There are some truly fantastic mountain views if you stay around either Townsend or Cosby. It's a little bit of a drive to Gatlinburg, but from Cosby, the road is very nice and easy to drive (as well as absolutely beautiful).
My in laws have a house outside of Townsend and the views there are fantastic. They look directly at the national park, so there are no electric and telephone lines. Which brings me to the point made by the previous poster...
Be sure to ask about the roads. Steep and winding bothers some people. Gravel roads can sometimes wash and "rut" pretty bad. It's been really dry this year, so creeks and water may not be a big deal right now, but some people don't like driving through that, either.
Wears Valley is also a very popular place for cabins with some of the most beautiful views in the area. The road in and out can be steep and twisty in a few places, but it's not bad at all compared to some other areas.
Ski Mtn. and Chalet Village are good places if you're looking for a condo/cabin/house close to Gatlinburg. Some of those roads are steep and winding, but they're in very good shape.
Hope some of this helps. Have a fantastic trip!!!