So the location is perfect, in that it's a nice distance from downtown Gatlinburg; easy to get up…read morethe hill, but also lets you escape from the fray and feel like you have a little bit of solitude at the pool either inside or out. Oh, food options were good, literally one of the best breakfast buffets. I've been to at a hotel, however, if you got there at 8:30 or beyond, good luck in the buffet hunger games. I will add the bar staff were exceptional, and the complementary happy hour is a solid win. The challenges are that the service is actually not great for being such a young hotel. Room service was abysmal, I'll touch a picture of a "made bed". They apparently don't automatically clean the room, you have to ask them for a full clean, which is very odd considering most hotels you have to ask them to not clean the room. At the pool, there was a situation where a child threw up, I notified maintenance, who then came back and said nope, the front desk said he couldn't report it, a guest had to report it, therefore the vomit stayed for another 35 minutes, even though we wiped it as best as we could (not our child). Our toilet was broken for the duration of our six nights. Additionally, they were shortstaffed. So you could tell the front desk didn't have rotation, there weren't people walking around, checking to make sure everything was clean and ready. To be fair it could've been the fact that this was the busiest they've been all season, but as a major hotel, it feels like you should be equipped and prepared. I would also add that the trolleys were lacking, and it took us a long time to get one to be able to bring our belongings in. But still, I think three stars is fair, and hope they can up some things when we come back because we will be back, Gatlinburg was awesome!

Beautiful newer hotel that offers all the basics and so much more. The negatives: pillows were all…read moreflat, not every room has a balcony and the fitness center was small. That's it. I had to search for negatives. Considering almost all neighboring properties had balconies for each room and cost less per night , I felt this was a lost opportunity. The positives, everything else! The room was clean and beautiful. The daily Manager's reception was a nice treat, two swimming pools, lazy river (closed when I went), multiple seating areas throughout the property and friendly staff had all the elements for a 5-star rating. And let's not forget the notable Embassy Suites breakfast. We truly enjoyed our time here and did not want to leave. I would most definitely return.

Some hotels give you a place to sleep…read more The Hilton Garden Inn Gatlinburg gives you a place to sleep... and occasionally a front-row seat to a bear. Seriously. If spotting wildlife is on your Smoky Mountain bucket list, this hotel may save you a trip into the national park. And if that bear gets a little too curious, you're already safely inside. The location is one of the best in Gatlinburg. It's right in the heart of town, yet tucked away on River Road, just far enough from the Parkway to avoid much of the noise and chaos. You can walk to everything and still feel like you've escaped the crowds. The hotel itself is clean, comfortable, and well maintained. But what keeps bringing us back is the staff. Hospitality is one of those things that's easy to advertise and harder to deliver. These folks deliver it. Everyone we've encountered has been friendly, welcoming, and genuinely interested in making guests feel at home. We've stayed here three years in a row. And we're already planning year four. In the hotel business, that's about the strongest recommendation I can give.

We've stayed at this Hilton several times over the years and it just seems like it's gone downhill…read more We had a King bed/Balcony/Whirlpool/Fireplace room. Pros: * Location - short walking distance to some of the best restaurants ever. * Parking lot is fine - easy to get in/out * Really nice hotel staff * Easy self-checkout for drink/snack purchases in the lobby. You can pay via card or charge to your room. * Very clean lobby restroom Cons * NEW - they now charge a $45 self-parking fee per stay. We found this out when we got our receipt upon checking out * Bathtub/shower drain was so slow, you stood in 3-4 inches of water every shower * Shower curtain was too short so you had to direct the shower head towards the shower wall and away from the middle, otherwise you'd soak the floor * Weird moldy looking stain on comforter * Motion sensor on thermostat, so at night it would become unbearably hot while we slept. Only when we got up did the AC kick back on. They also have a breakfast but I can't understand why anyone would eat hotel breakfast when some of the best breakfast restaurants are within a short walking distance. So no comment on that, because we didn't even bother. I don't know, it just seemed like adding insult to injury when we saw the $45 self-parking fee after the room issues we had. We'll probably look elsewhere for our next Gatlinburg stay.

I took my mom here for her 75th birthday in May of 2018 and had a delightful time. The location,…read morelooking south towards the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was peaceful, and even though it was a short downhill drive to Gatlinburg, it felt like it was miles away. We were greeted by one of the managers when we arrived who made us feel welcome. While there is not daily housekeeping, we had more than enough towels (and coffee pods!) for our three night stay. There was a fire through this area back in 2016. There is no sign of the fire in the remaining lodge building. Off to the side, up a hill, are the foundations of former their lodge buildings and restaurant. The view to the south includes some burned trees in the distance, but I found that it didn't take away from the ambiance. Due to the fire, the does lodge have a more remote feeling due to the lack of telephone, cable, or internet. We didn't miss any of these, and we had reasonable cell phone reception. I look forward to seeing the lodge thrive again and wish the owners the best in their continued renewal.

