THANK YOU!

As 2011 comes to a close, we want to say a big THANK YOU to all of you who have stayed with us at Smoky Mountain Tower or All Decked Out, and all of you who read our Blog and Facebook posts and give us such great comments.

We had a great year. Even though we had guests staying with us 9 fewer nights than in 2010, we had more guest groups than ever before. A record 122 guest families enjoyed our cabins in 2011 - that's 7 more than in 2010.

We made a lot of changes, too. Of course, the biggest change was at All Decked Out, where we went from this...


...to this!


At Smoky Mountain Tower, we changed the Tower Room from this (sofa sleeper)...


...to a much more comfortable daybed and trundle.


And we built a new walkway to provide for easier access to the main deck and sunroom at Smoky Mountain Tower.


Of course, there have been literally dozens of other upgrades and improvements at both cabins. And the work still continues. We expect to spend several days in mid-January checking out everything at both places, doing our annual battery replacement (more than 50 batteries!), fire extinguisher inspection, major cleaning and general maintenance. We usually make several trips a year to check out everything.

So as we enter 2012, this is a great time to tell us what YOU would like to have us consider doing to improve your stay at All Decked Out or Smoky Mountain Tower. Let's hear from you. And keep watching for more news. While I was writing this post, I got a text from Marcia (our daughter) telling me about something she just purchased for Smoky Mountain Tower. Hint: her husband works at Cracker Barrel. Can you guess?

Happy New Year. We hope to see you in Gatlinburg!

Our year-end gift - just for you!

This may be our last post for 2011. It's mostly a repeat of our Christmas Eve post. In the hustle and bustle of Christmas, you may have missed it, so we're sending it out again.

We have a (late) Christmas and New Year's gift for you, our blog and Facebook friends. From now until midnight, December 31, we're offering you a 15% discount on available nights from now until May 24, 2012 at either Smoky Mountain Tower...


...or All Decked Out.


This is a special offer ONLY available to our blog and Facebook friends. It's not even listed on our Web site! Here's the deal:

Book at least a 3-night stay between now and May 24, 2012 and we'll take 15% off the already-low-price of $149.00 per night. That means you'll only pay $126.65 per night (plus tax).

You have the best choice of dates if you book NOW. And you get the discount! But you need to hurry. We already have more than 10% of 2012 nights booked, and we don't want you to be disappointed because your dates aren't available.

To get this special price, enter the coupon code CHRISTmas15 exactly as shown (see instructions below). Remember, you must book at least 3 consecutive nights, and you have to make your reservation by New Year's Eve. If you have any questions, write to us.

Now, here are the instructions:

-Select your vacation property and go to the Web site:
-All Decked Out - www.SmokiesRentDirect.com/All-Decked-Out
-SmokyMountainTower - www.SmokyMountainTower.com

-Click the "Book Online Now" button on the Web site. This will open a new page at our IVOL reservation site.

-Enter your arrival and departure dates, then click "Review & Book."

-On the page that opens, go to the "Coupon Code" section. Enter the coupon code shown above. Be sure to enter it exactly as shown - coupon codes are case-sensitive. After entering the code, click "Redeem." You will see that the price has changed to deduct the 15%.

-Now just complete all the information requested, click the blue box that says "Click Here to Book Online Now, enter your credit card information and make your reservation.

If you have any questions, please contact us immediately. We'll get back to you as quickly as we can.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Eve - who has time to read blogs and Facebook?

Does anybody really have time to read blog posts and Facebook on Christmas Eve?

Well, just in case you do, our family wants to wish you a wonderful, blessed Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

We also have a Christmas and New Year's gift for you, our blog and Facebook friends. From now until midnight, December 31, we're offering you a 15% discount on available nights from now until May 24, 2012 at either All Decked Out...


...or Smoky Mountain Tower.


This is a special offer ONLY available to our blog and Facebook friends. It's not even listed on our Web site! Here's the deal:

Book at least a 3-night stay between now and May 24, 2012 and we'll take 15% off the already-low-price of $149.00 per night. That means you'll only pay $126.65 per night (plus tax).

You have the best choice of dates if you book NOW. And you get the discount!

To get this special price, enter the coupon code CHRISTmas15 exactly as shown (see instructions below). Remember, you must book at least 3 consecutive nights, and you have to make your reservation by New Year's Eve. If you have any questions, write to us.

