Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/25/2024

  Type:Facilities Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Reserved cabin/house for June 1 to June 7 of this year. Within first hour of arriving we started making calls to agency with problems we were already having. House was not cleaned, run down, exterior looked as though no one had tended to it or cleaned it at all. Filthy grill, weeds and debris everywhere, no supplies such as toilet paper or paper towels, only 4 bath towels and 2 hand towels for 8 people, nothing to clean with in the kitchen, cheap dormer furniture, missing light bulbs throughout, shower curtain in main floor bath wasn't even large enough, dead plants at both doorways, no wi-fi or Alexa, no coupons or discounts, cobwebs and dirt on deck, slanted pool table we couldn't use, drive to cabin was a bit sketchy and took longer to get to town than we were told. Nearly impossible to get through on the phone or get a return call. I have over 20 email exchanges detailing problems and asking for assistance without results. Finally on June 22nd they called and offered $165 reimbursement - I refused it saying I spent that much at the store buying towels and supplies they neglected to provide. I was told they'd further review and call me back by end of day Saturday, never heard anything more from them. I'm done going back and forth, I've sent details of problems, I've sent pictures and they don't seem to care. I paid too much for this house to just accept the condition it was in and the lack of promised items.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/16/2024

  We at Cabins of the Smoky Mountains apologize greatly for the issues during they guests stay with us. 

  Since the guests stay we did chat with them. We offered a a refund of the stay to which the guest did not feel was satisfactory and they gave us what they felt would be fair for the issues. 

  We did process back a partial refund to them on July 8th 2024 in the amount of $500. 

  Again we are very sorry for the issues during their stay and would love nothing more than to be able to have the opportunity to have them stay with us again if they so choose. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/17/2024

  
  
  Complaint: 21898051
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because I still feel it's a lowball offer to stay silent. This business only responded after I went to the extreme of involving BBB.  On two occasions they "begged" me not to file a complaint even though they weren't resolving anything or responding to the issues. My last call with them I was put on the spot and initially agreed to $500 only after they offered a low $165 even though the $500 didn't come close to covering the lost discounts, lack of internet inconvenience, money spent on necessary supplies and poor condition of the home. They never followed up with me or sent the $500 refund until after I'd had enough and filed a complaint with BBB.  I'm confident, based on my dealings with this business, that had I not filed this complaint I would still be waiting on a resolution with this company. People work too hard for their money and some of us wait years for a big family vacation - ours was less than satisfactory thanks to this company   

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/18/2024

  Type:Facilities Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Stayed in Cloud Nine cabin, 886 Great Smoky Mountain Way, Gatlinburg, checked in on 6-8-2024 and out on 6-14-2024. They advertise the cabin as being able to sleep 32 people. We were a party of 19. Upon arrival we noticed that there was only a few towels and 2 wash cloths, no iron and just a few dishes and 4 bowls. There was not enough cooking bowls, pans, pots, or other necessities to prepare a meal for such a large group. The large hot tub was empty and the small one was cold. The floor on the main level was sticky and unclean, all of the smoke detectors were hanging with the battery doors open. The air vents on all floors were extremely dirty and the air hockey table fan was so clogged with dust that no air was flowing out to the table. My son got under the table and cleaned out the fan on the air hockey table so it would work and could be used. We called the office and advised the of the need for wash cloths, cooking utensils, iron and asked to have the hot tubs fixed. That night around 9:30 pm we were brought 4 wash cloths and some more towels and were told that was all they had. The man said he would come back and fix the hot tubs. The next day we were able to start the small hot tub that only held two but only one side of the jets worked. Two days in we were brought just a few cooking utensils and an iron. I called every day and the hot tubs were never fixed. I asked for a manager and was told over and over I would not be able to speak to one. I asked to be compensated for the lack of amenities and for the false advertisement and was told it would go before a board 7 to 10 days after we check out. One time I spoke to a man who advised that they would offer us some show tickets and would call me back at 11 AM with which shows were available which he never called back. If we would have known, the hot tubs didn’t work, and there were not enough cooking utensils, and how poorly maintain the cabin was, we would have booked a different cabin.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/01/2024

  We at Cabins of the Smoky Mountains apologize sincerely for the guests dissatisfaction during their stay. It is in our hopes that all of our guests enjoy their stay and we do whatever we can in order to ensure that happens. We are not perfect, but always try to make it right with the guest.
  
