Introducing The Gillette Motel
The Gillette Motel in Gatlinburg is one of the many different motels and hotel options in Gatlinburg. However, The Gillette is a family owned location that you are going to fall in love with, possibly? Still, on TripAdvisor out of 22 motels in Gatlinburg, The Gillette is ranked 7th in the town and definitely is not one to overlook. So what does the Gatlinburg motel have to offer that makes this location stand out from all the rest of the places? Let us explore that now as we take you to Gatlinburg.
Location Of The Gillette Motel
I have to say finding your hotel or motel in this case can definitely be a challenge in a city like Gatlinburg. With that being the case and with all the different map apps on our smart devices all you need is an address. Since that is the case, here is the address for The Gillette Motel.
235 Historic Nature Trail
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Feature of The Gillette
The Gillette is a location that is a historic type of property. However, at the same time it is still a motel that is owned by the family. This makes it easier for you to not only get the chance to stay in a historic property, not a dated property, but one that is owned by the family as well. What else is great is the fact that the motel does have a great parking lot and the location makes this a great place to stay if you are looking to partake of events at the convention center.
The Gillette Motel
A great feature, at the Gillette Motel, that I really love is the free parking! Yes, I know most of the motels do have free parking in Gatlinburg, but not all of them are easily located to the downtown region of Gatlinburg. So the fact that the property does have free parking adds to the value tremendously when you think about how much you would have to pay for the trolley or for parking in downtown when you are in Gatlinburg.
Exterior Features
When you are coming to the property you may notice the brick facade with a natural stone look. The other thing that makes the property look great is the modern white type of look. This helps make you feel like you are in an older property, but also gives you a chance to enjoy the location even more because of how the place looks compared to some of the other places you can stay at.
One aspect that I do find impressive is the outdoor pool has a nice fence around it. I know that most of the pools that are outside do have a fence, but in this case here the fence actually looks like it belongs around the pool. This is contrary to a lot of the fences that I have seen at other Gatlinburg hotels that the fence does not match the building this fence looks right in place.
Something else that I really enjoy at The Gillette is the location. Yes, the views are somewhat impressive, but what is really impressive is the ease of getting into town. Being located directly across the street from the Gatlinburg Convention Center definitely helps with the location and gives you a good reference point on where the motel is located.
Property Features
Outside of the location one of the main property features of the hotel is the outdoor pool. The outdoor pool is seasonal, but it will definitely provide you with plenty of enjoyment for a break from the summer heat. Now, the downside is this is a seasonal pool and depending on when you go to Gatlinburg may not be open.
A major property amenity that I have seen and talked about time and time again is the free parking. However, the free parking that you get here makes it easier for you to enjoy your entire vacation because the location is centrally located in the city. This makes it easier for you to enjoy the city without having to pay for parking, but also easy for the walking aspect without any major hills to hike back up to your room.
With the modern world staying connected with family and friends is paramount for a lot of people. This could be done via social media, phone calls, but also by posting videos of your adventures. At The Gillette they have realized this and even in the quaint family owned location they have done the necessary upgrades to allow for easy connection with free high speed WiFi Internet.
The Gillette Motel
Room Features
The room features are invaluable to know about since you are most likely going to spend your evenings in the room. However, these are not the deal breaker for Gatlinburg since, if you are like me, you are not in the room all the time. In the rooms you do have air conditioning which allows you to set the temperature to what you would like for it to be at and not have to worry about the neighbor complaining about your room being too hot or cold.
Most of the rooms do have a small kitchenette as well. In this aspect you have a refrigerator and a microwave, which does help you with all the leftover meals that you may have, remember some of the restaurants have larger portions of food than what you are used to eating.
Privacy is paramount for a lot of people when they are on vacation. With that being the case, you will enjoy the fact that The Gillette Motel does have private balconies. This allows you to enjoy the view you have of the mountains, town, or pool without having to worry about other people walking over to your balcony. To make it even better the rooms do have a sofa as well which allows you to sit down inside of the room if the weather is not doing what you would like for it to be doing.