Now, here are the instructions:

-Select your vacation property and go to the Web site:
-All Decked Out - www.SmokiesRentDirect.com/All-Decked-Out
-SmokyMountainTower - www.SmokyMountainTower.com

-Click the "Book Online Now" button on the Web site. This will open a new page at our IVOL reservation site.

-Enter your arrival and departure dates, then click "Review & Book."

-On the page that opens, go to the "Coupon Code" section. Enter the coupon code shown above. Be sure to enter it exactly as shown - coupon codes are case-sensitive. After entering the code, click "Redeem." You will see that the price has changed to deduct the 15%.

-Now just complete all the information requested, click the blue box that says "Click Here to Book Online Now, enter your credit card information and make your reservation.

If you have any questions, please contact us immediately. We'll get back to you as quickly as we can.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

What a difference a year (or two) makes

I just checked the weather forecast for the next 15 days in Gatlinburg. High temperatures are supposed to be somewhere between 46 and 64 degrees. Lows could get below freezing right around Christmas and New Year's. Tomorrow's low is in the high 40s! Yes, there is some rain forecast, but there is not a single snowflake showing up in the forecast. In fact, it looks like Ober Gatlinburg has not even started making snow yet. They're showing no trails open.

Two years ago, we were posting notices on our blog and our Web site about the bad roads and difficult travel conditions. You may remember that I-40 was closed through the Smokies because of a rock slide. So the only 'short' way to get to Gatlinburg was through the National Park. It looked like this:


Last year, we were actually in Gatlinburg for Christmas. On Christmas Day, the view from the main deck at All Decked Out looked like this.


And the next morning, this was the front of All Decked Out. Yeah, those big white spots are snowflakes. It snowed for 2 straight days and we got about 15 inches.


In fact, it was so bad that our cleaners couldn't get up the mountain. We had guests coming in to Smoky Mountain Tower. So we drove up to the road behind the cabin and walked through the woods so we could clean the place. Our daughter and grandchildren from Chicago were with us, and they're used to this type of weather. But it was a struggle for us! The guests had to stay down in town for a day, but Smoky Mountain Tower was ready for them.


We're very thankful that the weather seems to be cooperating a little better this year. After the last two years, we are ready for a little relief. So, unless the temperatures really drop and the rain turns to ice, the guests arriving at Smoky Mountain Tower and All Decked Out for Christmas and New Year's should be able to get up the mountain! As always, we urge our guests to be careful and to check weather and road conditions often.

Are you a 'last-minute' type of person?

Some people plan far in advance. Christmas at both All Decked Out and Smoky Mountain Tower were booked last summer! New Year's was a little different this year, because we had a cancellation - but it was rebooked in 10 hours.

Some people, however, like to do things on the 'spur of the moment.' That's great - if it works. But we are still getting inquiries for Christmas and New Year's dates - THIS YEAR! We hate having to turn people down. We probably could have rented our cabins 20 times for these holidays!

Why am I telling you this?

Unfortunately, only 4 families will be staying at our cabins this year for the holidays - two for Christmas and two for New Year's. But YOU will be having a wonderful holiday season SOMEWHERE with your family. That's the PERFECT time to start making plans for your 2012 Gatlinburg vacation.

And guess what! You can even make your 2012 reservation on Christmas or New Year's Day! We'll be checking periodically throughout those days and will confirm any qualified reservations we receive.

Oh - for those of you who REALLY like last-minute deals, we still have December 20, 21 and 22 open at Smoky Mountain Tower, as well as all dates from today through December 22 at All Decked Out. And we're still running our $150/night special. That's 25% off the normal price of $199.

Remember, you can save money by staying at our cabins, AND you can save on your Christmas shopping at the Pigeon Forge outlet malls. What could be better for 'last-minute' planners!

Book online now at our Web sites, or write to Dave@SmokiesRentDirect.com for more information.

It snowed in Gatlinburg this week!

Funny thing! Winter usually arrives in Gatlinburg about the same time every year - right after the Christmas parade. We got several reports of a 'beautiful snowfall' in Gatlinburg earlier this week.

Winter is a fantastic time to visit Gatlinburg. Here are some pictures to prove it.

When you drive in through the National Park, you'll go through several tunnels. This is just one view as you come out of a tunnel.


Sometimes, the trees frost up like this one. This sure beats any 'flocked' Christmas tree!


