It is definitely one of those places you should go to at least once every 5 years just to release some tension, and it is a very nice place for those shoppers out there.

We stayed in a wonderful lock-off unit. My parents stayed on one side and my sister and I stayed on the other. It was so much better than any hotel, mainly because we had our privacy. It was a very nice and well-equipped resort.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Good
• Service: Good

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Excellent

The room was overall clean, except for the mildew in the shower/tub/Jacuzzi. We could have probably got someone to clean it, but I did not want to bother with it. The kitchen did not have a pizza or flat pan or one of those nonstick-type pans. With the tall ceilings, we used the ceiling fans to help with the heat, as well to help cool. The views from the resort were nice and provided a natural environment.

There was no TV in the bedroom, and my wife called the front desk, and they said that they did not have any. We asked the maintenance guys, and in a matter of minutes they had one and set it up. We found the service people very cooperative and helpful. They provided a midweek tidy service that I was surprised about. On Tuesday night, they had a little reception for the exchangers. I thought it was a timeshare sale, but it was only a get-to-know-the-management. We told them our bed was hard, and before we got back to the room, they had put one of those egg-carton pad things on there.

The heated pool was nice (half indoors and half outside). My daughter really enjoyed it. It was a little dirty, but the water was clean.

Even though they had a washer and dryer in the room, they had towel exchange every day.

• Unit Type: 3 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

The grocery store was a mile away and easily accessible.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was just minutes away.

The Christmas lights through town were pretty.

Best Things About the Resort:
The view was beautiful! Everything was very clean, and the pool was heated enough that the kids didn't want to get out!

Resort Experience:
When we first arrived on Christmas day, after a five-hour drive with two kids, we were told that they didn't show a reservation for us. Fortunately, I had my RCI confirmation papers with me and handy, so things moved along without too much difficulty.

Once in our room, we were surprised at how small the unit seemed. We've stayed at many resorts, and this was by far the smallest. Somehow, they laid out the floorplan in such a way that it provided plenty of room for the four in our family, even though I thought we would be tripping over one another.

Our unit was a deluxe villa. The master bedroom had a whirlpool tub, king bed, and a nice entertainment center with a TV and VCR.

The kids slept on the fold-out couch in the living room. They didn't like that idea at all, but sometimes you just have to get over it. It wasn't the couch that was the problem--it was the brother/sister thing!

There was a gas fireplace in the living room that we used every night. This gave such a nice, comfy feel to the room. Very holiday-like, with a mountain feel.

We had a patio and a beautiful view out the windows! The view seemed to change every few minutes as the sun moved. We took lots of pictures.

The unit was very clean--even the kitchen floor! The towels were plush, pillows comfortable, but my husband thought the sheets were a bit thin. We were given a large supply of dish detergent, dish soap, trash bags, etc. It lasted us all week, and we ate in EVERY night!

The kids enjoyed the swimming pool. It was heated very well! My husband enjoyed the fitness room. He used that almost every night.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good