The Gillette Motel
Families should take note on this aspect of the rooms and that is some of the rooms are interconnected! This means that you can rent a room or two and have your kids sleeping in one room and you sleeping in the room next door. However, instead of having to go outside to get to the parents room the interconnected doorway allows you to just sneak into the kids room and check on them.
What Others Are Saying
I have to admit I always try to include several different resources and information on the location. That is so you can get a more rounded opinion rather than just mine. With that being the case, here is some review snippets on The Gillette from TripAdvisor.
Ladyhawk_t wrote this up about the location. “We loved it! It is very clean and well kept”. I know that earlier I mentioned this is a family owned location and unlike some of the horror shows that I have seen from family owned locations, the majority of them are maintained to a very high standard because the family has pride in their product and what they are putting out for other people to see.
Now, on one aspect their is one complaint about the hotel and that is the location being right next to the firehouse. That comes from EmptyNest who said this about the location on TripAdvisor. “Fire department is practically in the same parking lot so expect to jump out of your skin with every call they go on”. With me that would not be that much of a problem as I used to be a firefighter, but for other people the noise of a fire truck going out at 2 or 3 in the morning can definitely be a major distraction.
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Pros And Cons
- The location is in the middle of town and close to everything.
- The hotel is updating a lot of their rooms.
- The pool is outdoors and properly fenced to keep kids away from it.
- Interconnected rooms make it easier for families to enjoy the hotel.
- The private balconies make it easier to sit outside of your room.
- With the fire department right next door it can be noisy when the fire department gets a call.
- Depending on what is going on at the convention center the crowds going by the hotel could be larger than expected.
What Restaurants Are Near
A high end restaurant that is close by, in fact a 5 minute walk, is the Cherokee Grill. This restaurant is one that I really enjoy and highly recommend, but at the same time it can be pricey and if you are coming in with a lot of family members the price can skyrocket.
Donut Friar is another location that I really enjoy and it is located in the Village area of Gatlinburg. This is a great place to stop and get a dozen donuts or so that are all different and enjoy them the next morning. Still, at a 6 minute walk it could be hard, if you are like me, for all the donuts to make it back to the hotel fully intact.
Another place that I really like is the Pancake Pantry. This breakfast restaurant is one of the stalwarts in Gatlinburg and has some of the best pancakes I have had. However, it is just as short of a walk from The Gillette as you would find if you were going to the Donut Friar.
The Gillette Motel
What Attractions Are Close By
Gatlinburg Space Needle is one place that is very close to the hotel. This location does give you some great views of the Smokies, but it only works out well if you go to the top of the needle and are not afraid of heights. Even if you are scared of heights I would highly recommend taking the elevator up and staying away from the edge to get some of the great looking views.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Is an impressive attraction, but if you have been to it before it can start to feel more like a run of the mill type of place. Still, it is within a very easy walking distance of the motel and one place that you may find to be rather enjoyable.
The Hollywood Car Museum is a place that may not really be that much of an attraction to a lot of people. But it is one that can be quite enjoyable. The place has a lot of different cars and most of them are interesting from the roles they have played in different parts of the hits that we either love or hate.
The Gillette Motel
Frequently Asked Questions
Are pets allowed?
No
How old do you have to be to check-in?
To check-in you have to be 21 years old.
How big are the jacuzzi tubs?
The jacuzzi tubs are large enough for 2 people and are located in the bathrooms.
Our Final Thoughts On The Gillette
The Gillette Motel is one hotel that is a little bit older and is one that is being updated. Still, the hotel is one that is going to have a great time at. The enjoyment will mainly come from the location being central to everything in Gatlinburg. From The Gillette you can walk to almost everything in town in under 5 minutes, some things will take a little bit longer to walk to, but still it is easy to reach everything. The other thing that you can enjoy is the seasonal pool which is in a nice area of the motel, but has privacy as well. Overall, if you are not looking for a lot of fancy amenities and a location that is easy to reach all the major attractions this is one of the best options you can find.
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If you do not like the Gillette Motel, please make sure you view our other Gatlinburg hotels.
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