Name: Bearskin Lodge on the River
Address: 840 RIVER RD, Downtown Gatlinburg, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States of America, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, US
Price range: US$190–US$388 per night
Rating: 8.67

What guests think

Across recent reviews of Bearskin Lodge on the River, guests praise the walkable, park-adjacent location and relaxing riverside setting, frequently noting spacious, comfortable rooms with balconies or fireplaces and consistently friendly service that makes stays easy and stress free.

Cleanliness is generally strong, though a few guests reported housekeeping misses or maintenance issues like wet bathroom floors or areas needing repair. Breakfast is basic with limited variety and a sometimes crowded room, while lobby coffee, cider, and cookies are a welcome touch. Facilities include a small pool with a lazy river and fire pits; parking is convenient though space can feel tight. Expect a convenient, comfortable stay focused on location and river views.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Facilities include a small outdoor pool with a lazy river, plus fire pits and riverside rocking chairs; several guests found parking convenient, though spaces can feel tight. A few noted occasional pool closure and limited laundry with only one washer and dryer.

Related guest reviews

10

James

16 Nov 2022

·

Stayed 3 nights

Welcoming staff, clean throughout. Decor was lodge-like. Weather didn't allow use of the pool or lazy river but the fire pits were a nice touch. Continental breakfast was good would have liked a waffle/pancake option. Coffee was perfect. Apple cider and cookies in the lobby were a nice touch. Location was great and we had a balcony over the river.

8

Arie

17 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Clean room with nice balcony over the river. Bathroom floor was wet when we arrived and was due to leaking shower head. Breakfast good and parking excellent.

6

Chris

13 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The whole time we was there the pool was out of sert. The breakfast was poor. Hardly anything to choose from.

10

Lori

21 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

I like sitting by the creek in the rocking chairs and my grandchildren love the pool and lazy river.

10

William

20 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

View of river was gorgeous. Balcony was great. Staff was awesome. Parking is tight but good

10

Angela

12 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

So welcoming, so relaxing outside along the river with rocking chairs . A A perfect spot to vacation or just a quick getaway

10

Rachelle

11 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

We stayed 3 nights , the balcony over the creek is awesome to listen too, fireplace was as well, beds were comfortable, all was very clean , pool was relaxing and it was within walking distance of pretty much everything on the strip in gatlinburg! I would definitely stay again

10

april

12 Dec 2022

·

Stayed 2 nights

Short walk to everything! Over Gatlinburg Tram up the mountain, Convention center, abundance of restaurants. River view is looking at another hotel with a little river in between but city view is wide panorama od the mountains and town! Such a cute place! Tiny pool but wonderful fire pits! Apple cider and cookies every night. Loved that. Continental breakfast but the most amazing breakfast place right around the corner. It's a yes for me.

10

Jeanne

18 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Nice place, nice pool but small. Only one washer/dryer so that was difficult. Breakfast was good but basic. Nice room.

10

Gayle

7 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Older Lodge, but well maintained. House keeping 👍👍👍. Front desk Staff friendly, welcoming and Very Nice. Room very quiet. Balcony overlooking Little Pigeon. So nice to read and have coffee... Pools small but warm. Granddaughter loved floating in lazy river.. Very relaxing nice stay! WILL be back!!!!

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Cleanliness

Many reviews describe very clean rooms and well-kept common areas. A few mentions of dirty spots or maintenance issues (e.g., wet bathroom floors, moldy trim, or an errant item) appear.

Related guest reviews

8

Katherine

10 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Beautiful place to stay. Very clean and helpful staff. Breakfast could have been a little better but overall a great stay.

8

Sean Farley

23 May 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Overall great stay for the money! Would have loved a little cleaner room (ceiling and moldings in bathroom were dirty/potentially moldy) but great location, kind staff, and nice pool!

10

Shelly

15 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was very clean.., people were very nice.. parking was easy

8

Arie

17 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Clean room with nice balcony over the river. Bathroom floor was wet when we arrived and was due to leaking shower head. Breakfast good and parking excellent.

