Pigeon Forge Parkway Inn

The room was clean, the bed was comfortable, and we didn’t see any bugs. The man who checked us in was friendly, and they were fine with our late arrival at 11:30 pm. You can hear traffic since it’s on the main strip, but that didn’t bother us. We enjoyed our stay and will come back in November.

The price was $109 a night, but the quality didn’t come close to what I’d expect even for $50. My husband had looked at three places, and I chose this one because the pictures seemed good for the price. We usually book cabins for stays longer than two nights, and go for a cheaper hotel on short trips. We’ve been coming to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge for years, and this was our worst hotel experience. The photos were heavily edited, and the front desk woman was unfriendly. John Materese on channel 12 news would say, “DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY!” There were so many problems in the room. It felt damp and musty, with high humidity and poor ventilation. The bathroom exhaust fan didn’t work, the mirror stayed fogged, the fridge wasn’t cold, and water backed up in the sink when we brushed our teeth or washed our faces. The floor stayed wet from a leak somewhere around the toilet. The shower floor shifted and made a loud noise, and the bed creaked like it was going to give way when you sat down. The bathroom door wood was torn, and the threshold was black and dirty. The room also felt like a trip back to the ’70s. The lobby looked new and spacious in the pictures, but it had just two chairs almost touching the fireplace, and the high ceiling looked much bigger online. The floor was filthy enough that we needed slippers or shoes to avoid black feet or socks. There were no tissues. The towels were thin and limited, with only enough for two people in our party of three, and the rags were dirty. We asked for more at the lobby, waited over an hour, then had to ask again because they never brought them. We got just one room key, and even had to pay 25 cents for ice. For a longer stay, we’d choose a cabin again.

Nothing about the room made for a good stay. It reeked of cigarette smoke, and the bathroom was tiny, dim, and had a toilet that seemed close to the floor. A little bar of soap slipped down the drain, so I had to fish it out. The towels were thin as dishcloths, and the pillows felt like bricks. Worst room I’ve stayed in.

It was quiet, had good parking, and the location was convenient. The room was clean, though the bed made noise whenever I got on or off it. One thing to watch: use a credit card rather than a debit card. They charged me $50 over the amount I’d paid through Capital One Travel. In my case a system error led to a $100 charge, and I’ll give the manager credit for calling to let me know about the extra charge.