Me and my boyfriend stayed here for four days during the week after Christmas. Found this place…read morebecause I wanted a bed n breakfast & this was the closest I found. It's unfortunate what happened with the fires back in 2016 but the business keeps on pushing through. They still have a decent amount of amenities even without the other spaces they had offered before the fires. The rooms are a decent size, especially for two people. They offer a full sized kitchen which was nice so we didn't have to eat out every night. The balcony is cute & have great views of mt leconte. The bed was comfy & everything was clean. They had plush robes in the closet which were super comfy & great to put on after a hot bath in the spa tub in the bathroom. They also maintain hiking trails right by the lodge & they had a nice set up by the creek, there was a bathroom down there & a fire pit and lots of chairs set up. The lodge is only a mile up the road from downtown & the national park entrance so it's in close proximity to alot of great things. The only issue we ran into was not enough parking but we made it work. Overall had a great experience here & would definitely stay here again.

4.5 rounded up. First, for the price this place is amazing. You are centrally located right in the…read moremiddle of Gatlinburg. While the hotel is a little outdated the rooms are CLEAN and the beds are SUPER comfortable. If you're looking for a fancy stay I'd recommend one of the higher priced places but if you want budget friendly and clean this is the place! I would stay here again. My only real complaints were there needed to be more towel hooks in the bathroom (we are a family of 4 and there was ONE hook on the back of the door.) and the sausage gravy needed a bit more seasoning in the mornings. Every staff member was friendly and accommodating. We had a wonderful stay.

Hotel is old.... very old and outdated. Mold on ceiling…read moreabove shower head, spiderwebs all over patio and railings, needs a makeover!! Only good thing was the office staff was friendly.

Was looking for a dog friendly hotel in Gatlinburg and found this Hilton brand hotel. I was pleased…read morethat we had a balcony on a lower floor since our dog isn't much of a walker with her short legs. I was surprised that they charged $15 a day for parking. I guess everyone's trying to make a buck somehow but still after shelling out over $200 for a room in Gatlinburg of all places, I wouldn't have seen that coming. The room was clean as were the grounds. They have a dog relief station on the back of the property near the stream that runs between this hotel and the embassy suites directly behind it. We visited the pool and hot tub and both were well maintained. Apparently the trolley stops out front, we just walked up and down the hill to the downtown area when we felt like it, which was a little tiring but at least it wasn't very hot yet. We ate at the free hotel breakfast two mornings. Decent spread that will save you from spending $20 a person at the local flapjack houses.

I really enjoyed the location. Walk everywhere. The place is clean enough. I've been in better,…read morebeen in worse. Definitely worth the weekday prices.

I'm late on this review as I was trying to get assistance from someone higher the the general…read moremanager. We stayed here from Thursday the 19Th of February to the 22nd of February and while the overall stay would have been great, we had our rights violated by management. Since each Holiday Inn Express is individually owned, I cannot get anyone to answer me beside the general manager. He was the individual that violated the rights of my family. My wife reserved the room through a 3rd party service and then called the hotel to ask about pets. She explained that our dog was for emotional support and wanted to see if the dog could be in the room. She was given the verbal ok on the phone with a message they the hotel is not allowed to ask any questions about the dog because it is for emotional support. My dog is an 8lb shih tzu. On the day of check in, we shoes the front desk the dog and the clerk stated "Thank you for letting us know, others would not have". And he was correct! There were other dogs on the floor yet we were targeted. On our second day there, the manager stated that there was barking in the room and stated he tried to reach us but since he could not; he entered the room without consent and removed my dog from the room. Think about that for a moment....he went into the room for the sole purpose of removing my dog. He broke the law and removed property from my room that was paid for. The clerk at the desk at this time apologized and stated he was acting on orders from the general manager. He then had me call the second in charge and speak to him about the situation. The gentleman on the phone agreed that the hotel was wrong and that it should not have happened. Upon questioning the general manager, he began the conversation with a very loud tone and put the pet policy in front of me as if that excuses the removal of my dog. Newsflash, it does not! He kept the loudness of his voice and at one point told me to get off his property. I said is that what you really want is to kick my off your property when you broke the law? He said yes! Then I called the second in charge and put them on speaker where he could hear all I had to say. At that point the second in charge stated that he had no choice but to go by what the general manager says and he could not help me. It was at this point that the general manager calmed his voice and simply stated that he was sorry. Would not admit to doing anything wrong. I told him I was going to call corporate and simply said to go ahead and that they will not do anything for me. At this point, all I wanted was an admission of wrong doing. Never asked for anything else! DO NOT STAY HERE! Not until they remove the manager from the premises! If something happened to my $3000 dog in the possession of the hotel, what would they have done?! What if they took something else from my room and said all we took was the dog...is that right? If this review helps one person make a better decision on a hotel, I'm happy. However, my hope is for the manager to be exposed for his recklessness!