8

Stella

20 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Service was exceptional. Emily was top notch. The only bad thing that occurred was there was a used Q-tip in our ice bucket

10

Bonnie

19 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel was exceptional. The room was clean, as well as relaxing hearing the river roaring below. The breakfast was great. The pancake machine had everyone in ah The hotel was close proximity to town, as well as trails in the park A great experience.

10

Stephen

28 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Staff was friendly. Room was clean and comfortable, very nice atmosphere. Would absolutely stay there again.

10

DAVIS

23 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The staff welcomed us upon arrival and let us choose our floor. The room was spacious and clean with a fireplace and a balcony on the river. Everything was consistent with the photos and advertisements of the property.

6

Michael

22 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Room floor was dirty

10

Gayle

7 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Older Lodge, but well maintained. House keeping 👍👍👍. Front desk Staff friendly, welcoming and Very Nice. Room very quiet. Balcony overlooking Little Pigeon. So nice to read and have coffee... Pools small but warm. Granddaughter loved floating in lazy river.. Very relaxing nice stay! WILL be back!!!!

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Rooms

Rooms are spacious and comfortable, often with river-view balconies and in-room fireplaces that add to the atmosphere. Some guests mention small bathrooms, dated charging options, noisy A/C near the bed, or an occasional squeaky or firm mattress.

Related guest reviews

10

Donald

14 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very peaceful, enjoyed balcony view of the river, listening to the water. Electric fireplace was a nice touch. We had everything we needed, location was great and just far enough away from the hustle and bustle. The breakfast was a nice start to the day.

4

Shaun

17 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Beds were very uncomfortable! Need updated charging devices! Only thing available was an out dated alarm clock with a USB port.

6

LAURA

20 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean room and great view

10

Ashley

21 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The property was well located and well kept. The beds were very comfortable, and the room was clean. Our room had a fireplace and faced the creek. You did have a view on a neighboring hotel from the balcony.

10

Sonya

3 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great room, location, and decor. Bathroom a little small but not a deal breaker.

8

Sherri

17 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was very spacious and the bed was comfortable.

8

David

20 May 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location and comfortable room. The only criticism I would have is that the aircon unit was too noisy and right next to the bed. Also the complementary breakfast was below the standard set by other similar properties

10

Donna

11 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Enjoyed the hotel and the spacious room. The beds were very comfortable. Only negative was one of our beds squeaked.

8

Janet

6 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was amazing! Very quiet and comfortable. The fire-place was delightful. The two lady staff-members left a lot to be desired. First, the woman at check in wouldn't stand up because she was "cold" to where I was having to lean well over the desk to hand her my card / ID. I kept having to ask her what she was saying because she stayed hidden behind her computer screen. She finally acted annoyed and stood up (that's when she said she was "cold"). Later that evening, my mother (who had just turned 82) had requested an extra blanket, so I went downstairs to ask for one. The other "lady" working at the desk looks up and says "yes," to which I requested an extra blanket for my elderly mother. The look on her face was one of disgust. She responded with "I'll see if I can find one." Really? Was it necessary to act that way to someone asking for a blanket? While I was there, I observed the first woman (from check in) again sitting down while a customer was trying to get checked in. I am NOT saying she needed to stand the whole time - I'm only saying that her desk could be situated to where she wasn't hidden to the point of making communication difficult. Other female employees would not make eye-contact and would go out of their way to not have to speak. It was really strange! Other than the staff, the hotel is absolutely amazing. We will stay there again.

10

DAVIS

23 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The staff welcomed us upon arrival and let us choose our floor. The room was spacious and clean with a fireplace and a balcony on the river. Everything was consistent with the photos and advertisements of the property.

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Service

Service is widely praised as friendly, helpful, and efficient at check-in. There are isolated complaints about front desk demeanor.

