Creekstone Inn

The Creekstone Inn is a friendly and welcoming option for budget travelers and families looking for a basic, yet pleasant, place to stay. A separate building contains the hotel's small lobby. There's gray tile throughout, a wood front desk, and free coffee and tea, plus a computer station. Wood floors and tan countertops line the crowded breakfast area, with green-cushioned wood chairs providing seating. The space almost feels lifted out of someone's home. Behind the hotel is Pigeon River, with a rocky area that leads to the water and lots of trees. While the property does have a friendly atmosphere and a lovely outdoor pool, decor throughout is tired and dated.

The Creekstone Inn is slightly off the main road in a quiet area of Pigeon Forge, right on the Pigeon River. The Dixie Stampede, restaurants, convenience stores, and shops are a 10-minute walk from the hotel's front door, and the town's trolly stops here as well. Dollywood is about 15-minutes away by car, while the Comedy Barn Theater is a 10-minute drive and the Gatlinburg Golf Course is a five-minute drive. The Tanger Outlets and WonderWorks are a 15-minute drive from the hotel. The Titanic Museum and the Hollywood Wax Museum are both 10 minutes from the hotel by car. Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, the Gatlinburg Space Needle, the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show, and the Gatlinburg Convention Center are a 15-minute drive from the hotel while the McGhee Tyson airport is about an hour drive away.

Rooms at the Creekstone Inn are basic and dated, with multicolored bed runners and dark emerald carpets, though yellow accent walls brighten up the spaces. These functional and homey rooms do offer a few conveniences, including mini-fridges, microwaves, and air-conditioning. Upholstered wood armchairs next to small tables provide seating, and each room has a balcony with plastic furniture, but only some offer nice river views. There is a mix of small flat-screen TVs and tube TVs in the rooms, and some have extras including fireplaces, couches, or kitchenettes. Some rooms have sinks external to the bathroom, and in the Queen Room we saw, the countertop around the sink also held the coffeemaker. Basic bathrooms have siena-colored tile floors, toiletries, and shower/tub combos (though some have jetted tubs). Wi-Fi is free throughout, but the connection can be unreliable and spotty. 

One highlight of this property is its attractive outdoor seasonal pool surrounded by white and blue lounge chairs with views of trees. Though many hotels in the area also offer an indoor pool for wintertime guests, the Creekside Inn does not. The free continental breakfast includes muffins, donuts, cereal, juice, and coffee though vouchers are provided for a free pancake breakfast at the Smoky Mountain Pancake House, which is a five-minute walk away and receives much better reviews. Guests can rent inflatable tubes for free to use on the Pigeon River behind the hotel, a highlight for many families, and there is a computer station in the lobby. The hotel also has small bags of cracked corn to feed the wildlife, like ducks and squirrels, another family-friendly feature. Free Wi-Fi and garage parking are available, and the front desk is staffed 24/7. However, guests complain the Wi-Fi is spotty and slow.