Park Vista, a Doubletree by Hilton
by
Terry Sullivan
Summary: Set high on a mountainside overlooking Gatlinburg and the surrounding Great Smoky Mountains, the Park Vista Hotel, a Doubletree by Hilton offers wine travelers a scenic base to explore the areas wineries. There is also a distillery closeby. The hotel offers 300 guestrooms and suites.
Less than a mile from US Route 441 the entrance to the Park Vista begins with a steep winding road up the side of a mountain. The cylindrical hotel is inspiring as it reaches to touch the sky from the parking area. Upon entering the hotel, one notices the atrium and eyes scan up 15 floors. Three glass enclosed elevators move up and down a column providing a focal point for one’s sight. It is then that you’ll notice the many comfortable chairs on the lobby level. The restaurant, the Vista Grill, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Firefly’s, also on the lobby level has light fare for dinner. The view from the top floors looking down to the lobby level is even more spectacular looking like an Escher drawing.
Rooms
Guest rooms and suites either overlook Gatlinburg or the Great Smoky Mountains. The Gatlinburg view is illuminated at night. All windows offer mountain views. Guest rooms have either king-sized or queen-sized beds. All rooms have a balcony.
Suite
The two-room suite is ideal for spreading out. The large living room area includes a sleep sofa, two chairs, hassocks, mini refrigerator and desk area. A small balcony off this area provides great views of the mountains and allows visitors the opportunities to take photographs of the surrounding scenery without photographing through glass. Our bedroom was also spacious with a king-size bed and plenty of space to move about. The bedroom also has a balcony separate from the living room balcony.
The rooms are decorated with earth tones of reddish-browns to yellows. Both rooms have a 42 inch large-screen flat panel television with cable including HBO. The bathroom is off the entrance. The Citron collection of Crabtree and Evelyn shampoo, conditioner and hand cream amenities provide refreshing scents.
Jackelyn Schafer, General Manager, would like people to know that the hotel is a beautiful property with breathtaking views. She is proud of her staff, many who have been long-term employees. The staff of Park Vista looks forward to serving their guests and seeing them on return visits. The staff feels that the hotel is their home.
For wine enthusiasts, The Park Vista is an ideal location for exploring wineries and a distillery. The Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine, Ole Smoky Distillery is just a mile from the hotel. It is the first legal distillery making moonshine. Four wineries are within 13 miles of the hotel. A fifth winery will open during the summer of 2011. Visit Hillside Winery and Apple Barn Winery in Sevierville, Mountain Valley Winery in Pigeon Forge, and Smoky Mountain Winery in Gatlinburg. Sugarland Cellars, also in Gatlinburg, will open during summer of 2011.
The Park Vista - a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
705 Cherokee Orchard Road,
Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738
865-436-9211
GPS: N35º 42.195 W83º 30.806
