As a kid, you spend long hours in the car, trapped in traffic with frustrated parents focused on gas mileage and making good time.
However, there’s a promise that makes the interstate monotony vaguely endurable.
It’s the hotel pool.
Some places see the pool as an attraction, the ultimate of hotel amenities. Some even provide a water park with a lazy river, a waterslide or two and maybe a hot tub for the parents.
A place like this means guests can spend a day chilling at the hotel and enjoying a pool day instead of getting out and fighting the outlet mall crowds.
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How far apart are Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge?
If you’re trying to decide between the two, it may depend on your vacation goals. In a literal sense, it’s 8.2 miles along Highway 321 from Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg. So, if the traffic’s not backed up, that’s about a 15-minute drive.
But in a spiritual sense, it’s much farther.
For example, Gatlinburg is a walking place of shade and mountains and shops.
It’s a gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and ancient history and the rivers that run along the base of time.
Conversely, Pigeon Forge is a driving place of neon and exhaust fumes.
It’s a gateway to … Gatlinburg. Certainly, the vibes are very, very different.
What are the best hotels with indoor pools in Pigeon Forge?
When you’re looking for a Pigeon Forge hotel, there’s a lot that goes into your selection.
Do you want to be right there on the strip or something a little more off the beaten path?
Specifically, how close is the nearest pancake house, or will I be close to Dolly’s Stampede or the Dollywood theme park?
Is it bad vibes to swim in a pool from which you can see the Titanic museum attraction or does that make the swimming pool extra awesome?
The answers to these questions will affect your individual rankings, of course, but here are our best recommendations.
With this in mind, for pricing purposes, I sought rooms for a two-night, mid-week stay for a family of four in late July. Also, pricing variables change daily and none of the prices include the final fees. Of course, pricing for your selected date may be vastly different.
There are dozens of hotels in the area. Being ranked in the top 13 is pretty good. So, let’s get started.
Read Also: 27 Best Lunch Spots in Pigeon Forge From a Local
13. Park Grove Inn
With a very good rating of 8.0 on Booking.com, the Park Grove Inn, located across from The Island in Pigeon Forge, has a seasonal outdoor pool and kiddie pool as well as an indoor pool so your kids can get their swim on year-round.
The price for our trip would be $287.
12. Home2 Suites by Hilton Pigeon Forge
There’s a lot to love at this hotel – rated at a wonderful 9.0 hotel on Booking.com.
The outdoor pool is cool as is the deck area. But the indoor pool? It’s nice with lots of glass so you don’t feel like you’re swimming in a cave, but the view is mostly just the parking lot. The indoor pool isn’t huge.
A stay at this hotel over the outlined time would be $529.
11. Quality Inn near The Island Pigeon Forge
The indoor pool at this hotel – rated a very good 8.0 on Booking.com – is small but there’s a nice hot tub nearby as well. There is also a substantial outdoor pool area.
The cost for our stay would be $278.
Read Also: 10 Best Hotels Near the Island in Pigeon Forge [2023]
10. Music Road Resort Hotel and Inn
The outdoor pool is the star attraction at this hotel, rated an excellent 8.6 on Booking.com. However, the indoor pool is kind of fun and shaped like the bat signal – which will always win extra points in the Gullion household.
It is $504 for our two-night stay.
9. Ramada by Wyndham Pigeon Forge North
It’s interesting how many hotel brand names are backed into this Parkway hotel with mountain views and really nice indoor pool.
Located across from the Hollywood Wax Museum – unfortunately, slightly to the south so you can’t get a room with a view of King Kong’s bottom – this hotel rates at 8.3 on Booking.com and will cost you $237 for the outlined trip.
8. The Inn at Apple Valley, Ascend Hotel Collection
Located down the street from WonderWorks, I don’t think you can see the Titanic from the outdoor pool, but I’m not 100 percent sure.
This Inn comes with a wonderful 9.0 rating on Booking.com. And the indoor pool is of an acceptable size and has atrium-style glass that allows natural light to come in.
A stay over our timeline would cost $425.
7. Club Wyndham Smoky Mountains
The indoor pool at this hotel, rated at 8.8 on Booking.com, comes with a spacious deck that allows guests to relax poolside without feeling like they are falling in.
There’s a good mix of windows and doors to let in light, but not so much that you feel like you’ve given up privacy.
Our two-night stay at this hotel would cost $556.
6. Best Western Toni Inn
With a rating of 8.4 on Booking.com, the Toni Inn has indoor and outdoor pools. I like the indoor pool area. It’s got a cool vibe that makes it feel very much like a part of the hotel.
But, the rooms overlooking the pool from the first, second and third levels are a bit of a mixed bag as they are quite close to the pool. Sure, the pool views are cool. However, being viewed while in the pool is less cool.
The cost under our scenario is $278.
5. LeConte Hotel and Convention Center, Ascend Hotel Collection
With an overall rating of 8.9 out of 10 on Booking.com, the LeConte Hotel and Convention Center is located on a 25-acre farm.
The hotel features indoor and outdoor pools with an outdoor splash pad and a lazy river.
Cost for the two-night stay? $358.
4. Econo Lodge Pigeon Forge Riverside
Located on the Parkway near The Christmas Place, Econo Lodge – which is rated as an 8.1 overall on the website Booking.com – has a nice, large indoor pool and courtyard with a hot tub section available.
The hotel’s rooms do have walkways and windows overlooking the pool.
The cost for our stay would be $258.
3. Margaritaville Island Inn
Weighing in at an excellent 8.9 rating on Booking.com, the Margaritaville Island Inn offers all the best and worst that Jimmy Buffet-themed vacationing has to offer.
Thankfully, the Margaritaville lifestyle also comes with strong indoor and outdoor pool options.
The price? $558.
2. The Inn at Christmas Place
What’s better than year-round Christmas in the Smokies? Swimming year-round and Christmas in the Smokies!
This hotel – with an exceptional 9.5 rating on Booking.com – is a Bavarian-inspired inn with daily breakfast, an outdoor pool with a waterslide and a beautiful indoor pool.
Price for our trip? $682.
1. RiverStone Resort & Spa
With an excellent 8.9 rating on Booking.com, the RiverStone Resort & Spa is a vacation destination in its own right.
The outdoor lazy river is beautiful as is the hotel lobby and playground area. And the indoor pool is also bright and spacious and surrounded by glass that allows plenty of light to come through.
Our stay would be $637.
Are pools the most important hotel amenity?
Some might say flat-screen TVs are the most important – but those are standard now. It’s hard to argue with in-room whirlpool Jacuzzis – but you’d better have some real faith in your hotel’s cleaning staff with those suckers. Fireplaces? Meh.
A patio? I mean, most hotel patios only really offer a look at the rest of the hotel or the parking lot.
Therefore, I think an indoor heated pool that’s open year-round may well be the best hotel amenity around, especially if the heated indoor pool area comes with plenty of loungers and a changing room so you don’t have to schlep through the hotel whilst still wet.
Which are better indoor hotel pools or outdoor hotel pools?
In general, I prefer a good outdoor pool. The problem? There are a lot of hotels with bad outdoor pools that really bring down the overall average.
So, in my experience, the indoor pool is better. Plus, it’s available year-round.
What is your favorite hotel with an indoor pool in East Tennessee? Let us know in the comments!
