When you are in Gatlinburg you may want to find a great place to stay at. This can be anything from a hotel, bed and breakfast, or even a campground. Still finding the best place to stay often involves hours of reading different reviews online. With most cities you will notice they have more than a single hotel to choose from even and that adds to the challenge. Since that is the case here is a review of Old Creek Lodge in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Location Of Old Creek Lodge
Learning where the hotel is located makes it easier for you to find attractions in walking distance, but also know if you are in a safe part of Gatlinburg or not. With that being the case here is the address of the hotel and the phone number as well.
680 River Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Property Features Of The Hotel
- Located right on Little River.
- Free parking.
- Pool.
- Fishing.
- Free breakfast.
Room Features Of The Location
- Refrigerators in room.
- Air conditioning.
- Private balcony for some rooms.
- Flatscreen television.
- Microwave in the room.
What Does The Old Creek Lodge Have For Kids?
As you can imagine the Great Smoky Mountains National Park tends to offer plenty for your kids to enjoy. However, if you are stuck at the hotel for any length of time you need to know what the kids can do at the hotel. With that being the case, here is some of the items that are offered here for your kids.
The pool is one of the main attractions that the kids are going to enjoy. Granted, the pool is not open all year long and is only seasonal, but it definitely provides something for your kids to do. This makes it easier for you to have the kids in a place that is safe, but also enjoy as a family together. It is important to note that their is not a life guard on duty so please make sure you take the proper measures to protect your kids.
The breakfast area is another place that the kids enjoy. I have many a fond memory of the breakfast areas of a hotel and the various foods in the breakfast area. I will tell you the breakfast here is a little bit more advanced than the continental you find in some hotels. The hotel does have Jimmy Dean sausage sandwiches, which I have to admit for some reason in a hotel does taste better,
What Does The Property Offer For Adults?
The balconies are a great feature for almost any adult. Almost all of the balconies are overlooking the creek and they are private balconies as well. This allows you to enjoy the view and if the creek is flowing, which every time I have been in Gatlinburg it is, you get a soothing sound to listen to.
Now, this is not so much a feature for the adults as it is for the entire family and parents that do not want to waste food. How often have you went out to eat to have your kids want everything on the menu it seems to only take two bites and call it good? Well, if you have kids like mine you know the pain. With that being the case you are going to love the fact that this hotel has refrigerators in the rooms which allows you to decrease your waste.
Ease of walking or catching a trolley to downtown Gatlinburg is another option adults will enjoy. While the kids will most likely complain, you are going to like the fact that you can easily walk into town or ride a trolley and not have to worry about finding a parking space in town.
Furnishings In The Room Are Nice
With most of the hotels I have stayed in they all tend to have the same basic furniture. Its almost like they all go to the same large quantity hotel furniture supply store and buy what is on the shelf. Not to mention all the colors tend to be that dull tan or pink color.
At the Old Creek Lodge, though, the furniture seems to be more along the lines of a custom outfitting. Yes, that does tend to make it more expensive, but adds a very unique touch to the rooms and tends to last longer.
What I really like is some of the seats on the balconies seem like you could sit in them for hours on end. Yes, I know that is a little sarcastic, but with the creek running under the balconies and the stream sound it is very easy to consider just sitting outside on the balcony for hours.
Seasonal Gas And Electric Fireplaces
In the mountains one thing that you think about is the crowds. Err, I mean the fireplaces that are in the cabins. Well when you are staying in some of the hotels you are going to notice they have a tendency to have a fire place.
Well, the Old Creek Lodge does recognize that the fireplaces are part of the nostalgia of the mountains. With that being the case, most of the rooms have a fire place inside of them. The fire places tend to be gas or electric, but still provide you with the great look you want for your Gatlinburg vacation.
The fire places, even in the cabins, tend to be seasonal. While this does remove some of the ambiance and beauty of the mountains in the middle of summer, it does mean you have to come back in winter. Not only that in the middle of summer who would want to have a fire place on?
Extremely Helpful Staff
The staff at quite a few of the hotels that I have been at tend to the staff seems to be troubled if you even ask a question. However, at this location the staff is very helpful and makes sure you are properly taken care of.
In fact, most of the staff is knowledgable about what is in the area and how much it cost. Granted, that is because a lot of the staff lives in the area, but also because they are properly informed on what is in the area. You may notice that even if the staff does not know the answer to the question their are plenty of pamphlets and other staff that may have the answer.
Now, a good example of the helpful staff is when I was researching this article even more, I called to ask some questions. The lady who answered the phone went above and beyond the answers that I expected. That is just for me calling on the phone to ask a simple question.
Walking Distance To Most Downtown Gatlinburg Attractions
The cost of parking is expensive in the middle of Gatlinburg. I mean I would hate to even see the cost of parking my car all day or having to use the parking lots multiple times a day. It actually reminds me of a meme that I seen that showed that a parking space can make more in a day than most people make in a week.
Now, you may think that you are going to only be able to get to a lot of the attractions in the area. However, this is not the case as a lot of attractions are within a half mile of the hotel. This makes it very easy for you to walk to the locations and enjoy the beauty of the walk.
Something else that you can enjoy is a nice walk along the river. Walking along the river is a great way to enjoy your trip even more. Not to mention it makes it easier for you to get the mountain air deep in your lungs and enjoy the weather even more than expected.
