Apple Bear Lodge

A 3,000-square-foot, three-story log home, Apple Bear Lodge can sleep up to 18 people. But sleep may be the last thing on your mind once you take note of all the lodge’s amenities, which include a hot tub, a pool table, air hockey, foosball and free Wi-Fi.

Set atop a steep driveway, Apple Bear Lodge looks out over woodlands toward the Great Smoky Mountains. Its two covered rear decks, which span the width of the home, offer plenty of space for the whole group to watch the trees sway in the breeze as to warblers and thrushes sing in the sunshine. When you’re not kicking back on the deck rocking chairs, you can sit at the main deck’s patio table with a drink and a snack. And for a true treat, luxuriate in the lower deck’s hot tub, especially at night. The combination of the steamy jets of water, the star-studded sky and the serenading of owls is an experience you’ll long remember.

You’ll find plenty more to do inside. The downstairs game room has something to keep every member of your group entertained for hours. Shoot some pool at the full-size billiard table, challenge friends to a game of foosball or the kids to an air-hockey match, play cards at the pub table or stretch out on the plush couches and watch a movie on the 60-inch flat-screen TV. On chilly winter days, the fireplace will keep the space toasty, and the wet bar ensures that no one will go thirsty.

The living room is another inviting gathering spot. It too has a fireplace, whose golden glow will add to the luster of the wood-planked walls, floor and ceiling. Stretch out on the leather sofa to watch the big game on the flat-screen TV or curl up in one of the plush armchairs with your tablet and take advantage of the free Wi-Fi. If you’re looking for a quiet spot to read or chat, head to the upstairs sitting area, which like the rest of Apple Bear Lodge is furnished in comfortable, quietly elegant fashion.

The dining area can seat 12 people, eight at the lengthy dining table and another four at the adjacent breakfast bar. The kids will probably love eating “by themselves” at the breakfast bar while the adults linger at the table.

If you enjoy cooking, you’ll love Apple Bear Lodge’s large, open kitchen, with its stainless-steel appliances, ample cookware and tableware and generous storage and counter space. Even if you don’t plan to cook much, you’ll appreciate having a coffee maker for your morning cup, a microwave to heat up restaurant leftovers, a blender for mixing margaritas and a fridge for keeping juice boxes cold.

Each of the lodge’s four bedrooms has its own bathroom with both a tub and a shower. The two upstairs bedrooms and the bedroom on the main floor each feature a king-size bed, the fourth bedroom, downstairs, has queen-size bunk beds. In addition, the upstairs sitting area has bunk beds and a sofa that opens into a queen-size bed, and the living room sofa opens into a queen-size bed as well. The variety of sleeping areas makes Apple Bear Lodge an ideal option for a family reunion, a wedding party or several families vacationing together.

Not only is there plenty of fun to be had at Apple Bear Lodge, but there’s also loads to see and do just minutes away. You can drive to downtown Gatlinburg in less than 10 minutes. Once there, visit the Guinness World Records Museum, play mini golf, enjoy thrill rides or ride the tram up to Ober Gatlinburg Amusement Park and Ski Area. The wildlife, wildflowers and waterfalls of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are less than 15 minutes from the cabin, and Pigeon Forge’s attractions, including Dollywood, are less than a half-hour away.

Conveniently located, fabulously spacious and packed with amenities, Apple Bear Lodge really does have it all. So book your stay today, and get ready for what might be your best vacation yet!