Forget boring hotels! Have yourself a merry little Christmas in June if you would like.
At the Inn at Christmas Place, Christmas carols will be sung, Christmas cookies will be eaten and Santa will be seen. Does it get any better?
Visiting a hotel with unique characteristics is part of the vacation adventure. Sure you could stay at a regular motel and maybe the indoor swimming pool would be enough to wow your kids.
Or you could stay at a magical inn that sends you into the Christmas spirit at every turn (no matter the month).
The Inn at Christmas Place celebrates Christmas 365 days a year and we aren’t sad about it. It is located in the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee and you can really feel that Southern Tennessee Christmas charm radiating throughout the property.
And since I am a born and raised Tennessee girl, you can trust me on that!
Here is a breakdown of our quick trip to the Inn at Christmas Place and all the details about what we loved.
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The Inn At Christmas Place
We visited the Inn at Christmas place after moving my oldest step daughter into the University of Tennessee dorms and visited with our then two and a half year old daughter.
The Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area is just a short drive from the University. So we were looking forward to having a little mini vacation before heading back to Memphis.
Christmas Decor Everywhere
The Inn at Christmas Place has magical Christmas decor at every turn (and every floor)! When you first enter the inn, you will feel as if you have entered the stately home of a distant Tennessee relative. A warm fire and huge Christmas tree decorate the lobby along with countless other Christmas touches.
Every single floor has a different theme to see and yes we rode the elevator floor to floor to see them all.
There are lots of Christmas classics like the Grinch or A Christmas Story (complete with a leg lamp in all her glory).
In addition to the floor decor, there is tons of stuff all over the common areas that has been decorated for Christmas (even the office and gym are not safe from seasonal cheer). You will find trees, Santa figurines and other Christmas themed areas all over as you explore.
If you stay in the regular rooms, the Christmas theme is there but modest compared to the common areas like the lobby. We had a mini Christmas tree, some holiday art on the walls, some wreaths and some holiday throw pillows on the beds.
What I really loved about the room was that the bathroom was big and spacious. When you start combining whole families in one room, a nice spacious bathroom is key.
I also appreciated the fact that every room has a mini fridge and a microwave. My daughter wanted a cup of milk every night before bed so it was nice to have a place to store a carton for her. And my husband liked having the ability to warm up his Mellow Mushroom pizza leftovers for a midnight snack.
Free Warm Cookies Every Night
When you think of Christmas, certain things immediately come to mind. Jesus and the Nativity. Family and Gifts. Santa and cookies. These are Christmas traditions that many of us celebrate and you can do just that at The Inn at Christmas Place.
Every evening you can bring the kiddos down in their pajamas to get a freshly baked, still warm from the oven cookie to enjoy. And it is included with your stay.
The yummy cookies were a fun treat to look forward to every night! It was also a money saver for us because we are a dessert loving family. But since we knew that there were cookies waiting on us at the hotel, we didn’t need to splurge at dinner.
The cookies are available from 8 to 10 pm nightly.
This was probably the biggest cookie she has ever had all to herself. It isn’t the best picture but the joy on that little face just had to be shared. Living her best life at the Inn at Christmas place!
Santa Visits
And with every delicious Christmas cookie, there is a big, jolly Santa somewhere nearby! He is in the living area next to the breakfast room almost every morning. He also has a weekly story time and even an evening concert on select nights.
Seeing Santa and getting to tell him what you want for Christmas (even if it is in August) is always fun. Well for everyone but our kid! She wasn’t feeling Santa on this particular trip!
Be sure to check the Inn at Christmas Place website or give them a call to ensure Santa will be there on the dates that you will be staying. It does state on their site that Santa does have an occasional North Pole emergency that he must tend to.
Continental Breakfast
The included breakfast was quite good when compared to other larger hotel chain breakfast offerings. They had made-to-order omelets, Belgian waffles that you could make, lots of fruit, pastries, cereals and the typical breakfast items (eggs/bacon/sausage/biscuits).
The coffee was also a step up from the typical hotel fare as well. I am a bit of a coffee snob and this was very good java. No coffee shop needed for me.
Finding a hotel with an included breakfast is a great way to save money. Even if you hit a fast food restaurant, that is at least $15 for us and sometimes more depending on which kids we have with us at the time (if everyone is with us we are a family of 7 so eating out can add up very quickly).
Eating at the inn also allowed us to get in quickly, grab some food and head out for our day of fun in the Gatlinburg area.
Outdoor Grounds
The grounds of The Inn at Christmas Place were very beautiful. The exterior of the inn reminds me of German architecture that is made even more inviting with Christmas wreaths, bows and lights.
The beautiful ponds and flowers out back are impressive and peaceful. If I had not had a chatty toddler with me, I might have enjoyed a quiet cup of coffee on one of the benches.
There is also a large birdcage outside that my daughter enjoyed. She liked taking a moment to look at the birds and watch them fly around.
Pool
We didn’t use the pools when we stayed because sometimes what a toddler doesn’t know won’t hurt them. I know, I know, bad mama! Withholding fun from my baby!
Anyway for all you awesome mom and dads out there, the pool options are plentiful at the Inn at Christmas Place. Indoors you will find a large swimming pool and a hot tub.
Outdoors there is a pool and a water slide that looks like it would be fun. Just remember that the outdoor pools will only be open seasonally so if you are celebrating Christmas in November for instance, you will need to swim inside!
Family Friendly Inn
Overall we all really enjoyed our stay at the Inn at Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge. It was a nice change from just a normal hotel. Typically we check into a hotel, throw our stuff down and leave immediately to go do something fun.
But when everyday is Christmas at your hotel, you stay a while. Explore and enjoy a little bit of Christmas spirit no matter the time of year.
I am currently trying to talk my husband into another trip up that way so stay tuned for some updated pictures soon (If I can get my way!).
If you have any questions, send me a comment below. And if you are planning a road trip with kids, check out these awesome travel activities all under $15.
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