Mountain Shire — Hotel in Pigeon Forge

(I've added some photos from their website for reference, I didn't use all they had as the location has been completely altered)

So, This place is AirBnB lite. Firstly, i booked this nearly a month in advance. The location of the actual unit was changed and we werent really offered a change or even a slight refund. This only gets worse when the reason FOR the move was because they are doing construction on the property. Our 3 days there were less a "cabin experience" and more of what felt like a tinyhome city airbnb. Which i have no problem with and is why im keeping it to a 3 star. It however is not what i originally signed up for.

The issues don't exactly stop there. It started to feel even less hospitable than a regular Airbnb, The office is text only & its location makes it difficult to get service on the property. So ergo, hard to communicate. This further dissolves when you add that the information sheet you receive in the unit is not complete. We had no idea what to do with certain things (Trash,Firewood,Towels) which in grand scheme isn't a giant deal, but receiving NO instruction or even a mild map of the property was frustrating to say the least. We did not receive further info until the next day or so, in an email. That was also not totally clear.

I will also add, this property is RIGHT above a main road, so expect to hear traffic throughout your stay. Another big no-no for me. As their website is also a bit misleading about that.

Was this cute? Yes. Is it kid friendly? Of course. Is it as atmospheric as it seems? No.

Tbh the 3 night stay wasnt worth the money, we had stayed in a suite 2 nights before that cost half the price. So you can see where this fell short of what 1. Was advertised 2. What you think is economic value.

If youre looking for mountain atmosphere, choose an actual cabin company or an actual Cabin AirBnB. As quaint and well decorated these units are. It put a bit of a damper on our trip that soured it for me.

I'm not mad, not looking to get anything out of writing this, just wanting people to know what you're getting.

Also be advised that the road to the main property is STEEP so if you're a bike or a small car traveler, come here with caution in mind.

If you read this far, thanks! I hope you have a great stay in...

I’d had this stay saved on my AirBnB wishlist for so long. I actually ended up booking it through their own website. Last minute bookings are cheaper. The 5-star reviews are spot on - it is a special and great place to stay. Our family of four read the Hobbit together this past year, so it was an extra special place for our vacation. our kids, age 8 & 10, really enjoyed being able to explore the grounds. The landscaping and chickens, fish, frogs, turtles… just so much to see. There was no hot tub as pictured, but that might be a seasonal thing. We stayed over July 4 and enjoyed fireworks near Pigeon Forge and Dollywood. We had to contact the host once, and he was very quick to respond. Contact the host for more details on their tiny home rentals. It might be helpful to have a map of where your cabin/house is located. Numbers 1-3 are at the top of the hill and there is one parking spot right next to the house. Cabins 4-6 are located on the lower level behind the “Hobbit wall” where you park and require carrying your luggage a little further. However a wagon is provided to help you shuttle your things. Also homes 4-6 have the benefit of being closer to the outdoor spaces with the patio, hammock chairs, grill, and outdoor sofa and yard games. There was some mountain rain while we were there. Very peaceful. The road noise cannot be heard inside the homes. There are a handful of other tiny homes on the property owned by another company, but it seems like they will reach a point when it will all be Hobbit homes. There is someone on the grounds available to help with anything urgent. The only thing I did not have in the tiny home I wished we had was some ice cube trays. Would definitely stay again. Also, I found out after I booked, the email confirmation you get with your reservation gives you info on how to save 15% off Wears Valley zipline and 10% off the Bigfoot Cheesestakes, both businesses that were located nearby. The Bigfoot restaurant we could have walked to, but unfortunately we did not stay long enough to check...

My husband and I stayed in the Enchanted Forest tiny house last week on a vacation to the Smoky Mountains NP. This place is so neat!!! The craftsmanship and creativity put into each house and the gardens is amazing!

Pros - Our house was super clean. Other than hearing some traffic from the nearby road is was quiet. We could hear the tree frogs outside each night and saw lightning bugs in the adjoined woods. Kitchen was stocked with basics that you might need. Main bed upstairs was comfortable. Beautiful flowers and gardens. The house was very tastefully decorated and on theme! The attention to detail on the house was just beautiful.

Cons - Not much headroom in the loft bed. I'm not super tall and I hit my head a few times :). The shower is very small (which it is a tiny house). Other than the large main window, the other windows were not covered so not a lot of privacy at night. The loft bed area did get very warm during the day. A fan is provided but if you are a hot sleeper that could be an issue. My husband wasn't able to sleep upstairs due to it being hot so he slept on the sleeper bed which he said was super uncomfortable.

It is located only about 10 minutes from Pigeon Forge. We went and hiked everyday at the park and it took about 30 minutes to get from the Mountain Shire to the park entrance outside of Gatlinburg.

Overall, I would recommend this place. Especially if you have a love of fantasy themes. Every time I walked through I found new flowers and decorations that I hadn't seen before. I felt that a lot of love had been poured...