Maple Hurst

We had a GREAT time in Knoxville at the Maplehurst Inn Bed and Breakfast. We went to Knoxville Tennessee for the University of Tennessee Football game and stayed at the Inn. The location is amazing, just 2 - 3 blocks to everything, the Neyland Stadium, The Tennessee River, The Volunteer Landing at the waterfront,downtown and the Paddleboat and marina. We had a blast on the houseboats for the after game party! Sonny knows everyone in town and we had a weekend of fun. This is the place to stay for a weekend in the heart of Knoxville. Call Sonny and tell him the Floridians sent you and ask for directions to Mo's Egyptian King Tut Grill ... Thanks Sonny

Charming...charming ...charming !!! From the front entry with its beautiful cut glass vase to the hospitality of the our host Sonny. You will enjoy a quiet and relaxing weekend. The Maplehurst Inn is located close to everything. We spent a wonderful weekend touring the downtown Knoxville area. Sonny gave us local area maps and directions. The scenery is amazing and the history of this city is rich. We loved the Tennessee River paddleboat and visited with our new found Knoxville friends at the Marina on their Houseboat. We got to see the University of Tennessee Neyland Stadium and we went up to the fourth floor Glass Room of the Sunsphere at the World's Fair Park next to the Convention Center. The Inn was always peaceful to come back to at the end of our Very Full days. Sonny always had some snacks out at night downstairs in the Dining room. We slept in late the last day and savored the calm and quiet. He did not rush us out .. a real treat when you are traveling!

My Mom & I stayed at the Maplehurst Inn while looking for land or a home to purchase for retirement in the Knoxville area of Tennessee.



We are from Florida & it is too expensive to retire and Sonny had told us about the great East Tennessee buys available to "Half backs" as we are called...Those who originally lived & worked in the North then retired to Florida only to find ever rising insurance rates & taxes pushing us out, then moving "halfway back" settling around the Tennesse area.



He is very knowledgeable about Tennessee & real estate. He explained why East Tennessee is the new place for retirees...Low, low taxes and affordable housing & land.



He spoke about different areas & available shopping, doctor & hospital distances. He sent us to see Knoxville's neighboring areas. We fell in love with the natural beauty of Tennessee.



We would also like to thank Sonny for his daily updates and for caring about us. He always had a cup of tea and a cookie ready for Mom and I love his breakfast casserole at the morning breakfast buffet. We have decided that East Tennesse will be our home. Thank you for you hospitality!

Marion and Kelly

Thank you Sonny & Becky: Innkeeper/Host/Owners of the Maplehurst Inn



My wife and I and our just purchased Ford F-550 were driving home to Florida. As we reached the top of a steep Mountain stretch 15 miles from the Kentucky / Tennessee border we lost power & coasted to a stop just beyond a deep ravine against the mountain side.

(We'd moments earlier called a Bed & Breakfast we determined would be another 1.5 hours drive, The Maplehurst Inn.)

We called and AAA sent a great tow truck driver who said the truck would need repairs & it was late Saturday night so he suggested we find a place to stay. We decided to tow to Knoxville about 85 miles south & we started down the highway toward Tennessee. During the ride I called Sonny 4 times. He was always patient & helpful putting us at ease. He said he would be there & the room would be waiting.

He gave us directions & with a 20��� ft tow bed with F-550 on top we eventually made it to the Inn around 11 pm.

To our amazement there were thousands of people walking the streets. Every parking spot in town was taken. The lot next door was packed & throngs of people congested the road.

Sonny and his dear wife Becky stared at us in disbelief.

I asked where I might park the pick-up & he laughed & shook his head ���that is no pick-up���.

It seems that we had chosen a Bed & Breakfast 2 BLOCKS from the University of Tennessee Football Stadium on game night & arrived the moment 104,000 people were leaving the stadium after winning!

Sonny jumped in his car and went in search of a nearby parking spot.

My wife in the mean time took her shattered nerves into the Inn.

