Clarion Inn Pigeon Forge // Family Friendly Luxury Hotel

We stayed three nights at the Clarion Inn Pigeon Forge during our Smoky Mountain vacation last month.  I came across it while searching for family friendly hotels in Pigeon Forge and after reading glowing reviews, I knew it was the place for us.  With a toddler and a preschooler in tow as well as being 6 months pregnant, there are certain features we needed in our stay- something for the kids to do, WiFi so I could update, a hot breakfast in the morning- and the Clarion Inn Pigeon Forge covered all of those things plus more.

The Clarion Inn Pigeon Forge is located right in Pigeon Forge.  It is back off the strip a bit which reduces the noise, but you can easily walk to the strip and see the action from the hotel.  As a parent, this was wonderful.  We were far enough away that the traffic on the strip wasn’t a concern, but we could walk to dinner (No Way Jose Cantina is located directly in front of the hotel) and enjoy the sights and sounds of the busy strip from a distance.  Every night, a fella would set up in the parking lot with his gorgeous horses and buggy to offer rides and Bryson and Bella loved watching him.  I don’t think he is affiliated with the hotel, but it was a nice little perk for the kids to be so easily entertained.

Clarion Inn Pigeon Forge Lodging

We stayed on the fifth floor with a spectacular view of the Pigeon Forge strip. Our room offered two comfortable queen beds with plenty of luxurious pillows.  The large window and balcony overlooking the strip were fantastic.  When it was time sleep, the blackout curtains were seriously my favorite.  They worked so well that we actually slept in every morning and almost missed breakfast.  I had to check my phone to see if it was time to tackle our day!  Sleeping in on vacation while pregnant and with two overly excited kids?  Amazing.

Our room had a modern feel with sleek furniture, a flat screen TV, and a small desk area.  The kitchenette area offered a coffeemaker, microwave, and refrigerator.  We had plenty of counter space for snacks and lunch.  The bathroom was tiled and the tub was large enough for both kids to play and get clean at the end of the day.

Clarion Inn Pigeon Forge Water Park

After spending a few days at Wilderness at the Smokies in Sevierville, Justin and I were ready to relax.  The kids?  Yeah, “relax” is not in their vocabulary just yet.  Thankfully, the Clarion Inn Pigeon Forge water park is compact so we could relax and keep an eye on the kids while they played.  You’ll find an outdoor hot tub, splash pad, slide, pool, and lazy river along with plenty of seats to chill out in.  Inside, you’ll find another pool and hot tub.

We loved winding down in this area at night.  The kids could play on the slide outside while we floated around the lazy river and we could see every move they made.  The hot tub was my favorite part and was perfect for relaxing at the end of the day.  The only drawback was that there were no shallow areas in the pools, so Bella only wanted to play on the stairs.  Bryson, on the other hand, feels totally confident in his life-jacket so he was nonstop.  So if you have little ones who aren’t strong swimmers, remember to pack their life-jackets or else you’ll have kids clinging to you.  Towels are provided so you don’t have to worry about bringing your own.  One less thing to pack?  I’m all for it.

Complimentary, Hot Breakfast

Something that you won’t find at many other hotels- free hot breakfast.  This was a big part of our decision in staying at the Clarion Inn Pigeon Forge.  I mentioned that we enjoyed sleeping in during our stay, so being able to roll out of bed, throw on some clothes, and walk downstairs for breakfast was a lifesaver.  When you think complimentary breakfast, you probably think of cereal and stale muffins.  That’s not the case here.  As part of their breakfast offerings, you’ll find anything you can imagine- doughnuts (glazed, chocolate, so on), cereal, assorted varieties of muffins, croissants, eggs, sausage, biscuit, gravy, bacon, yogurt, fruit cups, and more.  You also have the option to order an omelet or make your own waffle.  For FREE.  This alone saved our family about $40 per morning compared to what we were spending eating out for breakfast.  Drink options include milk, several juices, cappuccinos, coffees, etc.

Connect with Clarion Inn Pigeon Forge

Overall, we enjoyed our stay at the Clarion Inn Pigeon Forge.  The family friendly atmosphere (they even had a meet & greet with popcorn and cookies for guests), the kind staff, modern & spacious rooms, location off the strip, free breakfast, and the water park were all fabulous and guaranteed that we’ll definitely book another stay in the future.

You can find the Clarion Inn Pigeon Forge on Facebook and Twitter or visit their website for more details.

We received a discounted media rate for our stay, but all thoughts and opinions remain my own, as always.