Our Townsend Hotel Guests Say

The following comments were received as entries to our recent contest by telling us why guests like to stay at Highland Manor Inn. Please sign up for our newsletter to keep up-to-date about our inn and our next contest.

The winning entry was submitted by Karen Hellard. Her entry follows:

Karen Hellard Comments: My husband and I have been staying at Highland Manor exclusively for 21 years, after staying in several other motels in the area. Many of the other hotels there offer similar amenities, but in our book, there is no other option but Highland Manor. What makes our choice so clear is the owner, Sandy, and her family. When we first starting staying there, I think there were only a couple of units with rooms available. I can still remember entering our room and commenting to my husband that it felt and smelled like home. The rooms are always perfectly clean and the sheets are always fabric softener soft. The decor is lovely and tasteful. Also the surrounding grounds are beautifully landscaped and maintained and the pool is always sparkling fresh. We watched as Don and his son built more units and even wondered once it they got bigger, could they maintain the same standards and coziness that the rooms provide. The answer was absolutely YES! As the years have gone by, this awesome mountain inn has grown, the wonderful continental breakfast has been expanded and Sandy’s big smile is still there to greet us! The lobby of the hotel, with its fireplace, comfortable furniture and colorful birds, encourages you to just sit and relax. Ahhh……Yes, it is close to Cades Cove, where we were wed in 1989, and yes, it has wonderfully clean never musty-smelling whirlpools, and yes, it’s convenient to everything in Townsend. But it is the owners’ and the ambience they provide, which enhances the beauty of the surrounding mountains, that make us return as often as possible. It always feels like coming home to us and as I write this, I find myself longing to be there.

Other wonderful comments we received:

Comments: Of COURSE the peace & beauty of Townsend & the mountains brings me back time after time! But the TOP reasons I choose Highland Inn are the rooms & grounds are so clean & well kept, and MORE importantly-Sandy & her entire staff are so accommodating; helping with whatever you need in your room or on your stay; as well as having a friendly conversation in the lobby…over a great cup of coffee in the morning. (or anytime you feel the urge to stop & chat) I love the Highland Manor because I feel at home! Anonymously

Dianne Holt Comments: My name is Dianne Holt. I am from a small town in Kentucky. Last summer my husband and I went back to visit Townsend, TN. We walked into the check in office and were welcomed by a smile and a very gracious person. We carried on a short conservation and proceeded to our room. After we got settled in I decided to pull the curtains back to catch the view from the balcony. I was so surprised by the view so I just stood there taking it all in for a few minutes. You might think it was the beautiful mountain view that I was absorbing or the cool mountain air, but it wasn’t. I called my husband over and said, “You are not going to believe this.” He came over to the balcony also and smiled and said, Well, what a sight.” and gave me a big kiss. The amazement wasn’t on the beautiful mountain top but straight across the street from the balcony. It was the beautiful little chapel where a sweet minister performed our wedding ceremony on Dec. 29, 1998. I will never forget the feeling when I walked out onto the balcony of Highland Manor Inn. Townsend is a beautiful little town nestled between Gatlinburg and Cades Cove. We love spending time there and at the Highland Manor Inn. It is away from the hustle bustle of some of the neighboring areas. We are looking forward to visiting again soon.

Angie Boyette Comments: It feels like home to me. I have been coming to Highland Manor for over 10 years now. I bring everyone there who is interested in Cades Cove, tubing, shopping the artist loop in Gatlinburg. I have brought many friends & family over the years. I HAVE to go a couple times of year or I feel like I’m missing something. I have joined the Great Smokey Mtn Assn. going on 3 years. What better way to preserve our history and hopefully my grandchildren will be able to appreciate all there is to do around Townsend. You’ll probably be seeing me soon. Just had a girlfriend text me a couple of weeks ago to get your name & number. Although I think she couldn’t get away. Maybe I’ll bring her this time. You have a lovely place as I said that feels like home.

Sharon Piazza Comments: We have been going to Townsend for over 15 years now. When we vacation in other places and stay in nice hotels and visit popular sites around the country, we always want to go back to one place – Townsend and Highland Manor Inn – it feels like home, it’s clean, comfortable, relaxing and beautiful. We have tried cabins nearby but nothing makes us as comfortable and relaxed as Highland Manor Inn. We dearly love the Smokies but I’m not sure we would even visit there as much if we didn’t have the Inn to go back to between playing in the area.

Richard Boyd Comments: We stayed at Highland Manor on our honeymoon in June of 1984 and we came back in 2009 for our 25th anniversary. It was a surprise for my wife and we had a great time and we enjoyed coming back and it brought back a lot of good memories and we made some new memories for our next visit. It is a great place to stay and it is away from all of the hustle and bustle so you can relax and have a good time. And everyone was very nice and it is a very enjoyable place to stay. We are looking forward to staying with you again soon.

Margery Mayer Comments: we see the same friendly faces for breakfast and beautiful mountain views from our balcony in the Morning. There are many places to eat and hike to pleasure our Daytimes. The careful and appropriate attention to our room provides us a peaceful and good Night’s sleep.

