Gatlinburg River Inn

The complimentary breakfast was decent, but our stay was a disappointment from the start. The online photos didn't match the property, and although staff told us smoking wasn't allowed, there were cigarette butts around that clearly hadn't been cleaned up. The room had several problems. Ice had built up in the refrigerator, then melted and leaked onto the floor and our belongings. The shower soap dispensers were empty and hadn't been refilled in a while. Housekeeping brought fresh towels on day two, which we appreciated, especially since we'd used many of the original towels to mop up the leak. The bed cover was torn through a layer and looked as if it had been reused. There was visible mold throughout the shower, and daylight showed around the patio door because it wouldn't close or seal properly. The A/C seemed to run constantly or not at all. We were attending an IHG timeshare presentation and were placed here while being encouraged to consider buying into the program. If this was meant to show the brand's quality, it had the opposite effect. If we'd had our young children with us, we likely would have left for other accommodations. The condition, lack of maintenance and cleanliness issues made it hard to enjoy the stay and left us with no confidence in purchasing a timeshare.

The room was very small, though clean. From the website, I expected to start the stay with a walk along the river, but it runs between a major road and the parking lot. There's only a narrow grassy strip with lights and a hammock. On the other side of the hotel, the little grassy patch is just enough to walk a dog in circles. Parking on the lower level was difficult, with posts beside every space, so watch your mirrors. We had to park there. Apparently premier rooms come with better parking, but nobody offered us one, and I don't know what that means.

We booked this hotel for the hot tub, only to find it was broken. That was really disappointing. If we'd known before the cancellation deadline, we would have stayed somewhere else, and we don't plan to book it for our next Gatlinburg trips. As a place to sleep, though, it's good value. The rooms are spacious, the balcony over the river is nice, and the breakfast is the typical free hotel kind.

We slept like babies in the extremely clean room and very comfortable bed during our two nights at the Gatlinburg River Inn. Sitting on the balcony and looking at the river was lovely. A trolley stop is right in front of the building, about a block's walk away. We saw a bear in the woods behind the building on our first day. Breakfast was very good, and there's a nice pool, though we didn't use it. We'll definitely be back!