Rooms Are Very Clean
With a lot of hotels the rooms are cleaned, but not really up to a standard that you would expect. Well the good news is at this hotel it is very clean and actually is very nice and well laid out. On the plus side the cleaning is done very nicely and properly prepared in time for your next time you come back to your room.
The hotel itself, including the lobby is another part that is very clean. You may have never thought about this before, but when you first walk into a hotel if the sitting area and lobby itself is not looking right then you tend to have a bad impression. However, this is one hotel that you can walk into the lobby and enjoy a clean space as soon as you walk in.
Finally, the other aspect that you can enjoy as being clean is the breakfast area. This area is cleaned up daily after the breakfast is served, but it also does not have a lot of the foods that would be considered messy. This could include, what I really enjoy at the hotels is the waffles and waffle makers. Still, it does mean the area is clean and ready for you to sit down at on a regular basis to enjoy your meal.
Parking Is Free But Limited
Parking in Gatlinburg is at a premium and I have to say finding a parking space anymore is nearly impossible. With that being the case, finding a hotel that has free parking definitely makes up for any shortfalls in the cost of the room. Not only that it does remove a headache of having to find a parking space in the city.
Well, the Old Creek Lodge does have free parking for the guest. The downside is the number of parking spaces is limited and in a lot of instances easily fills up. When the parking lot is full it does make it harder for you to find a space to fit your car in.
When the parking lot at Old Creek Lodge is full you are going to have a chance to park on the curb. Parking on the curb is not the best place to park and does mean you are street parking, but it is better than not having any spot to park in.
What Is In Walking Distance From Old Creek Lodge
Walking to attractions is the best way to go in Gatlinburg. I know that I have brought this up in this article several times. However, here are some of the best attractions that are within a quick walking distance of the hotel in Gatlinburg.
Cherokee Grill is one of the best American style steakhouses for you to eat at. What is even better is the restaurant is in just a short walking distance and makes it easier for you to enjoy the dinner. Now, if you are looking for a breakfast meal then being a 4 minute walk from Crocketts Breakfast Camp definitely makes it easier for you to find a great breakfast only a few minutes after waking up.
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is not that far of a walk, but you do have to cover several blocks to reach the aquarium. That is why I would recommend the trolley if you are not really in a hiking mood here. The other attraction that is within walking distance is Headcase Escape Adventures. This is a great attraction that gives you some great adventure and if your kids are a little bit older you could end up having a lot of fun as a family here.
PROS AND CONS
- Rooms do have a refrigerator making food storage a snap.
- If you want to reheat a previous meal the in room microwave is useful.
- The furniture and decor suits the region and rustic cabin feel of the hotel rooms.
- Balconies in some rooms are located over the river.
- Beds are soft and comfortable to sleep in.
- Complaints of various noises at night from the hotel with thin walls.
- Does not have waffles or fresh meats at the breakfast area.
What Others Say About The Old Creek Lodge
While I do give you quite a bit of information about the hotel I figured you would like to know more about what other people are saying. With that being the case, here is what other people have said about the location.
Shelly K had this to mention on TripAdvisor about the room. “The walls are very thin”. While this may be a mute point at times if your neighbors are quite, it does not help if you are booked next to the honeymoon couple.
Danny S also from the TripAdvisor site mentioned this positive. ”Great furnishings. Nice people. Great location”. All of these are major pluses in my book and in a hotel if the furniture is a little worn the people can make up the difference and with the great people and furniture here it is easy to see why you are going to enjoy the hotel.
Who Would Like The Hotel
One group of people that would like the hotel is the people that are trying to connect to the romantic side of Gatlinburg. This comes from the fact that the rooms are comfortable and fairly large compared to some of the other hotels.
Finally another group that would like the hotel are the people that want privacy. With the location here it tends to be fairly private and with the balconies gives you the chance to enjoy the creek without a lot of other people making a lot of noise.
Who Would Dislike The Hotel
The main group of people that are going to dislike the hotel would be those that are bothered by loud noises. This comes from the fact that it has been reported that the walls in between rooms in some cases are rather thin. The thinner walls mean that if you have a loud neighbor next door you could end up hearing their noises.
Another group that may have a dislike of the hotel would be parents. Yes, the parents do have a lot of options on what to do at the hotel with the children, outside of the pool, but it does have comfortable rooms that provide you a great place to sleep at night.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Pets Allowed?
The quick answer is no, but a lot of that stems from allergy issues of other guest.
Does The Breakfast Area Have a Waffle Maker?
No, the breakfast area does not have a waffle maker.
Is Downtown Gatlinburg in walking distance?
This depends on your physical condition, but for most people downtown can easily be reached by walking. If not the trolley is an option.
Do The Rooms Have A Microwave/Refrigerator?
Yes, as mentioned earlier all the rooms should have a microwave and refrigerator.
Does The Balcony Overlook The Creek?
The answer is yes, almost all of the rooms have a view that is stunning and overlooks the creek.
My Final Thoughts On Old Creek Lodge
Finding a great place to stay at in Gatlinburg is a challenge. With that being the case, I would highly recommend Old Creek Lodge for the simple fact that it is close to everything and the rooms are above what I have seen elsewhere. At the same time if you are looking for a place that has some great views and is in a fairly quiet location you really cannot go wrong at Old Creek Lodge.
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