Trade options in Gatlinburg?

[SnowWitch]

Its pretty cheap to rent cabins in this area, a 2 bedroom runs around $179, so what are the trade options thru DVC? Should I just stick with cash?

 

[Lisa P.]

If you are interested in a 2BR timeshare week there, consider doing a direct exchange with another owner for DVC points. This would cost you fewer points and it opens the field wider to all the resorts in the area.

TUG (see my sig below) rates the resorts and the highest ratings go to:

Fairfield Smoky Mountains (RCI only)
Sunterra Bent Creek (II or RCI)
Sunrise Ridge (RCI only)
Treetops (II or RCI)
Laurel Crest (II or RCI)

Next highest ratings go to:

Gatlinburg Town Square (II or RCI)
Westgate Smoky Mountains (II)

I'm not sure which of the II resorts are available to you through DVC. Someone here may be able to help with that if you don't know. Generally though, if you planned to spend a lot of time walking around in Gatlinburg downtown, then Gatlinburg Town Square is a good choice since it's within walking distance. None of the others are that close.

If you planned to spend a lot of time doing outdoor activities in the Smokies or tourist attractions in Pigeon Forge, then you'll drive a fair amount and the location is somewhat less important. The Fairfield, Sunrise and Laurel Crest are among the most convenient to Dollywood and the outlet shopping malls, if that matters to you.

If you planned to spend a lot of time at the resort itself, I'd recommend the Fairfield or the Westgate. Most nice resorts in the area offer indoor & outdoor pools & some organized activities through the week, but these two are newer than the rest and they seem to me to offer more. They also don't have a lot of really steep roads to drive/walk, like Treetops, and they're not terribly far from things to do, like the Sunterra.

My personal preference is for the Fairfield - we love this place and visit it a couple times a year. The room interiors remind me of Disney's HHI resort's rooms - very spacious (more than most others), comfortable, attractive, beautifully maintained, with nice detail touches. We're definitely biased since we visit Dollywood regularly (it's convenient to the resort, by back roads) and we like staying at Fairfields - so take my comments with that in mind. The Fairfield also has resort-wide sidewalks and it's on the Trolley line at the far end (just over the Pigeon Forge line in Sevierville). Having the strolley stop at the resort has been convenient for our older teenagers whenever we want to split up. Most resorts are not on a trolley line.

Anyway, direct exchanges are often available by posting a free ad at TUG. PM me if you'd like. HTH.

 

[Dean]

All the one's that are on Lisa's list AND in II are on the DVC exchange list except Laurel Crest. Other than maybe the 3 fall colors weeks, Gatlinburg is not a difficult place to exchange into. If you can get what you want for $179 a night, you have your answer I'd say. Another option is that if you have a friend that's is a member of RCI or II, they might be able to get you something even cheaper.

 

[kimberh]

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