Tennessee’s independent lodging market reaches from the Great Smoky Mountains and the historic towns of East Tennessee to Chattanooga, Nashville and the Middle Tennessee countryside. Music, mountains and history all draw travelers in large numbers.
Marilyn Bushnell & Associates works exclusively with independent lodging businesses. Explore current Tennessee inns for sale below.
The Tennessee Inn and B&B Market
Tennessee’s independent lodging market includes mountain bed and breakfasts and lodges, historic town inns, farm and event properties and city guest houses. The Smokies are among the most visited parks in the country, and Nashville and Chattanooga draw strong weekend travel. As part of the Southeast region, Tennessee offers buyers high-traffic destinations alongside quieter small towns, with heavy cabin and vacation-rental competition in some markets.
Current Inns & Bed and Breakfasts for Sale in Tennessee
Not every inn we represent is advertised publicly. We currently have an off-market listing in Tennessee that is not shown here. Contact us to learn more.
= New Listing
= Featured
= Affiliate
= Sold
Why Buy an Inn in Tennessee?
Great Smoky Mountains National Park brings millions of visitors a year to Gatlinburg, Townsend, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Walland. Chattanooga combines outdoor recreation with a revitalized downtown and riverfront, while Nashville and nearby Franklin draw music, food, history and wedding travelers. Historic East Tennessee towns such as Jonesborough, Greeneville and Rogersville add heritage and festival travel.
For prospective innkeepers, that supports mountain inns and lodges, historic town bed and breakfasts and event properties. In the Smokies, independent inns compete with a very large supply of cabins and vacation rentals, so a clear guest experience matters.
Regional innkeeping groups are active in the mountains. The Smoky Mountain Bed & Breakfast Association brings together inns from Gatlinburg and Townsend to Sevierville and Walland to market the region and share local knowledge.
Popular Tennessee Inn Markets
Each Tennessee market offers a different mix of demand, seasonality and property types.
Great Smoky Mountains
Gatlinburg, Townsend and the surrounding foothills draw national-park visitors in large numbers, with heavy cabin and vacation-rental competition.
Chattanooga
A riverfront city with outdoor recreation, attractions and a lively downtown, drawing weekend travelers from Atlanta, Nashville and Knoxville.
Nashville and Franklin
Music, food, Civil War history and wedding demand support inns in and around Nashville, where real estate values and local lodging rules need close review.
Historic East Tennessee Towns
Jonesborough, Greeneville and Rogersville offer heritage travel, storytelling and festival events, often with more moderate acquisition costs.
Buying an Inn in Tennessee
Buying an inn in Tennessee means evaluating both the real estate and the business behind it. In the mountains, review septic and well systems, road access and the amount of cabin and vacation-rental competition nearby. In Nashville and other cities, confirm early how local zoning and short-term rental rules treat the property.
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Selling an Inn in Tennessee
Selling an inn in Tennessee starts well before the property is introduced to the market. We help Tennessee owners understand value, prepare for buyer and lender review and approach the sale with realistic expectations.
Learn More About Selling an Inn
Our Tennessee Experience
Tennessee’s inns range from Smoky Mountain lodges and cabins to historic B&Bs in towns such as Franklin, Jonesborough and Chattanooga, with strong drive-to demand from across the Southeast. As former innkeepers, we help Tennessee buyers and sellers look past the setting to what a property earns and what it costs to run.
Depending on the property and your needs, our role in Tennessee ranges from consulting and advisory services to working alongside a licensed Tennessee real estate professional.
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Tennessee Inn Buying & Selling FAQs
Are there inns and bed and breakfasts currently for sale in Tennessee?
Available inventory changes regularly and may include bed and breakfasts, mountain inns, historic town properties and other independent lodging businesses throughout Tennessee. Current MB&A listings, when available, are shown above and are updated as properties enter the market or are sold.
Which Tennessee markets support independent inns?
The Great Smoky Mountains towns, Chattanooga, Nashville and Franklin, and the historic East Tennessee towns such as Jonesborough all support bed and breakfasts and small inns.
How do cabins and vacation rentals affect inns in the Smokies?
The Smoky Mountains have one of the largest supplies of cabins and vacation rentals in the country. Inns that succeed there usually offer something rentals do not, such as breakfast, personal service, a distinctive setting or events. Buyers should review how the inn has performed against that competition.
What should I check before buying an inn in Nashville?
Confirm early how local zoning and short-term rental rules treat the property, since Nashville regulates them closely, and look at how the inn competes with the city’s large hotel and rental supply.