Related guest reviews

10

Alaya

2 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

I stayed here to do some hiking in the Smoky Mountains. The location is great. It's walking distance to lots of restaurants and there is a shuttle that will pick you up right around the corner and take you into the national park. Emily ( I think that's her name. She is the blonde woman at the front desk) checked me in and was so kind and personable. She made me feel and assured I'd be safe as a solo traveller. I'll definitely stay here next time I come out.

10

David

27 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Bearskin Lodge has become my go to stay in Gatlinburg. Friendly desk service, easy check in and out. The hotel is always clean and the balcony over the river is the best in town.

10

Robin A.

29 May 2022

·

Stayed 5 nights

Great hotel. Friendly staff, clean and spacious rooms. Had a glitch with the electronic key system and had to replace keys to room twice. And the only other thing was continental breakfast needed an attendant to restock as was sparse often and last day was out of coffee. Even with this I’d stay there again.

10

Tracie

18 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

We had an absolutely wonderful stay at Bearskin Lodge on the River! The service was amazing from start to finish, and the view along the river was simply stunning. The location was perfect—tucked away from the busyness and traffic, giving us the peaceful and quiet getaway we were looking for. One of the highlights of our trip was being joined in the evenings by a big, friendly bear who is somewhat of a local celebrity! It was such a unique and memorable experience that made our stay even more special. We can’t recommend Bearskin Lodge enough and will definitely be coming back!

8

Janet

6 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was amazing! Very quiet and comfortable. The fire-place was delightful. The two lady staff-members left a lot to be desired. First, the woman at check in wouldn't stand up because she was "cold" to where I was having to lean well over the desk to hand her my card / ID. I kept having to ask her what she was saying because she stayed hidden behind her computer screen. She finally acted annoyed and stood up (that's when she said she was "cold"). Later that evening, my mother (who had just turned 82) had requested an extra blanket, so I went downstairs to ask for one. The other "lady" working at the desk looks up and says "yes," to which I requested an extra blanket for my elderly mother. The look on her face was one of disgust. She responded with "I'll see if I can find one." Really? Was it necessary to act that way to someone asking for a blanket? While I was there, I observed the first woman (from check in) again sitting down while a customer was trying to get checked in. I am NOT saying she needed to stand the whole time - I'm only saying that her desk could be situated to where she wasn't hidden to the point of making communication difficult. Other female employees would not make eye-contact and would go out of their way to not have to speak. It was really strange! Other than the staff, the hotel is absolutely amazing. We will stay there again.

10

Robert

29 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

The staff is excellent!!! Never have I had a more friendly professional interaction with personnel/staff. Front desk personnel (late afternoon staff) deserve a special mention.

10

Gayle

3 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

From the time we checked in, everything was perfect. The staff extremely helpful and very hospitable. The hotel was very clean and had everything you could possibly need. We will definitely be back. Thank you for a wonderful experience.

10

Angela

29 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Staff was SPECTACULAR!

10

Jimmy

28 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Came up from Florida for the Jeep Invasion, very friendly staff, will stay here again.

10

Benjamin

29 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great stay great staff

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Location

Walkable to downtown Gatlinburg and very close to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with many finding the end-of-strip setting quieter. Overall, a convenient base for exploring both town and trails.

Related guest reviews

10

Julie

15 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

Clean, quiet room friendly staff perfect location

10

Robin

24 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Love the location. It was so close to going to Great Smokey National Park. Nice rooms

10

arthur

24 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 8 nights

Everyone was friendly and helpful. 90 second walk from the park.

10

Kristen

2 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

The property and its location are great. It is located at the end of the busy strip which we enjoyed. The room was clean and the staff was all super friendly.

10

Bonnie

19 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel was exceptional. The room was clean, as well as relaxing hearing the river roaring below. The breakfast was great. The pancake machine had everyone in ah The hotel was close proximity to town, as well as trails in the park A great experience.

10

Bobbie

22 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

This is a great hotel. We highly recommend it for the convenience and cleanliness. You can walk through the parking lot and you are right on the Gatlinburg strip.

