Black Bear Inn & Suites

Hotels
8.2 (1336 reviews)
1100 Parkway , Gatlinburg , US
+1 (865) 436-5656

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Free breakfast
Free WiFi
Free Parking
Air conditioning
24-hour front desk
Heating
Lift / Elevator
Safety deposit box
Fax/photocopying
Facilities for disabled guests
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Excellent location / walkable to attractions
Friendly, helpful staff
Rooms generally clean
Good value / economical
Convenient parking (reported by some)
Free/available breakfast (varied quality)
Updated/comfortable common areas reported by some
Cons:
Breakfast often described as poor or limited (few vegetarian options, bland gravy)
Beds/mattresses uncomfortable or worn
Missing in-room amenities (iron, ironing board, towel hangers, clock, soap); some safes not working
Occasional cleanliness lapses (dirty floor, stink bugs reported)
Parking tight or hard to find for some guests
Pool closed for a day (reported)

Categories

Cleanliness
8.5
Several guests repeatedly called rooms 'clean' or 'very clean', though a few reviews noted dirty floors and an isolated stink-bug incident — overall cleanliness is good but with occasional lapses.
Service
9
Service is frequently praised: multiple comments about very friendly, accommodating and helpful front-desk and staff across reviews.
Location
9.3
Location is consistently described as excellent — central, walkable, close to attractions and trails; a clear strong point for guests.
Room Quality
7.4
Rooms are described as clean and convenient but several guests mentioned uncomfortable or worn beds, small or oddly placed windows, and dated areas — mixed-to-below-expectation room quality.
Amenities
7
Amenities receive criticism: missing irons/ironing boards, towel hangers, clocks, occasional non-working safes, soap not provided, and a reported pool closure — functional but incomplete.
Value for Money
8.5
Guests describe the hotel as economical and good value for its location and cleanliness; some note expectations are met for the price.
Food and Beverage
7
Breakfast is the most commonly mentioned F&B item: several guests found it poor, limited (esp. vegetarian options), or bland (gravy), though a few found it acceptable or good.
Overall Experience
8.9
Overall sentiment is positive with many guests saying they enjoyed their stay and would return — strong location and staff lift the overall experience despite some issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-11-05 14:07

Property Description

Black Bear Inn & Suites, formerly the Clarion Inn & Suites, is a recently renovated downtown Gatlinburg hotel on the Parkway, 200 yards from the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Rooms and suites offer panoramic views of the Smokies from private balconies.

Important information:

Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.
Managed by a private host
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: TYS

Property Policies

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed. Cots are not available.

  • Age restriction

    Guests must be at least 21 years old to check in.

  • Parking

    Free parking is available on site.

  • Internet

    WiFi is available and is free of charge.

See all policies

Location

Guest Reviews

8.2
Based on 1336 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.5
Service: 9
Location: 9.3
Room Quality: 7.4
Amenities: 7
Value for Money: 8.5
Food and Beverage: 7
Overall Experience: 8.9
M
Margie • couple • us
9
2026-11-06 • via Nuitee
G
Gerri • couple • us
9
Enjoyed the stay and the facilities.
Pros:

Very pleasant and helpful staff.

Cons:

Lower cost of room would let us stay longer.

2026-11-06 • via Nuitee
W
Williams • couple • us
9
2026-11-06 • via Nuitee
J
Joseph • couple • us
10
We will stay again
Pros:

It was a nice hotel very clean staff was very attentive and helpful.

Cons:

Picture on booking showed us a 3200 sq foot room we got a standard sized room.

2026-11-05 • via Nuitee
O
Omg • family_with_children • us
10
2026-11-01 • via Nuitee
J
Jeffery • couple • us
10
We enjoyed our stay.
Pros:

The staff was great. Very nice and would talk to you, and say more than yes or no.

2026-10-30 • via Nuitee
D
Dianne • couple • us
10
2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
A
Annabelle • couple • us
10
2026-10-28 • via Nuitee
Y
Yu Fen • family_with_children • us
9
Comfortable room with great balcony, great location and easy access to the park
Pros:

Standard hotel breakfast with limited options for vegetarian

Cons:

Standard hotel breakfast with limited options for vegetarian

2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
R
Rob • couple • us
8
2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
L
Lisa • couple • us
10
2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
C
Chris • family_with_children • us
10
2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
D
Deana • extended_group • us
7
It was a nice stay! The rooms are nice and clean
Pros:

Location and it was clean

Cons:

Breakfast was not good

2026-10-25 • via Nuitee
L
Lissett • family_with_children • us
9
2026-10-23 • via Nuitee
C
Christina • family_with_children • us
5
Our stay was good
Pros:

Breakfast was ok. Bed wasn't to comfy. Room was ok. Parking was tight.

Cons:

Room seemed smaller than I expected. Bed wasn't too comfy.

2026-10-23 • via Nuitee
G
Gregory • couple • us
10
Pros:

Everything went well, the morning front desk staff were great and the location was perfect for walking around town.

Cons:

They need to have a sausage gravy for the biscuits & gravy. The gravy they served had no taste.

2026-10-22 • via Nuitee
K
Kleinhelter • extended_group • us
10
2026-10-22 • via Nuitee
W
Wilson • extended_group • us
9
2026-10-20 • via Nuitee
R
Rhonda • couple • us
5
Cons:

Had a hard time finding a place to park and we had stink bugs in our room

2026-10-20 • via Nuitee
C
Calvin • couple • us
7
Enjoyed my stay, 4.5
Pros:

Breakfast was good nothing to brag about, great location, staff very nice

Cons:

No Iron and ironing board in room, no towel hangers, no clock in room. Safe did not work in my room.

2026-10-19 • via Nuitee