Gatlinburg River Inn

Hotels
7.8 (2863 reviews)
324 Hemlock Street , Gatlinburg , US
+1 (800) 824-1111
[email protected]

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Free
Children allowed
Pets allowed

Facilities

Free WiFi
Free Parking
Air conditioning
24-hour front desk
Heating
Pets allowed
Hiking
Lift / Elevator
Laundry
Fishing
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Riverside / mountain views and balconies
Excellent location (walkable, trolley access)
Friendly/helpful staff
Free breakfast
Updated rooms in some units and comfortable beds
Pool and parking available
Good value/affordable price
Cons:
Cleanliness issues: stained bedding, dirty floors, water damage
Small bathrooms/no vanity and small sink
Hot tub jets removed/not working and complaints not addressed
Older building features, carpeting/vending-area smells
Inconsistent breakfast quality (bland for some)
Missing in-room amenities: hanging rack, toilet paper holder
Analog/unclear TV picture; shower warm-up issues

Categories

Cleanliness
5.5
Multiple guests reported dirty rooms: stained bedding and walls, floors not swept, water damage and inconsistent housekeeping; a few noted rooms were very clean, making overall cleanliness mixed-to-poor.
Service
9.2
Staff repeatedly described as friendly and helpful; several reviews praise the staff as a highlight, though one complaint noted staff/maintenance dismissed a hot tub issue.
Location
9.5
Consistently praised: riverside setting, easy walk/trolley into town, close to downtown and scenic views; a few noted slight distance from the main strip but overall location is a major strength.
Room Quality
7
Mixed: some rooms are updated and comfortable with great views, while others have small bathrooms, tiny sinks, analog TVs or feel dated—overall average-to-good room quality.
Amenities
7.3
Free breakfast and a nice pool are positives; however, issues noted with the hot tub (jets removed/not working), missing hanging racks, vending-area smells and some dated building amenities.
Value for Money
8.5
Multiple guests called the place affordable and a good value, allowing them to enjoy activities without overspending; value is frequently cited as a benefit.
Food and Beverage
7
Free breakfast appreciated by some and described as great in a few reviews, while others found the breakfast bland and unappealing—overall average.
Overall Experience
8.4
Many guests enjoyed the stay, citing location, views and friendly staff and would return; a minority had poor experiences (cleanliness, hot tub), leading to an overall positive but not perfect experience.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-10-15 03:18

Property Description

Downtown Gatlinburg's riverfront retreat on the trolley line, within walking distance of the Parkway attractions, shops and dining. River-facing balconies in every room, with views of the river and the Great Smoky Mountains, and cozy fireplaces in select rooms.

Important information:

Guests residing within a 20 mile radius of the property are not permitted at this motel.

When travelling with pets, please note that an extra charge of USD 60 per pet applies. The maximum number of pets allowed is 2 with the maximum weight of 27.2 Kg.

Pet fee is 75 USD per pet. 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.
Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
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 allowed. Charges may be applicable.

  • 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

Property Accessibility

Total Disability Score: 35.71
Public Area
  • Ramp: No
  • Entrance Leveled: No
  • Pet Friendly: No
Reception And Restaurant
  • Reception Hearing Accessible: No
  • Reception Wheelchair Accessible: No
  • Restaurant Wheelchair Accessible: No
Elevator
  • Elevator Audio Signals: No
  • Elevator Braille Numbers: No
  • Elevator Contrasting Buttons: No
  • Elevator Visual Signs: No
Show all accessibility features

Guest Reviews

7.8
Based on 2863 reviews
Cleanliness: 5.5
Service: 9.2
Location: 9.5
Room Quality: 7
Amenities: 7.3
Value for Money: 8.5
Food and Beverage: 7
Overall Experience: 8.4
C
Curtis • couple • us
7
2026-10-17 • via Nuitee
N
Nancy • solo_traveller • us
10
Room was clean
Pros:

Everyone was just so nice

2026-10-17 • via Nuitee
T
Traveldreamers • couple • nl
8
Value for money
Pros:

Price and location. Away from the madnes but everything is within walking distance. Price is reasonabel compared to other overpriced hotels .Rooms have been modernised, beds and sheets are great. They serve a decent hot and cold breakfast. Privat parking and balcony

Cons:

Noice from adjoining room/door

2026-10-15 • via Nuitee
C
Courtney • couple • us
6
Good enough to sleep in for one night.
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Rooms need updating, stink bugs in the room, paint peeling in rooms, bathroom was dirty, this place needs to be remodeled on the inside.