Nancy Conklin Comments: We have had the pleasure of staying at your Inn twice now and it was a very nice stay. The room was very clean and the service we got from the office was great. The Inn is very close to Cades Cove which is our favorite place in Tennessee. We love the feeling of Peace that is all around us while we are at your Inn and the neighboring mountains. We will be back and we will stay at the Highland Manor Inn no doubt! The funny part of it all is that we were offered the same room #223 both times we stayed at the same price from the year before, it doesn’t get any better than that. See you soon!

Doris Martin Comments: We like to stay at Highland Manor Inn because it is so peaceful there. The accommodations are clean, the staff is helpful and friendly, and for us the location can’t be beat. We go to the Smoky Mountains to relax and enjoy the scenery.

Mimi DeWitt Comments: … because there is no greater Medicine on Earth than peace, beauty, and nature. Our Creator fashioned all we need for life and love, waiting to be discovered by each of us. Some of us have found it, in the corner of the world that is the Great Smokey Mountains. The Highland Manor Inn is the perfect place to come back to after a day of exploration and wonder. Breakfast is always delicious and plentiful, with a pleasant desk clerk keeping everything topped off. Need something? Just ask. The rooms are quiet, clean, and fresh. The pool, pristine. Townsend is still a jewel in the Smokey Mountains. I hope it and the Highland Manor Inn never “outgrow” the charm that sets them apart.

Comments: Highland Manor is a gem that we just happened to find! It truly is everything that we want in a vacation stay; the view, the accessibility to the river, the peaceful location and most of all the friendly service. We love it! Anonymously

Comments: ITS VERY PEACEFUL AND QUIET, CLOSE TO CADES COVE, YET DRIVING DISTANCE TO PIGEON FORGE AND GATLINBERG, WE ALSO LIKE THE IDEA THAT WE CAN GET OUT AND TAKE A PEACEFUL STROLL OR BIKE RIDE WITHOUT GETTING RUN OVER Anonymously

Karen Kemp Comments: When we arrived there about a week and an half ago, my daughter said, “We’re home,” and that’s just how it feels–like our home away from home. We have been staying at the Highland Manor Inn since before our children were born. Our oldest is 15. We try to get the same room every time, if possible. We always look at the birds when we check in at the front desk and look around to see what has changed since our last visit. We love pulling up to our room and going inside. The girls head straight for the beds to jump on them, and I head straight for the balcony to look at the beautiful mountain view. My youngest daughter brings her basketball and practices at the hoop. She also loves the swing set. We all love the pool and never seem to have enough time to enjoy it. We don’t have cable at home, so we end up staying up late to watch something good on TV which isn’t so good when we are supposed to get up early to go hiking! I could go on and on. We always hate to leave but know that, hopefully, we will be back next summer. In short, the Highland Manor is OUR place, our home away from home.

James Moore Comments: I stay at the Highland Manor Inn for it’s value, cleanliness, service and proximity to Cades Cove and Chilhowie Mountain. It is ideally situated in a beautiful and quiet cove away from the tourist glitz and chaos of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg but near enough for dinner theaters and shopping the outlet malls. Relaxing in the hot tub, pool, or on the balcony overlooking the mountains after a dinner at one of the many good restaurants in Townsend emphasizes the peacefulness of its location and brings contentment to the soul. Most of all, I love staying at the Highland Manor Inn because their staff make me feel like I’m one of the family.

Eddie & Quintella Reed Comments: First of all we like to stay at the Highland Manor Inn because of the owners, Sandy and Don . They are always so friendly and make us feel welcome any time we find that we can come to Townsend. The rooms are always clean and fresh. The housekeepers are most efficient and do a wonderful job of cleaning, always ready to do anything we may ask of them to make our stay more comfortable. The grounds are kept beautifully with seasonal flowers . We also like the location of Highland Manor Inn. It is so restful and peaceful there, yet it is close to many attractions that we like to go to. The spring and fall festivals are within walking distance, also many of the restaurants. We like to take morning and evening walks along the paved walkway. It is beautiful. Hope to see you soon

Comments: I like the idea of parking right outside our room and the view of the valley and mountains we get from our room. I also feel safer here than anywhere else we’ve stayed at. We like the quietness and convenience of local restaurants. Since we discovered Townsend almost 30 years ago, we have consistently stayed there. Our last trip, two years ago was the first time we stayed at Highland Manor (with very comfortable beds, I might add) and as far as we’re concerned that’s the only place to stay. We had an enjoyable time and my health is the only thing holding us back from returning anytime soon. Anonymously

Comments: We love Highland Manor Inn because coming back each time is like coming home and the staff are like family and friends. The closeness to Cades Cove is an absolutely wonderful feature as well. Anonymously

Barbara Summers Comments: Its away from all the traffic in the bigger places in the Mountains. Highland Manor always welcomes us whether we arrive in a car, or on our motorcycle. We visit the Smokies at least two or three times a year and wouldn’t stay anywhere else. Clean, Quiet Relaxing rooms..What more could you ask for!!!

Charlie and Danette Reeves Comments: For us, coming to Highland Manor is coming to a vacation of peace. We are close enough to attractions and activities, but can come to a place of beauty and rest. We have been coming since 1991 and it keeps getting better and better. Great job, Sandy and Don!