10

Leah

19 Sept 2022

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location to walk everywhere

10

Jonathan

15 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great no frills place to stay. Close to the strip, yet quiet. Great views of the river. Close to everything. We will be back

10

robert

17 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great property, clean and close enough to walk the stip

10

Kayla

16 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We enjoyed our stay and loved being able to walk to downtown Gatlinburg with ease.

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Dining

Complimentary breakfast is basic with limited variety, ranging from okay to poor, and the room can feel crowded. Guests appreciated lobby beverages and cookies, and a pancake machine was a highlight for some.

Related guest reviews

10

James

16 Nov 2022

·

Stayed 3 nights

Welcoming staff, clean throughout. Decor was lodge-like. Weather didn't allow use of the pool or lazy river but the fire pits were a nice touch. Continental breakfast was good would have liked a waffle/pancake option. Coffee was perfect. Apple cider and cookies in the lobby were a nice touch. Location was great and we had a balcony over the river.

10

Robin A.

29 May 2022

·

Stayed 5 nights

Great hotel. Friendly staff, clean and spacious rooms. Had a glitch with the electronic key system and had to replace keys to room twice. And the only other thing was continental breakfast needed an attendant to restock as was sparse often and last day was out of coffee. Even with this I’d stay there again.

8

Arie

17 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Clean room with nice balcony over the river. Bathroom floor was wet when we arrived and was due to leaking shower head. Breakfast good and parking excellent.

6

Chris

13 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The whole time we was there the pool was out of sert. The breakfast was poor. Hardly anything to choose from.

10

Guy

20 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Staff pleasant and accommodating. Breakfast good, however not over the top as far as offerings go. Nice balcony on the river, it was charming to sit the an enjoy the river and its sound. Easily heard hall noises and footsteps above us from the room but not to a degree that was super annoying. The shower was A++. Nicely done with a great showerhead. Hotel is easy walking distance to all the attractions in Gatlinburg. Take the Gatlinburg bypass to get to the hotel (which is on the far end of Gatlinburg) to avoid some of the town’s congested traffic.

6

purnachand

19 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Sleeping room is spacious however bathroom is too congested.Breakfast is terrible.

10

Bonnie

19 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel was exceptional. The room was clean, as well as relaxing hearing the river roaring below. The breakfast was great. The pancake machine had everyone in ah The hotel was close proximity to town, as well as trails in the park A great experience.

8

Amber

7 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great location. Easy to park. Didn’t clean room daily and breakfast was okay, not many options.

10

april

12 Dec 2022

·

Stayed 2 nights

Short walk to everything! Over Gatlinburg Tram up the mountain, Convention center, abundance of restaurants. River view is looking at another hotel with a little river in between but city view is wide panorama od the mountains and town! Such a cute place! Tiny pool but wonderful fire pits! Apple cider and cookies every night. Loved that. Continental breakfast but the most amazing breakfast place right around the corner. It's a yes for me.

10

Jeanne

18 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Nice place, nice pool but small. Only one washer/dryer so that was difficult. Breakfast was good but basic. Nice room.

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Month	Average price
January	US$138
February	US$124
March	US$138
April	US$160
May	US$191
June	US$200
July	US$218
August	US$203
September	US$163
October	US$236
November	US$187
December	US$192

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16 $191	17 $190	18 $239	19 $239
20 $190	21 $190	22 $190	23 $190	24 $197	25 $311	26 $311
27 $233	28 $233	29	30 $233

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $233	2 $328	3 $328
4 $233	5 $244	6 $244	7 $275	8 $244	9 $345	10 $388
11 $256	12	13	14	15 $256	16 $345	17 $345
18 $233	19	20	21 $233	22	23 $328	24 $328
25 $233	26 $233	27 $233	28 $233	29 $233	30 $328	31 $328

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Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Standard Room

2 Queen, River View, Balcony with Fireplace

Guest reviews

Fabulous

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

FAQs about Bearskin Lodge on the River

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