2026-10-15 • via Nuitee
C
Carl • solo_traveller • us
7
Pros:

I liked the view of the river from the balcony. Beds were clean and comfortable.

Cons:

The bathroom was very small there was no vanity to put your toiletries on. The bathroom sink was very small and I didn't like the TV being analog.

2026-10-13 • via Nuitee
M
Mary • couple • us
9
Great and loved the balcony!
Pros:

Location

2026-10-13 • via Nuitee
P
Philip Gulde • solo_traveller • us
7
The staff is the best. The location is great. The room was super clean and comfortable. Could use an update.
Pros:

The location is great, right out of the crowded part of town, by a calming river.

Cons:

This is an older building. Don’t expect modern facilities. There is a carpet on the third floor hall that smells very bad needs to be replaced.

2026-10-12 • via Nuitee
C
chelsi • couple • us
5
The only really nice thing about it was location.
Pros:

The location was nice and they had parking which was nice.

Cons:

The room was not very clean. The walls were dirty with stains on them, the floor was dirty, the bathroom had some water damage from the tub, bedding had some stains. Just in general everything was dirty looking. The breakfast had no flavor, so we ended up only eating it once on our 4 day stay. The place was cheap, so we were able to do all the activities we wanted since we didnt spend an arm and leg on hotel! Loved the area but will definitely stay somewhere else next time.

2026-10-12 • via Nuitee
J
Joshua • couple • us
10
Fantastic mountain and river views with updated rooms and free daily breakfast.
Pros:

Beautiful property next to the river with Mountain View’s. We saw bears in the river daily which was incredible. The free breakfast was great and the location was right by the trolley stop to take you into town. Well maintained and the room was updated and very comfortable. The staff was great and very friendly. We enjoyed our stay and will be back again.

Cons:

We loved everything about the property. No complaints.

2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
R
Rondon • solo_traveller • us
8
2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
A
Anthony • couple • us
5
Won't stay there again
Pros:

View was nice of the river, staff was super friendly.

Cons:

Room was not very clean and the floor tiles were coming apart. The cleaning crew never sweep the floor or cleaned the sink or toilet during our stay.

2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
M
Michelle • solo_traveller • us
8
Pros:

Friendly staff. Good location you could walk or take a free trolley into town. Pool was nice. Nice to have a balcony.

2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
M
Morgan • couple • us
8
The stay was great
Pros:

I liked how you could walk into downtown gatlinburg. The view by the river was nice too.

Cons:

Wish it was a little closer to the strip and the hot tub was warmer

2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
B
Brian • solo_traveller • us
9
Pros:

Location, hot, free breakfast

Cons:

There was no hanging rack in our room for our hang up clothes
Picture.on TV wasn't the clearest

2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
D
Denitsa • family_with_children • us
10
2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
C
Campbell • solo_traveller • us
10
Pros:

The location

Cons:

The building was old

2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
G
Goss • couple • us
3
It was ok.
Pros:

There was a musty scent in our room and hallways.Musty smelling, moisture in room.

2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
S
Sheila • extended_group • us
10
2026-09-15 • via Nuitee
D
Dawn • solo_traveller • us
7
Hot Tub disaster
Pros:

The staff was friendly

Cons:

The hot tub had the jets removed and nobody acknowledged that it wasn't working right. I brought it up to multiple employees including front desk and maintenance workers. The only answer I received was "that's the way our hot tub works". I can't be the only one that knows a hot tub has jets.

2026-09-15 • via Nuitee
D
Dilip • couple • us
10
Beautiful setting to enjoy stay by the river!
Pros:

Beautiful setting to enjoy stay by the river!

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee