This Small City in Tennessee Just Got a Luxury Farm Resort — Here’s a First Look Inside

Just outside the charming small city of Franklin, in the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee, Southall has officially opened, and we got a first look at the new farm-focused luxury resort. Surrounded by old-growth forests and picturesque pastoral landscapes on 325 acres, the resort is a destination in itself, providing guests with the opportunity to explore the region’s agricultural customs, local flavors, and natural beauty through farm-to-table dining, an extensive menu of activities, and a modern take on Southern hospitality. 

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At the heart of the property, The Inn offers 62 guest rooms and suites, plus there are more than a dozen cottages nestled in the rolling hills overlooking the estate. All rooms have oversized soaking tubs and local artwork, and some come with their own fireplace. Arbor Cottages have an upscale tree house feel with a large porch — perfect for sipping hot apple cider while taking in the view — and huge in-room copper tubs. One- and two-bedroom Hillside Cottages feature screened-in outdoor seating and ample space for spreading out. The Inn and the cottages provide a sophisticated take on the farm aesthetic with a modern exterior designed by 906 Studio Architects, and interiors designed by IndiDesign include wood-burning fireplaces, exposed wood beams, lots of windows to bring in natural light, and whimsical woodland-inspired touches.

If the Inn — home to Sojourner and Mary Amelia restaurants and The Spa at Southall — is the heart of the resort, the farm is its soul. Southall prides itself on curating an authentic seed-to-fork experience, with tours and classes revolving around the land. Even though the hotel has just opened to guests, the team has already been working for years, cultivating crops and creating a sustainable farm that can offer fresh produce — including unique heirloom varieties that you might not see at your average farmers market — for the kitchen to use in their seasonal dishes.

On the property, there’s a 2,000-tree apple orchard, hydroponic and traditional greenhouses, terraced kitchen gardens, large-format gardens, a seed-saving program, and acres of land for foraging wild plant species. An apiary is home to millions of bees that help pollinate the farm and provide delicious, award-winning honey that’s incorporated into dishes at the restaurants. The Jammery is a certified canning kitchen, where produce is pickled, dehydrated, jammed, and preserved to extend the year’s harvest and add even more local flavor to the meals offered on site. And farm tours, cooking demonstrations, honey tastings, apple picking, gardening classes, forest bathing, and more allow guests to experience nature — and the natural beauty and bounty of Middle Tennessee — in unique ways. 

After spending a day touring the farm, seeing the resident bees, and trekking the hills, the experience comes full circle thanks to the culinary program created by executive chef Andrew Klamar and senior vice president of culinary and agriculture Tyler Brown. Sojourner is the resort’s all-day-dining outpost. In the morning, there are fresh egg dishes served alongside country ham and grits, homemade pastries, apple pancakes, and more. Cocktails inspired by local flavors, and dishes ranging from veggie-focused to rich and meaty, reflect the farm’s harvest and Middle Tennessee culinary traditions. Mary Amelia is the signature restaurant, opening in the coming weeks, slated to serve a multicourse menu that honors those farm-grown ingredients. 

Of course, nourishment goes beyond the farm-to-table food and beverage program to include meaningful experiences and wellness offerings that give guests a wonderfully relaxing, educational, and luxurious getaway. A 15,000-square-foot spa offers ingredient-driven treatments using products from brands such as Seed to Skin and Naturopathica. It’s also home to a gorgeous outdoor relaxation area with a heated mineral pool and lounges overlooking Lake Mishkin, the pond at the center of the property, named for the founder, Paul Mishkin. The spa even includes a sauna, steam room, and two relaxation rooms, and the Lennon Poppy Salon is the place to go for hair, nail, and makeup services. 

Other on-site experiences range from thrilling (falconry, mountain biking, and a ropes course) to peaceful (sound bath meditation, yoga, and morning hikes), just to name a few. Apiary tours offer an enlightening look at the world of bees, their impact on the farm ecosystem, and the lessons we can learn from them. And two pools, a picturesque hilltop overlook, and water activities like fishing and kayaking on Lake Mishkin all add to the bespoke country experience.

And while you certainly won’t run out of things to do on property, the bustling honky-tonk bars and boutique shopping of Nashville are just a short drive away, and the charming city of Franklin — with its postcard-perfect main street dotted with local shops and restaurants — lies even closer. 

Southall is now accepting bookings, and room rates start at $839 per night. For more information, visit southalltn.com.