Here's a view from the Tower deck at Smoky Mountain Tower. Yes, it's snowing across the way at Ober Gatlinburg.


This is a view of the storm last Christmas as it crossed Mt. LeConte. This was taken by our daughter, Kathy, from All Decked Out.


And finally, here's what All Decked Out looks like in the snow.

We think you'll agree - the Smokies are beautiful in the winter. And remember, we're only about 10 minutes from the best ski resort in the southeast - Ober Gatlinburg. So we hope you'll join us at either All Decked Out or Smoky Mountain Tower this winter for some great fun and spectacular scenery.

A very unusual situation - and a great deal!

We have a very unusual situation at both All Decked Out and Smoky Mountain Tower this month = and a really good deal to go with it.

Last year, we were almost completely full at both our cabins in December. But this year, we actually have some open dates.

All Decked Out is open from now through Thursday night, Dec. 22.

Smoky Mountain Tower has several weeknights open, including some dates before and after Christmas. Here's the calendar.


Our normal rate is $169.00 per night through December 15, and $199.00 per night for the last half of December. Also, we normally require guests to stay a minimum of 4 nights during the Christmas and New Year's period. But we've made two changes.

First, all available December nights are only $150.00 per night (plus tax). And we have reduced our minimums to fit the available nights - 3 nights before Christmas and 2 nights between Christmas and New Year's.

It's a busy time of year. But this is a great way to have a little fun and save money on your Christmas gifts at the local outlet malls. We're still getting inquiries for these dates, so please don't wait. Go to our Web sites to make your reservation, or call us for details at 865-325-9888. See you in Gatlinburg - this year!
-

Christmas has arrived!

I've been telling you for days about how Marcia and her boys, Zack and Nathan, volunteered to go to Gatlinburg and set up our Christmas decorations at All Decked Out and Smoky Mountain Tower. Well, it's done!

When you drive up to All Decked Out, this is what you'll see:


Then, as soon as you step inside, you'll find our new Christmas tree - expertly decorated by Zack and Nathan:


Yes, it's all done in red, white and blue - in keeping with our new Americana decor.


And, All Decked Out is truly 'all decked out' with two Christmas trees. The second one is downstairs in the Family/Game room.


Now let's travel the 1/2 mile to Smoky Mountain Tower. We'll go straight inside and take a look at the Christmas tree in the Sunroom:


And if you've been there before, you'll remember our big "NOEL" tapestry:


Of course, there's more. Wait til you see what they've done to the mantle and the bear coffee table at All Decked Out. These few pictures are just to give you a little taste of all the work that our great daughter and grandsons have done for us. And here they are, taking a bow by the Christmas Tree at Smoky Mountain Tower - Nathan, Marcia and Zack.


You may not be able to celebrate on Christmas Day at Smoky Mountain Tower or All Decked Out (although two families will be doing just that). But you can still celebrate a little early (or come in January and get a head-start on Christmas 2012). We still have dates available in December - at a SUPER good deal. Pay only $150.00 per night (plus tax) - a savings of up to 25%. Book now at our Web site and experience the Christmas spirit in Gatlinburg!

THAT was fast!

Remember yesterday afternoon's post about our New Year's opening at Smoky Mountain Tower?

Remember I told you that, after a guest cancelled Thanksgiving weekend, we rebooked it in 36 hours?

Well, New Year's weekend didn't take that long. It was booked in less than 10 hours after we posted the availability. If you were one of the folks who inquired about this time period yesterday, but didn't get it booked fast enough, we're sorry. We hope you'll come back some other time.

And please remember one more thing! We work hard to 'tell it like it is!' So PLEASE don't delay in making reservations. This is a classic example of how the good dates don't last.

Now, keep watching here. Marcia and her boys are hard at work decorating for Christmas. I got a sneak preview last night of the Christmas tree at Smoky Mountain Tower. I should be able to get some good pictures posted later today.

BIG NEWS - Last-minute New Year's cancellation

Special news for our Blog and Facebook friends! The guests who reserved Smoky Mountain Tower last April for this New Years have had to cancel. So we now have great dates open for New Years.

And, since we already announced that all remaining dates for 2011 are on sale for $150, we will honor that price for these newly-available dates, too. But we are going to have to enforce our 4-night minimum stay during this time.

