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. In 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 Greystone Lodge On The River in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Location Of Greystone Lodge On The River
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.
559 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Property Features Of The Location
- Pool
- Kids Stay Free
- Free Parking
- Children’s Television Networks
- Free Breakfast
- Business Center
- Free WiFi
Room Features Of The Location
- Private Balconies.
- Flatscreen TV
- Air Conditioning
- Family Rooms Available
- Refrigerator
What Does The Greystone Lodge On The River Have For Kids?
Traveling with kids is a great way to have a family vacation. Still, knowing what the hotel offers for you to do with your kids is key for them having a great trip and not driving you insane.
The Greystone Lodge On The River does have a pool, which is definitely something my kids and most kids love. The pool does not have a lifeguard so you have to make sure you keep an eye on your kids to guarantee they are behaving and staying safe at the pool.
While it is not so much a requirement it is definitely different for a lot of people to have children’s networks on a hotel television. These networks are generally the same exact ones they would watch and home and can keep the kids occupied for hours on end if you are stuck in the hotel due to weather or getting ready to enjoy the day out in the Great Smoky Mountains.
What Does The Property Offer For Adults?
Kids are not the only ones that need to have something to do when they are traveling. Well, that is what makes the Greystone great in the fact that it does not neglect the adults when it comes to things to do, but it is more of an adult level and can make your life a little bit easier.
Starting the day off right often begins with breakfast. The breakfast is nothing that will challenge the Pancake Pantry or other restaurants in town, but the price is free. This allows you to save money on a meal out and enjoy food that gives you the energy you need for the day.
The other part of being an adult that you are going to like about the hotel is the free parking and parking garage. Face it finding a parking space in Gatlinbug is a challenge on its own. Then when you realize that you have to pay a ton of money to park at the place it quickly takes your happy vacation and makes it horrible because you have to cut other parts of your adventure. Thankfully in the middle of Gatlinburg with the parking garage and free parking at the Greystone Lodge on the River for guest it takes away that headache.
Balconies Over The River
The river in Gatlinburg is definitely one of the features that has not changed. You have the change from the hotels, buildings, and even the attractions, but not the river.
If you think about it, the Little River has run through the middle of the area of Gatlinburg before the city was even around. Now, that definitely provides plenty of history and plenty of things for you to think about. However, the Greystone Lodge takes full advantage of the river with most of the rooms having a balcony over the river.
The balconies make it easier for you to sit down at night and just listen to the water running down the banks. Now, the other thing that I really love is the fact that if you are up early enough in the morning and before the town wakes up you can actually see wildlife from birds to little animals that are scurrying around the bank of the river getting their drinks.
All Trolleys Stop At The Greystone Lodge
Paying for parking is expensive and definitely can put a crimp on any of the things that you were planning on doing in Gatlinburg. Well, I know the location of the Greystone will definitely help save on parking, but not everyone is going too want to walk from the middle of town to a restaurant down on the end of town.
Well, to save on driving down to the other end of town and to save on the parking the trolleys all stop at the Greystone. This means you could easily find the trolley that you want to ride and use it to get around town and not have to worry about missing your connection on a different trolley.
On the downside, though, the trolleys do cost money and usually are paid when you board. So you need to make sure you have all the proper change, cards, or money to guarantee that you are able to get on the trolley you planned on riding.
Location Right In The Middle Of Gatlinburg
As we mentioned in the trolley post the parking in town along with the gas prices skyrocketing location is key. With the lodge here it is located in the middle of town which makes it easier to get into the main attractions.
Something else that is great about the Greystone Lodge is the fact that we mentioned above about the trolleys. Unless things have changed, we have seen that one of the trolleys used to take people all the way from Gatlinburg to Dollywood. So this would make it easier for you to hop on the trolley and get to where you needed to be.
While it is great being close to the downtown area and close to walking for all the attractions it does have a drawback. The main drawback is the fact that you would have to deal with all the noise that comes with the city. If you are used to the city noise then it is a mute point, but if you are like me and from the countryside the noise and action could keep you up at night.
Pools Are Properly Maintained
Nothing is worse than booking a hotel and finding out after you arrive that the pool is not maintained right. This not only ruins your vacation and tends to be very upsetting if you have kids it can be the end of a good trip.
Well, the the Greystone Lodge the pool is properly maintained and cared for. Now, the downside is the pool is an outside pool. Still nothing is better than returning back to the hotel after a hike in the Great Smoky Mountains to walk down to the pool and go for a dip.
As I touched on before, one of the biggest drawbacks is the seasonal pools. That is what you find here at the hotel and the season varies depending on the weather. However, since this is a hotel in the northern part of the south it does tend to open in the middle of April.
Parking Is Easy And Inside At Times
You have probably seen a common theme in what I am talking about here and that is parking. With the hotel here you have easy parking and plenty of available parking spaces.
What else helps out with the parking is the fact that the location does have a parking garage. The parking garage makes it easier for you to park and know your vehicle is protected from the weather.
