Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Gatlinburg Downtown — Hotel in Gatlinburg

My 17-year-old son and I stayed at Fairfield Inn and Suites Downtown Gatlinburg from July 18-22 while attending the Kohl's Kicking Camp at Rocky Top Sports World. Our experience at this hotel was a mix of highs and lows, making it a stay to remember for various reasons.||The hotel is about an hour and fifteen minutes away from Knoxville Airport, and the drive was surprisingly pleasant. Ample free parking at the hotel was a convenient perk, and the location itself was quite good, especially for visiting the Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg, and Rocky Top Sports World.||Our room, 419, was nice, with comfortable beds that provided much-needed rest after our daily activities. The shower was okay, offering a satisfying spray head. The room was equipped with a fridge, microwave, iron, coffee maker, and hairdryer, adding to the convenience of our stay. For us, proximity to Rocky Top Sports World was crucial, and the hotel’s location just five miles away made it very convenient.||The hotel is situated on Old Cherokee Road in Gatlinburg. The path from the hotel to the downtown area is steep. I joked that I couldn't tell if the walk to Clingmans Dome or the walk from downtown to the hotel was steeper. Either way, it was a good 25-minute walk to the downtown area. Another option was Airport Road, which was less steep but took about the same amount of time. Taking this path will lead you closer to Calhoun Village where the famous Cherokee Grill and Steakhouse is located. The hotel offers a shuttle on the green line that stops right outside Sibley James Lodge, but its timing was unpredictable, ranging anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, making it an unreliable mode of transportation. Renting a car was the best decision we made.||One of the great advantages of the hotel is its proximity to the entrance of Roaring Fork Motor Trail. Exiting the hotel and making a left leads to a road that goes to The Park Vista Hilton, and another road to the right leads to the Roaring Fork Motor Trail. This trail offers many hikes, such as Grotto Falls and Rainbow Falls, making the hotel's location ideal for hiking enthusiasts.||Breakfast at the hotel was a disappointment. There was little variety, and for the price we paid, it felt like a letdown. The offerings included waffles, eggs, and pre-packed muffins with some bread. The coffee stations were often empty, with no one attending to them. On the plus side, the breakfast room was quiet and relaxing, making it a great spot for me to work without disturbance. This made up somewhat for the lack of breakfast options.||The hotel does not provide free water bottles daily, and the complimentary mini water bottles were a letdown. Additionally, the staff at the hotel seemed to lack knowledge about the area, so we found ourselves relying on our own research for guidance. Housekeeping was provided after the second night of our stay and was very slow. However, the pool area was nice, and the hot tub was great, providing a relaxing spot after long days at the camp.||Despite these drawbacks, our stay had its positives. The free Wi-Fi, comfortable rooms, proximity to key locations, and the somewhat relaxing breakfast area were convenient. The hotel’s location was excellent for exploring Gatlinburg and attending the camp, but there were areas where it could improve. It certainly does not deserve to charge $300/night.||We did not have any rude encounters with the staff at the front desk. They were polite and friendly. ||Overall, Fairfield Inn and Suites Downtown Gatlinburg offers a convenient and comfortable stay, but there are a few areas they need to work on to provide a truly...

