Located in the heart of the Smoky Mountains is a quaint city called Gatlinburg. In 1855, Radford Gatlin opened the second store in town. Though he was eventually banished from the town, the city still bears his name today. When Gatlin walked the streets of Gatlinburg, I can only imagine that the city had few cabins. I am sure they were all homes where people lived and preformed day to day activities. I wonder when the first cabin was turned into a vacation rental. It’s amazing how a city’s culture and economy can drastically change in one hundred and fifty years.

Currently, there are 25+ reputable cabin rental companies and 1500+ Gatlinburg Cabins. After little research these numbers seem reliable. Those numbers seem pretty staggering when anyone starts to browse the internet (which seems to be the best means of advertising) for that perfect cabin. You could spend some serious time looking through all those cabin rentals. I don’t have the perfect solution, however, I do think I can educated you on the easiest way to find that wonderful cabin.

Search Engine

My preference is Google. However, I occasionally use Yahoo And MSN. I never waste my time with any other search engines. Though these facts aren’t guaranteed, I believe these three search engines account for 97% of the searching population. Furthermore, of that number, Google equates for roughly 50% of the searching population. I find the best and most relevant results with Google. Yahoo has pretty good results but they have a more aggressive advertising program and I am not fond of this aggression for acquiring new customers. MSN doesn’t seem to bring back as relevant results as Google or Yahoo.

Keywords to Find Gatlinburg Cabin Rentals

This might be the most important step in finding your perfect cabin rental in Gatlinburg. Remembering that I love Google, I have found that the terms “Gatlinburg cabins” and “Gatlinburg cabin rentals” bring back the best results. In fact, they seem to be the most commonly used terms. “Cabins in Gatlinburg” and “Gatlinburg TN” return good results as well.

Trusting a Rental Company

Most companies employ the same policies and procedures. A few things that I would look for: Great customer service, respectful reservationists, ability to take any form of payment, knowledgeable about Gatlinburg, lots of cabin pictures, online booking software and an attractive website.

All companies love repeat business. With that said, no rental company is ever out to get you. Occasionally, unfortunate things happen such as the power going out, hot tubs breaking, and inclement weather. If something goes wrong, try to stay calm when contacting the rental company. Again, the company is never out to sabotage your stay. Like I said earlier, repeat business is the easiest business. If the complaint is reasonable, most companies will try to generously compensate you. It is much easier to compensate you for your troubles then lose your business forever.

Renting Gatlinburg Cabins - What To Look For

All cabins are not created equal. There are a lot of things to consider when renting a cabin. For instance: square footage, amenities, view, distance from Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge TN, décor and price. Remember, you get what you pay for. Its never a bad idea to look for a deal, but if you find something you really like, go ahead and book it!

When I go on vacation, I want the vacation rental to be at least, if not better, than my current residence. Things I look to have in a cabin include: nice view (mountains, valley or river), hot tub, big screen television, wood interior, high speed internet, game tables (foosball, pool table, air hockey), fully equipped kitchen, fireplace, and nice decks.

Conclusion

I am sure that these tips will help guide you when you rent and vacation in Gatlinburg. If you have never been to this wonderful city, you need to give it a shot. Annually, several million people come to Gatlinburg to participate in the wonderful attractions and events. Some people come to ski, some come to see the lights of Winterfest, a lot come to shop, and almost everyone rents a Gatlinburg Cabin! Give Gatlinburg TN a chance and make some wonderful memories!