o you remember
when Gatlinburg was a quaint, quiet little place? At Hippensteal's Mountain
View Inn, it still is!
The driveway turns left off Grassy Branch Road and the signs welcome you. The pleasant half-mile drive to the top that winds past meadows and other homesteads doesn't prepare you for the view that awaits after the last turn. At the top of the mountain, the breath-taking panorama that stretches from Greenbriar Pinnacle to Mt. Harrison--with the majestic Mt. LeConte in the middle--greets the visitor. And the Inn has three wrap-around porches from which you can enjoy the majestic views (take a virtual tour of the inn).
he Hippensteal Mountain View Inn is an eleven-bedroom bed and breakfast
designed, built, and decorated by Vern and Lisa Hippensteal. The large porches
invite you to come and relax in the rocking chairs under ceiling fans to
watch the Great Smoky Mountains as they change minute by minute.
Inside, the black and white tiled floor of the lobby, comfortable
wicker furniture, and ambient lighting make the visitor feel he or she has
stepped into the past. The large stone fireplace compels one to sit and
relax. The breakfast room is elegantly decorated with marble-top tables,
wicker chairs, and fine linen and is situated so guests can dine while watching
the clouds dance across the mountains or the flames in the great stone fireplace.
The kitchen is spacious and during the morning hours the aroma of breakfast
fills the Inn. The Hippensteals are famous for their breakfast, which includes
dishes like sausage pie, cheese soufflé, homemade bread cheese melts,
and sausage pinwheels. Lisa's fresh apple-raisin breads and pumpkin-chocolate
breads are
wonderful. Guests are always welcome in
the kitchen, where coffee, teas, and fresh fruit are always available. In
the evening, a special dessert is prepared to beckon the traveler home.
ern Hippensteal is one of the area's leading watercolorists,
and the Inn also serves as a gallery for Vern's works (in addition to the
two other galleries in Gatlinburg). The hallways and lobby area are filled
with his limited-edition prints already framed and available for purchase.
His studio is on the second floor, just off the library.
Each of the eleven bedrooms has its own special character
and is named after a painting hanging over the mantle of each room's fireplace.
For example, the room named "After the Rains", with its colorful
flowered wallpaper and handmade linens, is complimented by Vern's painting
of a rainbow over the Smokies. A Queen bed, reading chair, television, and
radio contribute to a comfortable stay. Each 
bedroom has its own private bath, with pedestal sink and
oversized whirlpool tub. Views of Mt. LeConte fill the windows of each bedroom,
and guests only have to step onto the wide porch to enjoy the full splendor.
isa, who grew
up at the original Mountain View Hotel, is the daughter of Tom and Jane
Woods, and brings both the experience from that hotel background plus a
natural warm hospitality to the Hippensteal Mountain View Inn. She hopes
their son, Woods, experiences the wonderful memories she has of guests at
the original hotel.
The Hippensteal Mountain View Inn is part of the Great
Smokies Arts and Crafts Community, a collection of over 60 individual art
galleries, craft shops, tearooms, and inns. The Inn is only minutes from
downtown Gatlinburg, Ober Gatlinburg, the Greenbriar entrance to the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park, Pigeon Forge and Dollywood. Rates are $135.00
per couple per night, which includes a full breakfast.
The Inn is located on Grassy Branch Road. From downtown Gatlinburg, turn
at traffic light No. 3 onto Highway 321 N/73 E towards the Gatlinburg Arts
and Crafts Community. Follow Hwy. 321 N 2.6 miles and turn left on Glades
Road (just past "Battles", a large grocery). This begins the Gatlinburg
Arts and Crafts Community. Follow Glades Road 3.3 miles until it ends, then
turn left onto Birds Creek Road, go .4 mile to an intersection and then
go right up and over the hill (.2 mile). At the "Y" go right .6
mile and our driveway is on the left.
1-800-527-8110 or (423) 436-5761
Fax (423) 436-8917
E-mail: vernhippen@aol.com, or write:
Hippensteal's Mountain View Inn
P.O. Box 707
Gatlinburg, TN 37738