The Inn at Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge -- a Review

My wife and I took a trip to Gatlinburg to stay in a cabin in the woods. Unfortunately, the forecast was for 2 to 5 inches of snow, and as we wound our way up increasingly treacherous roads, we realized that we wanted a little isolation, not being snowbound on a cliff. So we moved to another cabin closer to sea level, which was beautiful inside, but had a demolished couch and a neat little leak that popped up at 5 in the morning to Chinese Water Torture us awake.

Our thoughts turned to civilization, or at least Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Pigeon Forge is like what would happen if you took a beach town, took away the water, and added a hefty dose of cheap patriotism, and even cheaper religious sentiment, and then coated it with a thick layer of southern tacky. Where else can you find the Miracle Theater (a "Broadway" styled production centered on the life of Jesus) in the same parking lot with a Tony Romas and an upside down interactive science museum called Wonderworks?

With that in mind, I have to admit that I was expecting the worst out of our pick for an alternate destination, the Inn at Christmas Place. Despite almost uniformly awesome reviews in Trip Advisor, I pictured a gaudy place covered in a mish mash of Christmas decorations and people in Santa suits and goofy red hats at the front desk calling themselves Santa's Elves or some such nonsense.

Boy was I wrong. This 145 room property is tastefully done, with beautiful lighting and landscaping, all of which add to the elegant look of the place (which sadly, is nestled in a setting best described as 21st Century Strip Mall). Inside, tastefully dressed bell men open the doors to a gorgeous lobby complete with fireplace and understated Christmas decorations that are the muted reds and greens of more old-fashioned Christmas decorations. So how was our stay?

Check In, Front Desk, and Staff -- 10

Prior to checking in, we called the Inn to explain our situation with the rental cabins. We were trying get out of our reservation with the cabins, but weren't sure if we could. We asked if something could be held for us there and we'd call back if we were coming. They agreed and didn't even ask for credit card information. They agreed to hold it for two hours after the office to our cabin rental place opened. When we called back to complete the reservation, there were no rooms yet clean, but the person at the desk offered to call us as soon as one was available, and he did. When we arrived, the check-in process was smooth; the staff laughed at my dumb joke about looking for the Inn at Halloween Place, and everyone was very cheerful.

Later, when I discovered WiFi wasn't reaching our room, I went to the front desk to ask about it. The person there explained that they had tried to get coverage through the hotel, but there were some dead spots. He apologized and asked me if I had an Ethernet port in my computer. I expected him to say that if I had a cable, I could tie into the jack in my room. Instead he reached under the desk and pulled out an Ethernet cable (in Christmas green) and said, "this should work for you. Just return it at the end of your stay." The fact that the hotel had them available was impressive to me.

Check out was just as smooth. The rest of the staff was almost uniformly friendly and helpful, with even the maid service saying hi to us on numerous occasions in the hall.

Room -- 8

We stayed in a King Bed Mini Suite with a private balcony. Upon entering the room, there was a closet and several cabinets, drawers and a countertop that made up a mini kitchen (with small refrigerator and microwave), as well as a coffee maker. To the right was a large bathroom with a long vanity and a walk in shower. The bathroom was very clean, with no visible mold or dirt. Our towels were neatly folded into decorative designs. The only downside to the bathroom was the somewhat confusing faucet to the shower (it was simpler than it looked) and a toilet that was at an odd angle to the room itself.

Inside the room were a small table and chairs and a large Jacuzzi tub. The tub itself had more towels decorated in a Christmas bow. The king side bed had numerous pillows of all shapes and sizes, including a couple of decorative throw pillows and a VERY heavy comforter.

In front of the bed was a gas fireplace with a decorated mantel. The fireplace was on a timer and produced a small flame that didn't add much to the ambiance of the room. It's possible that having the flame higher would have made the room too hot, but it was somewhat disappointing. Next to the bed was a nice, comfortable couch and coffee table. In front of that was a dresser with an HDTV (but unfortunately no HD channels) and to the right, a comfortable chair. The balcony had furniture as well, but we spent little time on it since it was so cold. The balcony had a nice view of the mountains that was somewhat spoiled by the ugly strip mall feel of Pigeon Forge.

Climate control in the room was adequate with a wall thermostat and a wall unit heater and air conditioner that looked a lot like what you'd find in an average motel. It did seem tough to keep the room a consistent temperature without turning off the unit every so often.

Water pressure was more than adequate, and there was more than enough hot water to fill the tub. The room itself was very clean.

The bed was a custom made mattress that felt a bit like those space mattresses you see in places like Brookstone. I think it was comfortable, but it was so different from my own bed that I had trouble getting to sleep with the over fluffy pillows and the bed that seemed to suck me in. I woke up with less aches and cramps than my own bed, so perhaps that was a good thing.

WiFi was not working in my room, but was easily rectified with an Ethernet cable.

The only real complaints I had with the room was no in-room safe, which I think isessential given the electronics and jewelry people bring with them. I also think it might have been nice to have a TV that was a little more centrally located to enable easy viewing from the bed, tub, and couch. Finally, it would have been nice to have a DVD player and/or in-room movies on-demand.

Hotel, Facilities, and Continental Breakfast -- 9

As I mentioned earlier, the hotel is very nicely appointed, with tasteful decorations. We did not get a chance to try out the pools, but the Inn at Christmas Place has an outdoor pool with a 95 foot figure-eight waterslide, an indoor pool, hot tub, a rather lame game room, a business center (which is a computer and a printer), and a deluxe continental breakfast.

The first floor has a beautiful animated clock that plays Christmas carols every hour. The clock is flanked with bells that cheerfully ring out the tunes during waking hours. It is quite a sight when it happens and while we were there always attracted quite a crowd. Additionally, you can get hot coffee and cider in the lobby.

The hot breakfast was nicer than many continental breakfasts, complete with an omelets bar. You can get cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit, biscuits and gravy, eggs, bacon, toast, and more.

The Inn at Christmas Place is kept mostly spotless. While I was there, I saw the maids dusting the EXTERIORS of each room. Amazing.

Overall -- 9

In a town full of the gaudy, tacky, and overdone, the Inn At Christmas Place is a wonder. The Inn is a wondrous place that will appeal to young and old alike with a genuinely friendly staff that cares about you having a nice stay. Highly recommended.