Whether you are looking for rest and relaxation, a focused and creating thinking venue, or family fun, Grandview Mountain Cottages is a destination to consider, just minutes away from Crossville.  My business partner, Nancy Zambell, and I stayed at the Pinecone Cottage for some focused, creative thinking time in the midst of nature.  The 30 minute drive beyond the boundaries of Crossville on Highway 68 was one of the most breathtaking scenes I experienced in Tennessee, with the rolling hills and mountain views.

Were we roughing it?  Not even close!  On this 145 acre get-away, established in 2008, we stayed in the lap of luxury, where Ilaeka Villa, owner, greeted us, along with Papa Phil, her father.  Once we were taken to the Pinecone Cottage, orientated to the surroundings, and unpacked, Papa Phil delivered his home- made pizza, made to order.   Relaxed and fed, we focused on a project in the sounds of silence.  Away from the distractions of work, house and home, and without internet access, we communicated, analyzed, considered, compromised, and conquered our project to our satisfaction.  After a little more conversation and television, we went to bed.  Which bedroom?  We flipped a coin to see who would sleep in the master bedroom.  It really didn’t matter, though, as both bedrooms were magnificent, elegant, cozy and comfortable.

Waking up to the mountain views and meadows, I ground some fresh, organic coffee beans from the Blue Smoke Coffee Roasting Company, “a fresh cup of Appalachian hospitality”.  Soon afterward, Ilaeka, co-owner, delivered our pre-ordered picnic breakfast of whole grain heirloom pancakes with maple syrup, homemade jams, fresh fruit, and fresh orange juice.  That was enough sustenance for our one-hour hike.

Hiking on their 145 acre property, in the Fern Forest, was peaceful, exhilarating, rejuvenating, and refreshing.   After an hour of trekking up and down mountain trails, over streams, and across meadows, we made our way back to our cottage, and to the outdoor hot tub.  Feeling the warmth of the pulsating water, with mist dancing on our faces, and feeling the coolness of the morning air in early spring, what else can one think except “life is good.”

While packing, showering, and cleaning up the cottage, we both talked about looking forward to a few more trips to Grandview Mountain Cottages, once with our husbands and dogs, and the other for our regular girlfriend weekend.  The focus of those trips will involve a lot more of the fun side of what this venue offers:  fishing in the private pond, or laying on their beach, roasting marshmallows at the campfire, laying in the hammock, playing ping pong, darts, or horseshoes, grilling, hot tub relaxation and conversation, hiking, horseback riding nearby, or just sitting on the deck looking at the beautiful views of the mountains and meadows, or reading a new book.  It will be great to see how the greenhouse and garden are coming along.  Of course, as partners in a business, we agreed that a quarterly retreat to GM Cottages is a goal, for rest, reflection and relaxation.

In learning a little about the people behind the business, I learned that Ilaeka is semi retired from her international consulting business, IBV Consulting Inc. (www.ibvconsulting.com).  I asked a few questions, and learned some more interesting facts:

• The objective of her business is to offer Luxury Vacation Rentals on the Plateau on her family’s farm.

• What differentiates her business from her competition is attention to detail and service, privacy of location, eco- friendly practices, and organic catering.

• Her Academic/Professional education credentials include:  UCLA and the Sorbonne Universite, Paris, France

• Before moving to Cumberland County/TN, Ilaeka lived her adult life in Paris France and San Francisco and L.A., CA and was raised primarily in Boca Raton FL, and Wilton CT.

• Ilaeka move to back to TN to help her family with her terminally ill mother and after her passing started Grandview Mountain Cottages with her father on the family farm.

• Her hobbies and interests include writing, travel, photography, and organic gardening.

• “Papa Phil”, is a retired IBM executive and helps Ilaeka co-manage the vacation rental business and is the wonderful chef in residence!  (Her parents purchased the farm in the 1970s as a vacation retreat and eventually retired there in 1984.) Ilaeka devotes most of her time now to the running of GM Cottages but still does short projects in Europe and occasional seminars and coaching projects for American executives wanting to be more effective overseas.

For a full nature experience, in an upscale venue, with friendly and professional owners, call Ilaeka at Grandview Mountain cottages at (423) 365-4412 or email her at gmcottages@grandviewmountaincottages.com.  Visit the website for more detailed information at http://www.grandviewmountaincottages.com.