Hotel Review

THE INN AT SERENBE

BY TONY WARE

Get away from it all just 30 miles south of Atlanta.

PALMETTO, GA

10950 Hutcheson Ferry Rd 10950 Hutcheson Ferry Rd

770-463-2610 www.serenbeinn.com

A sliver of Chattahoochee Hill Country, the Serenbe community began in 1991 as a rural getaway for an Atlanta family. The 60-acre private estate evolved into a B&B in 1995, and Serenbe is now a 900-acre smart-growth community that promotes sustainable principles, from its 25-acre organic farm to its energy-efficient buildings.

Upon arriving at the compact Inn at Serenbe complex, you turn into a cluster of buildings that includes the Main House (seven rooms), the three-room Guest House (built as a horse barn in the 1930s) and registration.

While many relaxing getaways may include a massage, this property doesn’t have a spa. The nourishment you put in your body is a bigger concern, whether it’s a complimentary country breakfast or afternoon cookies left at your door. A deep night’s sleep in a voluptuous bed (once you get used to the enveloping country silence) will also help you unwind.

When you’ve had all the shut-eye you can handle, enjoy the contemporary amenities of the rustic-chic Main House, Guest House, Lake House, and Dogwood and Magnolia Cottages, such as satellite TV, DVD players, internet, air whirlpool tubs and fireplaces. Guests also have access to gardens, a croquet lawn, swimming pool and more.

Now about this nourishment: There are numerous ways to nosh. An earthy elegance runs through The Farmhouse at Serenbe, a renovated 1905 clapboard dwelling. Chef Nicolas Bour prepares a seasonal, three-course prix-fixe menu from Thursday through Saturday. (Sunday supper is always a traditional Southern “meat and three” meal, often with fried chicken).

Underneath the sprouting, Tim Burton-esque streetlamps along Selborne Lane (a long but manageable walk from the inn), Blue Eyed Daisy Bakeshop offers sandwiches and sweets. Meanwhile, The Hil—headed by Chef Hilary White— offers upscale comfort food and a cocktail lounge in an airy, inviting nook.

For those who crave a little more activity, Serenbe has 15 miles of scenic trails that thread through pastures and past small waterfalls. The printed map and trail descriptions aren’t as intuitive as they could be, but the surroundings live up to the name Serenbe (a marriage of “serenity” and “be”).

Let’s face it, everyone needs a breath of country air every now and then. For city dwellers, being blanketed in fog rather than smog is a peculiar sensation. The only thing that may be hard to find down these two-lane roads is a cell phone signal, which produces a sense of isolation that can cause alarm, followed by elation. If there’s one thing a visit to Serenbe does, it’s sustain sanity.