I have stayed in lots of different hotels in The Smoky Mountains. In fact, I’ve written a review of most of the places I’ve stayed at. It recently occurred to me that I should do a best of post to highlight my favorites. So, if you are planning a trip to the area, then hopefully this can help you narrow down your choices.
Hotels in The Smoky Mountains
When planning a trip to the Pigeon Forge area, you quickly realize there are a plethora of places to stay. There’s all kinds of cabins on VRBO as well as countless hotels in the area. So, it can be difficult to decide where to stay. My biggest piece of advice for choosing a place is this: pick a place near the attractions you want to visit that is in budget. Personally, I prefer to stay in Pigeon Forge as it’s in between Sevierville and Gatlinburg. That way, I don’t have to deal with the traffic of getting into Gatlinburg unless we really want to visit. That being said, here are some of my favorite places to stay in the area.
Best Gatlinburg Hotel
If you are planning on doing stuff in Gatlinburg, than I highly recommend staying there. Having a place to park and not having to pay for it is a huge help when visiting this tiny town. My mom and I really enjoyed our stay at Margaritaville Resort Gatlinburg. The location of this hotel is perfect as you don’t have to drive far down the main road to get to it. Then, you can simply park your car here and walk to all of the attractions. You can read my full Margaritaville Resort Gatlinburg review here.
Best Pigeon Forge Hotel
As I said above, I prefer to stay in Pigeon Forge most of the time. So, I have a much harder time picking a favorite here. I’d probably default to the Inn at Christmas Place as I’m a huge fan of the holidays. I’ve loved both of my stays here, neither of which was during the holiday season. You don’t have to love the Christmas season to enjoy a stay here, but it certainly helps. To get an idea of what it’s like to stay here, you can read my The Inn at Christmas Place Review.
My other top pick in Pigeon Forge would be the Margaritaville Island Inn. Unfortunately, I’ve yet to stay at the Margaritaville Island Hotel, however it looks amazing too. I love that both of these options puts you within walking distance of several entertainment and dining options! You can read my full Margaritaville Island Inn Pigeon Forge Review to see what it’s like to stay there.
Best Hotel for Dollywood
I know that some people visit the area solely to visit Dollywood. If that’s the case for you, I think you should stay at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort. With the free bus transportation to the park, it can be a no-brainer. Plus, you can purchase special package (hotel and tickets) deals when you stay here. A new Dollywood resort is opening later this year and I’m sure it will be equally amazing.
Tiny House in Sevierville
For Sevierville, I thought I would mix it up a little. My husband and I enjoyed our stay in a tiny home at The Ridge Outdoor Resort last summer. It was super close to Dollywood and off of the main road, so we were able to avoid traffic. It was a peaceful stay.
Best Places to Stay in The Smoky Mountains
I think these are the best hotels in the Smoky Mountains (and tiny home). What do you think of my choices? Have you ever stayed in one of these places? Do you prefer to stay somewhere else?
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