Cozy Mountain Getaways

Book a lodge at one of our favorite escapes in the Great Smokies.

Your senses first alert you to the shift in the seasons. A cool breeze stirs the still air, and you hear the rustle of dropping leaves. Then comes the yearning to get away, that need to seek out the brilliant foliage on the mountainsides that truly signals fall's arrival across the South.

We've found three spots in Townsend and Gatlinburg, Tennessee, that make fabulous escapes-places to immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and tastes of fall. Two are new kids on the mountain; one is a longtime favorite. Come along, and discover these special spots that beautifully illustrate the season.

Dancing Bear Lodge

I've heard of down-filled, but this is delightfully ridiculous. I'm drowning in down in a cozy cabin in the middle of Townsend, and if I'm never rescued, so much the better. A downfilled denim duvet covers me, a down-filled mattress top swaddles me, and down pillows cradle my head. Ralph Lauren linens complete this feeling of utter decadence. And that's before I even rouse myself to experience the rest of what Dancing Bear Lodge has to offer.

Managing partner Matt Alexander wanted to provide guests with an "awe" experience. "Our location is fantastic," he says. "When you are here, you feel secluded, but you're only one driveway from town."

It's true. Rusticlooking yet filled with amenities, 17 cabins and 12 lodge rooms surround guests with the sense of being tucked away from civilization. But U.S. 321 in Townsend is less than a mile awaynot that you'll be in any hurry to hit the road. There's too much to keep you happily ensconced at this 36-acre Smokies paradise. The lodge rooms come complete with TV and wireless Internet. Woodburning fireplaces and hot tubs grace the cabins.

Have I mentioned the s'mores every night by the outdoor fireplace? Or the breakfast included each morning? Then at day's end, make use of the firewood neatly stacked outside your cabin, or relax in your own welcoming porch swing. And chef Jeff Carter offers dinner ($19.95$29.95) in the full-service restaurant if you don't feel up to venturing into town.

If it's activities you crave, you'll find those in abundance too. Enjoy scuffling through the leaves as you stroll or bicycle along the 3 miles of walking trails. The Little River adjoins the property and is stocked with rainbow trout for fly-fishing.

Whether you decide to hibernate in the down-filled beds or explore to your senses' delight, you'll love this new spot on the quiet side of the Smokies.

The Lodge at Buckberry Creek

I can't decide which view is the best-the one from my room's balcony, from the lodge's balcony, or the view of the splendidly decorated guest room itself. So I swivel my head like some pleasantly confused owl and just drink all of it in.

The owners of this 1 ½-year-old Smokies Utopia-brothers Buddy and James McLean, as well as Jeanie Johnson, design partner-have created a heavenly spot in Gatlinburg. They call it "The Great Camp of the Smokies," but it's not like any camp I've ever been to. I've never bunked in a decorated suite with a fireplace, kitchen, high-speed wireless Internet, and view of Mount LeConte that changes by the hour.

The Lodge at Buckberry Creek perches atop 27.7 wooded acres and cradles 46 suites in Adirondack style. And when your head gets tired of swiveling from view to view, take in the rest of the amenities. Head down the half-mile walking trail that leads to Buckberry Creek, which is flanked by a charming pavilion, complete with fireplace, creekside hammock, and phone to call in the troops when vou decide you're too lazy to climb back up the hill-they'll come and get you. The terrific staff will also arrange flyfishing, golfing, rafting, and horseback riding.

And the food-oh, my goodness. Chef Winston Guerrero creates dinners that promise to bring on more oohs and aahs. The pumpkin bisque ($7) has already proven a harvest favorite. Try the beef tenderloin ($32), and save room for the crème brûlée with homemade macaroons ($7) or the pear en croûte ($8). Don't pass up breakfast, when you can wrap up in a blanket and sit outside watching the sun rise over the Smokies. The pastries are amazing, the Belgian waffle even better.

Between the luxurious suites, the food, and the fun, I'm definitely one happy camper at this super-duper spot. Church camp it's not, but it is heavenly.

Buckhorn Inn

The most seasoned of these three mountain getaways does not show her age. Instead, Buckhorn Inn mimics a fine wine, in that the years have added depth, flavor, and a finer sense of identity to this 25-acre expanse of woods and meadows, only a mile from Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Owners Lee and John Mellor carry on the fine tradition of welcoming guests to this 1938 Gatlinburg inn, which offers nine rooms in the original Colonial-style structure, seven charming cottages, and three grand guesthouses. For the ultimate in luxury and with an unmatched view, check out Webb Mountain House, where two couples can comfortably enjoy every amenity imaginable, from full kitchen to two whirlpools, Bose sound system, fireplace, and a never-ending vista of Webb Mountain.