Great Smoky Lodge

If you dream of log cabins and spending your days in the mountains, Great Smoky Lodge in Gatlinburg, Tennessee is the luxurious location you didn’t know you needed. Recently rebuilt to an exceptional standard, Great Smoky Lodge packs plenty of amenities in its 4,500 square feet. On top of that, it offers spectacular views of Mount LeConte from its three rear decks and overlooks Gatlinburg from its front porch and balcony. Because it sleeps up to 20 people, you can invite friends and family along. Plus, bring your four-legged family members, the three-story lodge is pet-friendly! There's even an electric car charger in the parking area!

Let’s start our tour of Great Smoky Lodge with the bedrooms—all seven of them. Six of which include a log-frame king-size bed, the seventh has queen-size bunk beds, making it ideal for the kids. The wood-planked walls, cozy quilts and classic cabin decor epitomize mountain charm, but when you prop yourself up on the plush pillows to watch a premium-cable movie on the HDTV or surf the web via the free Wi-Fi, you’ll feel as if you’re in a five-star hotel. The two bedrooms on the top floor offer an additional amenity: doors that open directly onto the balcony. Start your day watching the sunrise above the mountains and end your evening with a moonlit nightcap. Three other bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms, though given that the lodge has five full bathrooms and two half-bathrooms in all, you won’t have to line up in the hallway for your turn to take a shower.

Two more people can sleep in the loft’s sitting area, and another two in the downstairs game room. Each has a leather sofa that opens into a bed. The kids will probably beg to be allowed to sleep in either space. The upstairs sitting area serves as a game room, with a foosball table and two-person arcade table, along with a large flat-screen TV. The downstairs game room offers even more entertainment options. When you’re not shooting pool, you can do battle at one of the two arcades or the air-hockey table. The wet bar, complete with a microwave, can be stocked with all the drinks and snacks needed to keep the games going all night long! Then settle back on the sofa to watch the big game on the 55-inch HDTV or sit at the pub-style table for a game of cards.

If two gaming areas aren’t enough, Great Smoky Lodge has a home theater room as well. Its nine cinema-style seats let you watch a movie or a game on the oversize flat-screen TV in the utmost comfort. The chairs are so comfortable, you might want to hang out in the room even when you’re not watching TV.

Perhaps the best spot for hanging out, though, is in the deck’s hot tubs. Great Smoky Lodge has two so everyone can relish the massaging jets of steamy water after a day on the go. If you soak during the day, you’ll have a front-row view of Mount LeConte, at night you can gaze up at the canopy of stars. Then again, you needn’t be in a hot tub to savor the views, the decks have plenty of rockers and chairs.

The view is splendid from the great room as well, thanks to the wealth of oversized windows. When you’re not admiring the scenery from the luxe leather couches and recliner, you can watch TV while basking in the glow of the electric fireplace. In addition to the living area, the great room encompasses the dining area. With a pair of seven-foot-long tables and a breakfast bar, the room can accommodate the whole gang at once. Just as important, the kitchen has everything you need to host a crowd, including two stainless-steel refrigerators, two oven/stoves, two microwaves and two dishwashers.

When you stay at Great Smoky Lodge in the summer, you’ll have free access to the nearby community pool. And there’s plenty more to do just a quick car ride away. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Gatlinburg Arts and Crafts Loop, a ski resort, golf courses, ziplining and an aquarium are nearby!

Make your dream vacation a reality, book your stay at Great Smoky Lodge and start packing!