Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Mayes.
Alicia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Deep Roots Retreat has been part of my family’s story for generations. My grandparents bought the old Cedar Hill School property in 1953, but their roots in the Narrows of the Harpeth area go back even further. This was my grandparent’s home and the place where our family gathered. Holidays, Sunday dinners, birthdays, anniversaries, Easter, Mother’s Day, hog butchering, barbecues, and countless ordinary days all happened here. It was where memories were made and where family stayed connected.
In my twenties, I moved in with my grandmother, and the house became a sanctuary while I got back on my feet. It was always a place that wrapped you in love. Even now, when I walk through the door, I can still feel the hugs and the comfort that made it so special.
After my grandmother passed away, I inherited the home. I knew I didn’t want to see it sit empty, and I couldn’t imagine letting all those memories fade away. I wanted to keep her legacy alive and share with others the same warmth, peace, and feeling of being welcomed that I had experienced there my whole life. That’s how Deep Roots Retreat came to be.
Today, guests experience not only the beauty of the Harpeth River area, but also a slower pace, a connection to nature, and a place where families and friends can make memories of their own. More than anything, my hope is that this home continues to bring people together for generations to come. I hope my granddaughter will one day play in the same yard where I played as a child, just as five generations of our family have done before her.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When I opened Deep Roots Retreat in 2021, one of my biggest goals was to preserve the character and history of the home while making it comfortable and welcoming for guests. Finding that balance was a challenge. I wanted to modernize where necessary, but I never wanted to erase the story that had been written within those walls.
Learning the business itself was also a learning curve. Creating a memorable guest experience involves so much more than simply renting a house. It requires thought, attention to detail, and a genuine desire to make people feel at home.
Perhaps my greatest challenge was caring for both the home and my father during his final years. Family has always been at the heart of Deep Roots, and while balancing caregiving with running a business wasn’t always easy, it reminded me why preserving this place mattered so much. Through it all, I learned that some things are worth the effort. Keeping this home alive and sharing it with others has been one of the greatest blessings of my life.
Like the roots of an old tree, this home has weathered many seasons, and each challenge has only deepened my appreciation for the legacy my grandparents left behind and strengthened my commitment to preserving it for future generations.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Deep Roots Retreat is more than a vacation rental. It is a fifth generation family home built within the walls of the former Cedar Hill School, and I am most proud that we have preserved its original 126 year old footprint. The original hardwood floors are still there, and throughout the home you can see the craftsmanship of my grandfather, a carpenter, who transformed the old schoolhouse into a place where our family could gather. The walls, cabinets, and many of the details that make the house feel like home were built by his hands.
What sets Deep Roots Retreat apart is that it was never designed to be just another short term rental. Every space has been thoughtfully created to feel warm, welcoming, and comfortable from the moment guests walk through the door. I wanted to preserve not only the history of the home, but also the feeling it has always given to those who enter it.
We are surrounded by the beauty of the Harpeth River area, but what guests talk about most is the peace and tranquility they find here. Many return year after year because they feel at home. Some of the compliments that mean the most to me are when guests describe Deep Roots as “pure perfection” or say it is “the most intentional Airbnb they’ve ever experienced.”
More than anything, I am proud that this home is continuing to do what it has done for generations: bring people together and provide a place where memories are made.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is that preserving something meaningful is always worth the effort. In a world that moves so fast, people are craving places where they can slow down, reconnect, and simply enjoy being together. I’ve learned that hospitality is about much more than providing a place to stay. It’s about creating a space where memories are made.
I’ve also learned that history matters. Every scratch in the hardwood floors and every wall my grandfather built tells part of our family’s story. Preserving those things while sharing them with others has taught me that a home is not defined by the structure itself, but by the love, traditions, and memories that fill it.
Perhaps most importantly, I’ve learned that legacy isn’t something we leave behind someday. It’s something we live every day. My hope is that Deep Roots Retreat will continue to bring people together for generations to come, just as it has done for my family for more than a century.
Contact Info:
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