recently decided to venture out a bit, celebrate a birthday, enjoy the great outdoors, all in a responsible way.

Our adventure brought us to The Gatlinburg, Tennessee area and Great Smoky Mountains National Park for a quick but relaxing getaway.

The Buckhorn Inn was suggested to us by friends who stayed there as they passed through the area on their cross country trip. They spoke highly of it which piqued our interest as it sounded right up our alley. We visited their website, viewed each room and selected the one that best fit our needs and budget.

The Inn, built in 1938 is nestled on the side of a hill just outside Gatlinburg and offers a spectacular view of the nearby Smoky Mountains. As we approach, we see a series of individual cabins dotting the winding road which leads to the main building. The white, two story, wooden building is welcoming and is adorned with plenty of Christmas decorations. There are two, white swans wrapped in holiday lights lining the path to the front desk. We’ll talk later about the significance of the swans!

The front desk staff was friendly and check in was fast and easy. We were briefed on the grounds, breakfast, had our dinner reservations confirmed and we were on our way to our room.

The room was exactly as we selected online. A bit on the small side by today’s standards, but cozy and plenty of room for us. And guys, if you're looking for a large flat screen TV, you're out of luck here.

Trip Monkee Tip - ask for a room on the back side of the building to ensure you have a great view of the mountains!

The bathroom was new with all modern features. However, one suggestion would be a bit more shelf space for toiletries and dopp kits.

After we settled in, it was time for a stroll around the ample grounds. A short walk brought us the Rachel’s Labyrinth. Created many years ago, this 60’ wide, circular maze is said to bring peace and tranquility to those that progress on it’s winding path to it’s center. We took the time to try and center ourselves during these troubling times we are all experiencing. If nothing else, it was great being in the great outdoors at the foot of the mountains. Make sure you check it out!

On our walk back up the hill we walked past a small pond where two beautiful, white swans glided across the mirror-like water.

Did we mention that breakfast is included in your stay?

We were offered a choice of three items:

- Stuffed croissant french toast

- Smoked cheese and tomato omelette

- Bacon and eggs cooked to your choice

We opted for the omelette and bacon and eggs. The omelette was fine and was served with potatoes and garnished with a strawberry and orange slice. A basket of blueberry muffins and biscuits accompanied the meal. The muffin was ordinary with no “fresh our of the oven” appeal but the biscuit was good with butter and jam. Opting for “robust” for the first cup of coffee, we switched to “regular” for the second.

After breakfast we set out to explore the area. Keeping proper distancing protocols in mind, we opted to skip the hustle and bustle of shoppers in downtown Gatlinburg. Instead we headed to the Roaring Fork Motor Trail. Just outside of town, this one way, narrow road allows you to “hike” and be in nature from the comfort of your vehicle. There are plenty of places to pull over and take short, or long hikes. We stopped a few times along the way to walk and enjoy the many great views, babbling brooks and historic farm houses. The road is about 10 miles long and offers a great way to experience the National Park.

From there we drove to the Greenbrier Motor Trail for more great views and a few hikes.

It was then back to The Inn where a spread of homemade brownies were made available in the lounge. Raisins in brownies was a first for both of us! These would certainly satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth.

One of things we were looking most forward to was a birthday dinner at The Buckhorn Inn.

Cozy with a roaring fire going, we were welcomed and shown to our properly distanced table. Space is limited with one seating for the evening at 7pm. The menu is fixed with a flat rate of $35.00 per person.

Trip Monkee Tip - Reservations are required so reserve a table while booking your room.

Our dinner included:

- 5 Onion soup

- Prime rib of beef with au jus and horseradish sauce

- Parmesan scalloped potatoes

- Honey glazed carrots

The light soup was good and had the proper amount of cheese for our tastes. The prime rib was tender with the accompanying horseradish sauce having just enough zing! The potatoes were light and creamy and the carrots were very tender. We finished up with a fudge truffle pecan tart. And of course, you can’t go wrong with chocolate.

All in all, the food was good. We might suggest they should do more on presentation. The friendly wait staff and warm and inviting atmosphere really made our evening special.

We were drawn to The Buckhorn Inn on a strong recommendation from friends and they were right. We really enjoyed our stay and look forward to returning.