My 17-year-old son and I stayed at Fairfield Inn and Suites Downtown Gatlinburg from July 18-22 while attending the Kohl's Kicking Camp at Rocky Top Sports World. Our experience at this hotel was a mix of highs and lows, making it a stay to remember for various reasons.||The hotel is about an hour and fifteen minutes away from Knoxville Airport, and the drive was surprisingly pleasant. Ample free parking at the hotel was a convenient perk, and the location itself was quite good, especially for visiting the Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg, and Rocky Top Sports World.||Our room, 419, was nice, with comfortable beds that provided much-needed rest after our daily activities. The shower was okay, offering a satisfying spray head. The room was equipped with a fridge, microwave, iron, coffee maker, and hairdryer, adding to the convenience of our stay. For us, proximity to Rocky Top Sports World was crucial, and the hotel’s location just five miles away made it very convenient.||The hotel is situated on Old Cherokee Road in Gatlinburg. The path from the hotel to the downtown area is steep. I joked that I couldn't tell if the walk to Clingmans Dome or the walk from downtown to the hotel was steeper. Either way, it was a good 25-minute walk to the downtown area. Another option was Airport Road, which was less steep but took about the same amount of time. Taking this path will lead you closer to Calhoun Village where the famous Cherokee Grill and Steakhouse is located. The hotel offers a shuttle on the green line that stops right outside Sibley James Lodge, but its timing was unpredictable, ranging anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, making it an unreliable mode of transportation. Renting a car was the best decision we made.||One of the great advantages of the hotel is its proximity to the entrance of Roaring Fork Motor Trail. Exiting the hotel and making a left leads to a road that goes to The Park Vista Hilton, and another road to the right leads to the Roaring Fork Motor Trail. This trail offers many hikes, such as Grotto Falls and Rainbow Falls, making the hotel's location ideal for hiking enthusiasts.||Breakfast at the hotel was a disappointment. There was little variety, and for the price we paid, it felt like a letdown. The offerings included waffles, eggs, and pre-packed muffins with some bread. The coffee stations were often empty, with no one attending to them. On the plus side, the breakfast room was quiet and relaxing, making it a great spot for me to work without disturbance. This made up somewhat for the lack of breakfast options.||The hotel does not provide free water bottles daily, and the complimentary mini water bottles were a letdown. Additionally, the staff at the hotel seemed to lack knowledge about the area, so we found ourselves relying on our own research for guidance. Housekeeping was provided after the second night of our stay and was very slow. However, the pool area was nice, and the hot tub was great, providing a relaxing spot after long days at the camp.||Despite these drawbacks, our stay had its positives. The free Wi-Fi, comfortable rooms, proximity to key locations, and the somewhat relaxing breakfast area were convenient. The hotel’s location was excellent for exploring Gatlinburg and attending the camp, but there were areas where it could improve. It certainly does not deserve to charge $300/night.||We did not have any rude encounters with the staff at the front desk. They were polite and friendly. ||Overall, Fairfield Inn and Suites Downtown Gatlinburg offers a convenient and comfortable stay, but there are a few areas they need to work on to provide a truly...

This hotel in many other locations would not be nearly as pricey; but unfortunately, due to the mass of continual tourists in Gatlinburg (and the explosion of tourist-trap businesses that pander them), hotels there have skyrocketed in price year after year, while most have steadily declined in appearance, condition, service, and especially cleanliness. Among a very large group of "losers", as hotels in Gatlinburg go, this place stands out sharply in contrast. It's very nicely appointed, very clean and modern, attractive, spacey, and well-situated to reach the various attractions and the downtown tourist area. Although the staff when we arrived was very busy, the clerk who checked us in still managed to be friendly and helpful, and took the needed time to ensure our check-in was well handled, and that we knew what to do and where to go. Check in and out were both quick. The parking lot is slightly inconvenient, being off to one side and somewhat downhill from the hotel, but in Gatlinburg you have to make those kinds of small sacrifices; there's simply very little space, and even that is fast running out. All locations in the entire hotel - including the rooms - are well lit and appear very clean. Even the bathrooms are well lighted, and the large, all-glass shower stall was great. Good water pressure (adjustable) and plenty of hot water. Good amenities in the rooms. Large HD TV with a multitude of cable channel choices (plus hotel and local info). Full hot breakfast bar (including meat and eggs) -- which provides pretty much the "standard fare" items for a hotel in this price category, but nonetheless it was perfectly adequate and the food was fine (it beats a "continental" breakfast hands down). The breakfast area was also kept well supplied and was very clean and orderly in appearance. This is helpful in Gatlinburg, where at all local breakfast restaurants you will wait in line 60 to 120 minutes to get a seat, due to the overcrowding everywhere. Other than the somewhat inflated price (which is unavoidable at any hotel in Gatlinburg area), we could find nothing at all to complain about at this one. We were both surprised and pleased at the accommodations and services provided here. We very much enjoyed our stay and would choose this hotel immediately if we were re-booking this reservation again. If we come back to Gatlinburg in the future, this is a place we will look at first for our hotel. I hope it doesn't change, as so many of the...