All staff were so friendly!…read more I arrived a few hours before check-in and while a room was not ready yet (totally understandable!) the wonderful employee at the front desk gave me a parking pass for the length of my stay. This location is AWESOME. No need to drive anywhere, as you are within walking distance to many tourist attractions, restaurants, and the Smoky Mountains trails. The breakfast was similar to other complimentary breakfasts but cinnamon rolls daily puts their breakfast at the top. And not hard cinnamon rolls, but ones that actually unravel. Coffee, tea and hot chocolate are available 24/7, which was also a welcomed perk. The mini water park is obviously a favorite and must-do with kids. I appreciated it was open 9am-10pm. The fitness area was open 24/7 with key card entry. An employee suggested I fill up my water bottle there for cold and filtered water instead of at the drinking fountain. Beds were comfy, shower was hot, and I can't say a bad thing about our experience here! Would definitely come back again!

Let me start by saying: location, location, location. And then: service, service, service…read more The hotel itself could use a bit of an upgrade, maybe in the décor -- something brighter and a little more modern. That said, it's still very nice. The rooms are spacious, and the views are absolutely unbeatable. What truly stands out, though, is the location. Perched on top of a mountain, it offers some of the most spectacular views in all of Gatlinburg, while still being close to downtown. You get the best of both worlds -- the peace, beauty, and silence of nature, along with easy access to restaurants, nightlife, and attractions. The most important highlight of this hotel is its staff. From the front desk to the kitchen team, housekeeping, and the bar staff, everyone is kind, polite, friendly, and incredibly welcoming. Without a doubt, one of the best hotels in Gatlinburg. We only stayed a few days, but we will definitely be back. Lastly, I'd like to highlight the food. The breakfasts are not only delicious but also very generous in size -- definitely big enough to share -- and dinner is just as good.

We had breakfast at the buffet at The Park Vista and overall it was decent, but not outstanding…read more The selection was solid -- eggs, bacon, fruit, pastries, and a made-to-order omelet station -- so there were plenty of options for everyone. That said, the quality felt pretty average for the price. Some items tasted like standard hotel buffet fare rather than something fresh or memorable. Service was fine and the dining area was clean, but nothing really stood out. It's convenient if you're staying at the hotel, but if you're looking for a standout breakfast in Gatlinburg, there may be stronger options nearby.

We was having a great stay but it seemed as if every time my family went to go swimming the pool…read morewould close 20 mins after we got into the water..we went ahead stayed another night to give this place a chance and what happens the pool closed then I asked for a refund and was told no ..I would recommend to not stay here if you wanna swim

Extremely Concerning Experience - Safety, Food Quality, and Lack of Management Response…read more I want to begin by stating that check-in was pleasant and professional. The front desk staff initially made a positive impression. However, the remainder of our stay quickly deteriorated into one of the most unsettling hotel experiences my family has ever had. I reserved two adjoining rooms specifically because I was traveling with my wife and our three small children. Upon arrival to the rooms, we discovered that the connecting door between them did not function. This was the entire reason I booked that configuration. We were forced to relocate rooms, which, while eventually resolved, created unnecessary disruption at the start of our stay. Shortly after settling into the new rooms, someone knocked on our door and ran away. I calmly informed the front desk so they would be aware. While waiting downstairs for our nearly $200 dinner order from the lobby restaurant, my wife messaged me in distress to say that someone was actively attempting to enter our room from the exterior. At that point, the situation escalated from inconvenient to frightening. My wife was alone with our three young children, and they were terrified. I immediately informed the front desk again -- this time with urgency -- and expressed that something needed to be done immediately before I handled it myself. The response was slow, lacked urgency, and showed very little concern for the seriousness of the situation. When a guest reports someone actively trying to enter their room, the reaction should be immediate and decisive. That did not occur. As a result, my family barely slept. The children were shaken the entire night. To compound matters, the food from the restaurant was extremely poor in quality. Nearly $200 was spent on a meal that was not only disappointing but ultimately made us feel ill afterward. The combination of a frightening safety concern and substandard dining made the evening completely unacceptable. The following morning, I attempted to speak with a manager. There was no manager on site. The on-call manager, Nick, did not answer calls from the staff or from me directly. I then attempted to contact the general manager, Mr. Patel, and received no answer. I called both repeatedly for approximately an hour before departing the hotel. It has now been over 48 hours, and no one has returned my calls. The front desk has my contact information and assured me I would receive a call back. No contact has been made. What is most disappointing is not just the initial incidents, but the complete lack of follow-up or accountability afterward. A family reporting someone attempting to enter their room should trigger immediate concern, investigation, and managerial outreach. Instead, we experienced indifference and silence. This stay turned what was meant to be a family trip into a stressful and deeply negative experience. Until meaningful improvements are made in guest safety protocols, food quality, and management responsiveness, I cannot recommend Glenstone Lodge to other families.