Resorts across the American South attract travelers for their unparalleled hospitality and access to the region’s outdoor recreation. Whether they’re drawn to a cozy mountain cabin or a luxury beach hotel, Travel + Leisure readers return to the best resorts in the South — in this case, the states of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia — year after year for a relaxing escape from daily life.
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels (including safari lodges) were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city hotel, resort, or safari lodge based on their locations and amenities.
Cassie Wright/Courtesy of Lodge on Little St Simons Island
Frequent honorees No. 8 Blackberry Mountain and No. 9 Blackberry Farm, both in Walland, Tennessee, remained well-regarded by T+L readers. Of Blackberry Farm, one reader gushed: “I needed to get away and couldn’t find anyone to get off work at the same time, so I went alone. Twice. The food, the environment, the attention to detail, the spa, the meals — it was all amazing. I booked my next trip while I was there.”
Debuting on the list this year was another Tennessee property: No. 11 Under Canvas Great Smoky Mountains, a 40-tent glamping retreat near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which readers voted as No. 9 on this year’s list of the best U.S. national parks.
The barrier islands of Georgia were also beloved by T+L readers, with three properties there ranking in the top 15. In fact, it was the Lodge on Little St. Simons Island that took this year’s No. 1 spot. Read on to learn why it won top honors as the best resort hotel in the South and for the full list of reader favorites.
- Lodge on Little St. Simons Island, St. Simons Island, Georgia
Phillip Murdaco/Courtesy of Lodge on Little St Simons Island
Described by one voter as “an unspoiled environment where nature is celebrated,” this intimate resort — accessible only by boat — accommodates just 32 guests in six cottages and 16 individual rooms. Guests spend their days kayaking, bird-watching, fishing, and learning about the island’s wildlife — with no TVs or radios in rooms to interrupt nature’s sounds. That serenity is what led one reader to declare it “heaven on earth. There is no other place like this.” The island — one of Georgia’s Golden Isles, which placed No. 5 on this year’s list of T+L readers’ favorite U.S. islands — has only been open to the public since 1979. It has seven miles of barrier beach, plus 3,000 acres of forest and 8,000 acres of salt marsh to explore. Voters appreciated that the resort is all-inclusive: knowing that lodging, transport to and from the island, naturalist-guided experiences, and meals were taken care of allowed them to fully unwind.
Score: 96.76
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- The Cloister at Sea Island, Sea Island, Georgia
Courtesy of The Cloister at Sea Island
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 95.02
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- The Swag, Waynesville, North Carolina
Chelsea Lane/Courtesy of The Swag
Score: 94.81
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- The Inn at Willow Grove, Orange, Virginia
Courtesy of The Inn at Willow Grove
Score: 94.50
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- Old Edwards Inn & Spa, Highlands, North Carolina
Courtesy of Old Edwards Inn & Spa
Score: 93.78
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- Half-Mile Farm, Highlands, North Carolina
Courtesy of Half-Mile Farm
Score: 93.24
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- The Lodge at Sea Island, St. Simons Island, Georgia
Courtesy of The Lodge at Sea Island
Score: 92.29
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- Blackberry Mountain, Walland, Tennessee
The Ingalls/Courtesy of Blackberry Mountain
Score: 92.17
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- Blackberry Farm, Walland, Tennessee
Courtesy of Blackberry Farm
Score: 91.70
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- The Tides Inn, Irvington, Virginia
Courtesy of The Tides Inn
Score: 91.60
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- Under Canvas Great Smoky Mountains, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Bailey Made/Courtesy of Under Canvas
Score: 91.50
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- Salamander Resort & Spa, Middleburg, Virginia
Courtesy of Salamander Resort & Spa
Score: 90.58
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- The Fearrington House Inn, Pittsboro, North Carolina
Courtesy of Fearrington House Inn
Score: 90.09
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- Primland Resort, Auberge Resorts Collection, Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Courtesy of Auberge Resorts Collection
Score: 90.00
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- Inn on Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina
Courtesy of The Biltmore Company
Score: 89.49
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Resorts across the American South attract travelers for their unparalleled hospitality and access to the region’s outdoor recreation. Whether they’re drawn to a cozy mountain cabin or a luxury beach hotel, Travel + Leisure readers return to the best resorts in the South — in this case, the states of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia — year after year for a relaxing escape from daily life.
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels (including safari lodges) were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city hotel, resort, or safari lodge based on their locations and amenities.
Frequent honorees No. 8 Blackberry Mountain and No. 9 Blackberry Farm, both in Walland, Tennessee, remained well-regarded by T+L readers. Of Blackberry Farm, one reader gushed: “I needed to get away and couldn’t find anyone to get off work at the same time, so I went alone. Twice. The food, the environment, the attention to detail, the spa, the meals — it was all amazing. I booked my next trip while I was there.”
Debuting on the list this year was another Tennessee property: No. 11 Under Canvas Great Smoky Mountains, a 40-tent glamping retreat near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which readers voted as No. 9 on this year’s list of the best U.S. national parks.
The barrier islands of Georgia were also beloved by T+L readers, with three properties there ranking in the top 15. In fact, it was the Lodge on Little St. Simons Island that took this year’s No. 1 spot. Read on to learn why it won top honors as the best resort hotel in the South and for the full list of reader favorites.
1. Lodge on Little St. Simons Island, St. Simons Island, Georgia
Described by one voter as “an unspoiled environment where nature is celebrated,” this intimate resort — accessible only by boat — accommodates just 32 guests in six cottages and 16 individual rooms. Guests spend their days kayaking, bird-watching, fishing, and learning about the island’s wildlife — with no TVs or radios in rooms to interrupt nature’s sounds. That serenity is what led one reader to declare it “heaven on earth. There is no other place like this.” The island — one of Georgia’s Golden Isles, which placed No. 5 on this year’s list of T+L readers’ favorite U.S. islands — has only been open to the public since 1979. It has seven miles of barrier beach, plus 3,000 acres of forest and 8,000 acres of salt marsh to explore. Voters appreciated that the resort is all-inclusive: knowing that lodging, transport to and from the island, naturalist-guided experiences, and meals were taken care of allowed them to fully unwind.
Score: 96.76
Book on Tripadvisor
2. The Cloister at Sea Island, Sea Island, Georgia
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 95.02
3. The Swag, Waynesville, North Carolina
Score: 94.81
4. The Inn at Willow Grove, Orange, Virginia
Score: 94.50
5. Old Edwards Inn & Spa, Highlands, North Carolina
Score: 93.78
6. Half-Mile Farm, Highlands, North Carolina
Score: 93.24
7. The Lodge at Sea Island, St. Simons Island, Georgia
Score: 92.29
8. Blackberry Mountain, Walland, Tennessee
Score: 92.17
9. Blackberry Farm, Walland, Tennessee
Score: 91.70
10. The Tides Inn, Irvington, Virginia
Score: 91.60
11. Under Canvas Great Smoky Mountains, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Score: 91.50
12. Salamander Resort & Spa, Middleburg, Virginia
Score: 90.58
13. The Fearrington House Inn, Pittsboro, North Carolina
Score: 90.09
14. Primland Resort, Auberge Resorts Collection, Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Score: 90.00
15. Inn on Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina
Score: 89.49