She never lost her cool during this entire ordeal; Not when we lost power at 70 miles an hour, not when I stopped against the rock Wall that all night long sent shards & pebbles down on us, not when I stood out on the darkened highway directing 18 wheelers away from the legs of our tow truck driver as he tried to get us going, and not even when we ignored her reiterated directions from Sonny,��� DO NOT get on I 40 East, DO NOT get on I 40 West���Exit on Henley street��� when we passed Henley Street and got on I 40.



Sonny found a spot, the driver dropped the truck & Sonny drove me back to the Maplehurst Inn and my wife.



Sonny got on the phone, 11:20pm & called restaurants around he found one open, Calhoun���s on The Volunteer Landing.

We ate and walked back to the Inn.

Our room was a cool haven of peace called the Rose room. IT WAS WONDERFUL.

The next day, & for the following 5 days, as the truck was repaired, Sonny and Becky became like family to us.

��� He let me use his Car

��� He offered his cell phone when ours died.

��� He found a Dealer that was willing to work on the vehicle

��� He took us to see beautiful Mountain Top Views & Lakefronts to take our mind off our worries

��� He and Becky took us home for supper

��� Sonny and Becky took us on a tour of Gatlinburg and on to the Smoky Mountains. (Unbelievable Beauty & Majesty)

��� Sonny and Becky took us to Downtown Knoxville for an evening of Local cultural discovery.

��� Sonny took us to an Egyptian restaurant that only the locals know about. If you stay in Knoxville���Go To MO���S KING TUT GRILL. It is worth the trip!

��� Sonny took us to the University of Tennessee Stadium, The Norris Dam (WOW what a place) and a historic Grist mill.

��� They drove us through Old City & we saw homes that had been restored to their original Beauty.

��� They took us on an evening tour of the historic cemeteries in the city.

��� And when the Truck was repaired he drove us to the Ford dealership and gave the repair his approval.



It was a week like no other in our lives. We threw a dart at a map for a casual one night stay and ended up making a family like friendship that we will to keep precious for all our days.

Our daughter is a student at the University of Tennessee and we chose the Maplehurst Inn http://maplehurstinnbedandbreakfast.com/roomsattheinn.aspx because it is walking distance to the school. We reserved a stay for an extended weekend visit and a little sightseeing with her.

If you are in Knoxville you must talk with Sonny. He is a wonderful host who every morning guided us to the best area attractions. We are fortunate to have seen the cultural nuances that make Knoxville a beautiful gem. We saw museums, went to a Storytelling event and a Greek festival, the zoo, the bluegrass music festival, and the spectacular Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival. We toured Old City and the Cemeteries and every evening we CAME HOME to The Maplehurst Inn and shared our experiences with the other guests. We had a memorable time with our daughter. Thank you so much Sonny.

I want to thank Sonny and his wife Becky of the Maplehurst Inn in Knoxville Tennessee. We were treated like Loved family members from the moment we arrived. It was one of the nicest experiences we have ever had in our travels. Sonny is a GREAT host with extensive knowledge of Knoxville Tennesse and an enthusiatistic fan of the University of Tennessee Football team. He gave us the feel of East Tennessee culture with trips to the Great Smoky Mountains, the local cemetary and the Historic Homes on tour in Knoxville. I enjoyed every day. We saw the U. T. Neyland Stadium, the Volunteer Landing waterfront with its fountains and Tennessee River paddleboat, the Houseboats in the Marina, and a supper at Mo's Egyptian eatery with the most fabulous Award winning Greek Salad. Thank you Sonny for giving us true Southern Hospitality and renewing our spirits

If you are looking for a relaxing, no pressure, no time constraints, just have a peaceful, private weekend, then the Maplehurst Inn is your kind of place. We arrived late and the key was waiting for us. We got up early and there was plenty of food and variety. We needed email connection and there was WIFI at no charge. We got lost and Sonny directed us back. We were treated like family. Sitting at breakfast was a real treat. We exchanged stories with the other guests and we had a great time. We all met downtown in Knoxville and had supper like one big family. The bed was soft, the room was neat, the pictures and antiques were charming, and we had aterrific time. Fran