Dollywood Hotels

I am looking for feedback on hotels/motels in the vicinity of Dollywood, we are taking a short trip down in April. We are flying to Knoxville, and driving into Pigeon Forge, and really need help to know what area lodging is decent, clean, and a good value. I have searched, but all I come up with the hotel reviews that are obviously written by the hotels.

Alright this is what I suggest you do,

1. Get in the internet and logon to priceline.com

2. fill out the info they ask for

3. reserve your room via credit card.

4. go and stay at your hotel that they pick for you.

I did this before and they had staying in a Ramda Limited I was ijn town and I could walk to some of the placesI wanted to go!

Pigeon Forge is loaded with hotels. Some of them are dirt cheap but I don't know how clean they are.

On my next trip, I am just going there and pulling up to one of the cheap ones as you can get them for less than $30 a night. So I say wing it and let us know how it went.

You can usually never go wrong with Priceline for hotels though.

^Frank is right. The place is loaded with motels so you should have no problem. I have stayed at two Motel 6's, a Days Inn and I believe a Howard Johnson's and they were all ok.

There's a ton of *cheap* mom and pop places as that advertise $15 a night and up but I have no clue how nice the rooms are.

-Tina

The one next to "that bookstore" was 15 an HOUR, not a night...

Ewwwww....... ;)

^That was in Sevierville, Bill. Pigeon Forge is a little more conservative. :-)

-Tina

The mom and pop hotels boil down to this, first impressions. If it looks halfway decent, it probably is. If it looks shady don't bother.

The shady hotels you really have to watch. You have to check the bathtubs in the shady hotels. If they've got a yellow tint half way up the side then someones been cooking meth there!

There are plenty of name brand chains there that offer cheap to expensive options. From cheap Motel 6 to high end Marriot.

You really are better off just pulling up to a hotel there and seeing if they have a room at the price you're looking for.

That's what I always do and have never been disappointed.

Meh, we stayed at the Econolodge and still had a blast!

Just don't mix Blackhaus with in-room hot tubs ;)

~Rob Willi

The Howard Johnson on the main strip is a seriously overpriced and dirty dump. I'm usually easy to please and don't complain about many motels but this one is weak. *** Edited 3/3/2006 5:21:17 AM UTC by larrygator***

I have always stayed at the Best Western Toni Inn. Rooms were $80 a night, very clean, newly refurbished, and the strongest water pressure I have ever felt in a shower! They also have an indoor (and outdoor) pool.

And it's right across the street from Dollywood Lane on the main strip. Doing a Google search for Toni Inn Best Western will get you there.

Dollywood does not have any hotels it owns, but we do have about 60 hotels we partner with to sell tickets.

Smoky Mountain Resorts - Ramada Limited Suites is the closest hotel to Dollywood. All units have at least a bedroom and kitchenette.

The Toni Inn is probably next closest. It sits between Dollywood Lane and the Dixie Stampede.

---

swampfoxer said:
I have always stayed at the Best Western Toni Inn. Rooms were $80 a night, very clean, newly refurbished, and the strongest water pressure I have ever felt in a shower! They also have an indoor (and outdoor) pool.

And it's right across the street from Dollywood Lane on the main strip. Doing a Google search for Toni Inn Best Western will get you there.

---

There is also a Best Western on the same side of the street as Dollywood lane, about a half a block away from the intersection. I've stayed there twice myself, but I honestly can't remember the price.

There is a Ramada Limited? I think, right at the intersection of where you would turn (ON Dollywood lane) go to the park, or keep going straight to the water park.

I have, in my experience always had better luck with "mom and pop" places over the franchise chains believe it or not!

BTW- is Dollywood running all of its attractions (sans Water Park) in its early April season? I'm dying for a theme park run and its the 1st to open within a day's drive from here!

When you stay in Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg, do it right and stay in a cabin. We stayed at Hidden Mountain in Pigeon Forge, about a 10 minute drive to Dollywood. It was a fairly new cabin with a full kitchen, living room with fireplace, big bedroom, huge bathroom, screened patio with large hot tub, and a front porch with rocking chairs. All this for $125-135 a night in peak season...better deal than any hotel can offer. Plus, the cabin was super clean.

After a long day at the park, head back to the cabin and soak in the hot tub. There are tons of cabin rentals with great values. Don't let the word '"cabin" mislead you...they are really small homes. Another suggestion, definitely visit Gatlinburg, which is just up the mountain about 8-9 miles. It's a quaint town full of restaurants, shops, fun museums and one of the best aquariums I've been to.

Thanks for all the feedback. I actually did look on Priceline, but have had mixed experiences in the past. We did see the cabins, which look great, especially considering this is for our two year anniversary.

There are tons of places in Pigeon Forge.
When we went, we rented a cabin and paid 450.00 for the week.
When we got to PF, saw the price of the hotel rooms, we almost fainted. 30 a night at most of them, with indoor/outdoor pools, continental breakfasts, free coffee etc...

Don't get me wrong, the cabin wasn't bad, but the trip to it was scarier than any coaster I've ever riden. A one and a half lane road, up a mountain with a sheer drop off one side and no guard rail.
Cool part was seeing the bears at night tear up a picnic table for food. :)

Check the net. We went in june and the rates were cheap. They're probibly cheaper still in April.

Also, try the go-carts on 'the strip'. *** Edited 3/3/2006 9:42:18 PM UTC by FLYINGSCOOTER***

---

BrownStreak said: BTW- is Dollywood running all of its attractions (sans Water Park) in its early April season?

---

All the rides and attractions usually open with the park in April.