Here are the dates:
-Arrive as early as Wednesday afternoon, December 28
-Stay as long as Wednesday morning, January 3, 2012
That's 7 nights in Gatlinburg - what a way to celebrate 2011 and get a great start on 2012!

There are just a couple of restrictions:
-You must stay at least 4 nights
-You can't arrive on New Years Eve or New Years Day
-Our '7th Night Free' is not valid during these dates.

Remember, the price is only $150 per night (plus tax). That's a savings of 25% per night through January 1. And if you can stay all 7 nights, we'll find a way to give you an even better deal. Just write back to me at Dave@SmokyMountainTower.com for details.

Hurry! We don't expect this deal to last very long. Remember, we had a cancellation for Thanksgiving and we rebooked it in less than 36 hours. I'm announcing this deal on our Blog and Facebook now. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to list it on all our advertising sites and our own Web site. If you can't stay all 7 nights, you can book now at our Web site - www.SmokyMountainTower.com. Just click the "Book Online Now" button and make your reservation. We'll accept the first valid reservation we receive.

A Thanksgiving Change of Plans

It's Thanksgiving night. We hope you've had a great day. In the midst of food, football and shopping plans, we hope you've taken some time to pause and consider ALL the things for which you are thankful.

We did - although it wasn't where we expected to do it.

We had planned to spend Thanksgiving with our daughter, Marcia, and her family in middle Tennessee. Then we were going to come back to Gatlinburg and spend a few days decorating both Smoky Mountain Tower and All Decked Out for Christmas.

But that all changed a few days ago when we found out that Phyllis has some significant back problems which will probably require surgery. Her doctor said, "No travel, no lifting, no work" - which is okay, because the pain she has been experiencing really keeps her from all that anyway.

So, are we thankful? Absolutely! We're very thankful for all of you - our friends and guests. You make all the work to manage and maintain our Gatlinburg cabins worthwhile. We're also thankful for our family, who is supporting us in so many ways during this tough time. In fact, Marcia and her boys are planning to drive over to Gatlinburg on Sunday and do our Christmas decorating! Marcia has promised some pictures, which we'll post as soon as we can.

And we're managing pretty well! Phyllis 'directed' Thanksgiving dinner today from her recliner, and Dave did the work (with help from Sam's Club). As you can see below, we had a feast today - turkey and all the trimmings!


We're also thankful for so many others who keep our cabins clean and well-maintained. Ingrid and Bob Nelson are always there when we need them - cleaning, and doing a lot of little extras to make your stay more comfortable. Mark Kalinowski and Darren Phillips make sure everything is working as well as possible. Our friends at IVacationOnLine.com keep our reservation site and our online calendar working around the clock. Thank you, all of you!

Above all is our loving Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ, who controls everything in His perfect will. Through His sacrificial death and resurrection, He has given us eternal life. So whatever happens (like changes in travel plans), He is in charge and He knows what is best for us. So our ultimate thanksgiving goes to Him. And we sincerely hope your Thanksgiving has been as special as ours!

Motels are cheaper, right? WRONG!

I just got an email from Hotwire, trying to get me to book a hotel room in Gatlinburg. That got me thinking about the comparative cost between All Decked Out (our smaller cabin at 2,508 sq. ft.) and a motel room.

Here's the Hotwire listing - a 2-star motel (average room size of 150 sq. ft.), and I don't even get to pick my motel.


At $37.00 per night, the cost per square foot is 24.667 cents. When I multiply that number by the square footage of All Decked Out, our comparable nightly rate should be $618.64! And our ratings show that we're five star!

That's not all. When you stay in a local motel, you get...
...one bed and a bathroom (instead of 3 king bedrooms and 3 king baths
...one TV (instead of 5 TVs)
...no full kitchen (maybe a tiny refrigerator and microwave)
...no hot tub
...no pool table
...no game area with foosball & air hockey
...no eating area
...no decks
...no fireplace
...no phones with free long distance
...no mountain views

Let's look at it another way. If you take our current special price of $150.00 per night and divide that by the square footage of All Decked Out, then multiply it by the hotel room size, you should really only pay $8.97 a night for the motel. And that's without figuring all the extra amenities you get at All Decked Out.

And check out their tax rate. It works out to 20.9%, while ours is only 12.75%. Hmmmmm.

So why would anybody stay in a motel room when they can have all the extras at either All Decked Out or Smoky Mountain Tower? What do YOU think?