Ranking Our Hotel Stays in Gatlinburg

Anyone that says their hotel is not an important piece to their Gatlinburg vacation is probably just winging it. Hey, there is nothing wrong with that, but most of us will disagree. First and foremost, we want comfort and relaxation. That should be the primary reason for visiting this popular destination, or in fact, any place that gets you out of the grind of everyday life.

We’ve stayed in all different kinds of accommodations, including cabins, and recently had the benefit of spreading out in a multi-level condo. For the record, none of our stays in hotels—or the aforementioned condos and cabins—have been terrible. We feel very fortunate to have avoided the mishaps we’ve read about that can happen everywhere. With that being said, I am ranking each hotel we’ve booked. Some good and some just alright. Your experience may differ, and this is solely my opinion. I was certainly not paid by any business to prop them up.

7. Quality Inn Creekside

It pains me to put this in last, and I’ll explain our other visits at this hotel in a little bit. With the exception of their onsite cottage, we stayed in one of their creekside rooms for just one night, so maybe it’s a little unfair to put them last, but there’s another one-night stay that was better. The room was overall a little rough around the edges and not the cleanest; however, it was fine for about 12 hours. I can overlook a few things, but this made us not want to book another creekside room, unfortunately, so it has to be last last on the list.

6. Reagan Resorts Inn

This one is a healthy upgrade, which is ironic because my first stay at Reagan Resorts Inn was solo, and they were mired in constant upgrades to the facility. Despite the dust, both stays—one with and one without the family—were in renovated rooms. The rooms were clean, but we did have a gnat problem in the bathroom during our family stay. No breakfast, but the rates were CHEAP! Parking isn’t too terrible. They have a covered garage and open parking. The former creeped us out a little, and we saw signs of bear activity, so that put us on edge the morning of our departure.

Overall: This is pretty average. I wouldn’t ever tell anyone not to stay here. Its location provides for ultra convenience, seeing as it sits just south of the Space Needle.

5. Econo Lodge Inn & Suites at The Convention Center

This is a very recent addition to our Gatlinburg hotel stays. We needed a cheap place for two days as we did some scouting ahead of our move, and it served us well. It was nothing too special, but when you just needed a nice, clean, quiet place to stay, it was everything we could’ve asked for. Mildly annoying was the fact we couldn’t check in until exactly 3, and the breakfast was basically coffee and Quaker granola bars. But we knew it wouldn’t be much, as we prepared for that ahead of time. Would we stay here again? Yes. It’s located on Reagan Drive, a short walk from Shamrock Lounge and Ripley’s Odditorium. For the most part, it’s an ideal spot for walking to everything in downtown Gatlinburg.

4. Baymont by Wyndham On The River

I don’t think they were affiliatated with Wyndham at the time, but I’m not sure that matters. This was a one-nighter for us back in 2013 prior to our first stay in a cabin. It sits on the North end of town, located right off the Parkway. Again, they were renovating the property at the time, and we were lucky enough to stay in an upgraded, basic room. Unfortunately, traffic noise could be a problem, but at night it’s mitigated by opening the back door which faces the rushing Little Pigeon below. My wife loved it, and she actually slept better than I did. The room was great, breakfast was what you would expect, and we left pleased with the overall episode. We would stay again.

3. Quality Inn (Hilltop Building)

This is basically the same hotel as Quality Inn Creekside, but unbeknownst to some people, you can request a room on the hill if there’s availability. If you don’t know, this is the steep hill from the Parkway by the Summit Manor sign, denoting the name of the condos next door to the hotel building on the hill. The rooms were adequate, but the views were spectacular. You either have a close view of the Space Needle and Mt. LeConte, or Crockett Mountain. We loved that aspect. About the hill: They do have an elevator that can take you down to the creekside garage at street level, but if you’re feeling like huffing it, the hill is always an option.

2. Zoder’s Inn

Now we’re really reaching the cream of the crop with my list. Zoder’s Inn was our introduction to Gatlinburg, so this place is very sentimental to us. Situated on the left side of the Parkway just before the bustle of downtown, Zoder’s had it all. Their appeal is their creek (river) rooms. During rainy periods, this is a wonderful respite from the heavy traffic of town. The white noise is perfect for those that enjoy an assist from nature at night.

Refreshing sleep aside, they have an outdoor and indoor pool for enjoyment, and balconies from which to enjoy a coffee or beverage from any time of day. Benches and a pavilion are also provided on the property. We loved their wine and cheese offered later in the day, but sadly, they haven’t brought that back since COVID. That might convince us to return in the future, but we would still consider them for the memory aspect.

1. Old Creek Lodge

This is an easy choice as our number one hotel in Gatlinburg; in fact, currently TripAdvisor has it as the top traveler ranked hotel as well…for good reason. The rooms are tastefully decorated, feeling like an upscale lodge atmosphere. We had a nice walk-in shower in the bathroom, which may seem minor to some of you, but it sets the room apart from most others in Gatlinburg. I highly recommend you book their river view rooms. Obviously, this means relaxing views off the balcony. Only the smallness of the outdoor pool could be a quibble, but it’s heated, so brownie points are awarded for that. One final pro: It’s on River Road, but across the road from the Ober Mountain Tramway Mall, so you’re very close to the action without all the noise. We would absolutely stay again!

Thanks for reading this list of our favorite hotels in Gatlinburg. Do you have a favorite on this list? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to support my publication. I appreciate the consideration! In two weeks from this posts’s publishing, we will be permanent residents of Gatlinburg, which I have to think means positive things from me to you!