As a caution you need to double check the height of the parking garage versus your vehicle height if you are driving a larger vehicle. The height restrictions could impact the parking options you have if you are driving a truck or a raised vehicle.
Breakfast Is Not Amazing
While the breakfast is not amazing it is one that does provide you with food and the last time we checked it was free. So you do have to take that into account, now the other thing to consider is the breakfast menu does change and will not take into account everyones options on what they want to eat.
Now, one thing that you need to realize as well is this is not one of the traditional breakfast restaurants that has made Gatlinburg famous for great breakfasts. If you want to have a wide variety of menu options for breakfast that are cooked to a professional chef level standard then I would recommend checking out Crockett’s or Pancake Pantry as they are both great breakfast restaurants or you can explore our article on the 5 best places for breakfast in Gatlinburg.
Since we have brought up the breakfast and it not being the top level that you may expect here is what the menu was as of January of 2020. It may have changed since then, but this was the last menu we could find. Eggs, Biscuits & Gravy, Oatmeal with toppings, 4 types of cereal, bagels, donut holes, 3 different types of toast, yogurt, fruit, milk, coffee, tea, and of course juices.
What Is In Walking Distance From Greystone Lodge On The River
As we have said time and time again Gatlinburg is expensive too park in and thats if you are able to find a parking space. Well, you do not have to really be concerned about that too much here as the parking is free for guest and the location is within quick walking distance for almost any attraction and most restaurants.
Food is a key item to enjoying your trip in Gatlinburg. Well, at the lodge here you are within a .3 mile walking distance of 44 restaurants. That includes a couple of the top rated restaurants in Gatlinburg like Tennessee Jed’s and Chesapeake’s Seafood and Raw Bar.
Now, that we have pointed out how many restaurants are close by for you to fill up your stomach on its time to find out about attractions. In .3 miles of the Greystone Lodge on the River is 89 different attractions. Talk about a crowded block you know! One of the best attractions for you to walk to is Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies which is literally across the street!
PROS AND CONS
- Most rooms have a balcony over the Little Pigeon River.
- Parking is very easy.
- Pools provide plenty of relaxation chances.
- Outdoor furniture provides a place to watch kids in pool.
- Located in the middle of town.
- Breakfast is good, but not amazing.
- Some of the rooms are not over the river.
What Others Say About The Hotel
While I do give you quite a bit of information about the hotel I figured you would like to know what other people are saying. With that being the case, here is what other people have said about the location.
A reviewer by the name of vjl330 from TripAdvisor had this to say about the Greystone Lodge On The River. ”Breakfast was bad”. The sentence after does describe more about the breakfast, but this is one reviewer did not really care for the breakfast and from what I gathered was the lack of selection as being the main complaint, but I could be wrong.
KathernN left a review on TripAdvisor as well, which contradicts the above review. ”It’s clean, quiet, offers a very good breakfast and is close to town and comfortable”. So this is a reviewer that seemed to have better enjoyment from the hotel and did enjoy the breakfast as well, which I think is more along the lines of what other people have felt as well when I read the reviews.
Who Would Like The Hotel
Parents who have kids that want to walk the town would love the Greystone Lodge on the River. The reason being is the lodge is located right in the middle of town and is within very easy walking distance of most attractions. Even if you do not want to walk all of the trolleys have a stop at the lodge.
People who do not want to pay extra for parking to walk around Gatlinburg would enjoy the Greystone as well. Face it, parking is expensive and definitely can put a crimp on what you want to do in Gatlinburg. If you are staying here it is located in the middle of town which means you do not have to pay more for parking.
Who Would Dislike The Hotel
One group of people that would dislike the hotel are those that enjoy people watching. Yes, I know it is a little bit odd, but it is a thing and a lot of people do enjoy just looking out at other people. With the Greystone most of the balconies are facing the river and are too far away from the road to really do any true people watching.
Another group that would not like this hotel are those that want an in room jacuzzi, the hotel does not offer this option, or those that want an indoor pool as the hotel does not have one. Still, the outdoor pool when it is open and weather is permitting is a great way to relax and unwind.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Is The Pool Open?
The Greystone Lodge Pool is open from Mid-April until fall.
What Are The Pool Hours?
Weather permitting the pool is open from 10 AM until 11 PM.
How Deep Is The Pool?
The main pool varies from 3 foot up to 8 foot deep. Their is a 1 foot kiddie pool as well.
Is Smoking Allowed?
No, smoking is not allowed indoors. However, outside of the hotel smoking is allowed near the parking garage entrance.
Do Any Rooms Have A Jacuzzi?
No, the rooms do not have a jacuzzi. A King Suite does have a soaking tub, but not a jacuzzi tub.
My Final Thoughts On Greystone Lodge On The River
Finding a great place to stay at in Gatlinburg is a challenge. With that being the case, I would RECOMMEND/NOTRECOMMEND this place for REASON.
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