  
  Unfortunately, these items were not able to be resolved during the guest's stay. We greatly apologize for this as well as the poor service experienced. We contacted the guests on 7/1/2024 to discuss the stay. With the feedback they provided we will be able to fix these issues moving forward and do everything in our power to ensure our service is only better and better moving forward. 

  
  We value the guests' feedback and time spent allowing us the opportunity to come to an agreement. They were offered a partial refund and returning stay discount for these inconveniences. We look forward to serving them on their next stay. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/14/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We paid almost $4,000 for a large cabin with a private indoor poor. The night we checked in, our cabin had no internet, no tv, exposed electrical outlets, and the pool was broke and required service. We called guest services and a technician came out about 2 hours laters. It was decided we would not be able to use the pool so we were instructed to drive to the office (which was 30 minutes away) the next day and request a cabin move. We were then moved to a different cabin. That one also had no internet and no tv. We were not given any trash cans our entire stay there and were given 4 towels for 6 people to share. That cabin also had a massive leak in one of the bathrooms which caused water to pour from the living room ceiling for almost 3 hours. Call after call and no one would come out and look. I was just told the techs don’t come in until 10 so we’ll send them out then. Even after 10 no one showed up. Over the course of 6 days I had to call the guest services 9 times. Of those 9 times, none of them resulting an any fixes for the issues that were reported. I requested a partial refund upon checkout as I was told I could not make that request until I checked out. I was told the management team would meet to discuss my issues and provide me with an amount they would refund me. I was guaranteed someone would call me the following Thursday with a response. No one called. I tried calling, they put me on hold for 30 minutes then hung up on me.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/26/2024

  We at Cabins of the Smoky Mountains apologize sincerely for the guests dissatisfaction during their stay. It is in our hopes that all of our guests enjoy their stay and we do whatever we can in order to ensure that happens. We are not perfect, but always try to make it right with the guest.
  
  The day of arrival 6/2/2024 we were made aware of several issues at the property booked, namely the unusable pool, and Wi-Fi not working. When it was determined that these issues were not able to be resolved, we did proceed with a cabin move on 6/3/2024, however there were unfortunately other issues at the new property as well. The guest made us aware of the internet not working, multiple significant leaks throughout the cabin, and some missing supplies. Unfortunately, these items were not able to be resolved during the guest's stay. We greatly apologize for this as well as the poor service experienced. We contacted the guests on 6/26/2024 to discuss the stay. With the feedback they provided we will be able to fix these issues moving forward and do everything in our power to ensure our service is only better and better moving forward. 

  We value the guests' feedback and time spent allowing us the opportunity to come to an agreement. They were offered a partial refund and returning stay discount for these inconveniences. We look forward to serving them on their next stay. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/11/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  -my family rented “Sittin in Heaven” for 2/17-2/21/2024
  
  
  [ ] Advertised 3 king beds, actual 3 queens
  - [ ] Advertised Pac-Man, galaga and multicade arcade gaming system. Only Pac-Man & Galaga
  - [ ] Advertised 5 Flatscreen tv’s. Actually 4. 2 of the 4 size of iPad.
  - [ ] Advertised electric fireplace (4) actual 3 gas and 1 wood fireplace.
  
  *note- none of the fireplaces actually worked, they came out but could not get working either. My number one complaint is the false advertising, I could go on and on about other issues while there but I won’t. They offered 10% off but I refused that offer as it appears to be a typical business taking your money and not delivering what they promise or advertise and offer a small amount back after. That is not right!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/25/2024

  Cabins of the Smoky Mountains apologizes for the impact that the listing had to the guests stay while with us. We also apologize for the issues with not being able to restore certain amenities listed for the guests enjoyment and comfortability. We do want all guests to come back time after time. 

  We spoke with the guest today (6/25/2024) and discussed the stay. We agreed to a partial refund. 

  We hope that the guest is able to give us another chance in the future so that we can improve upon this stay. We appreciate the guests time and feedback to us!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/27/2024

   
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 21829894, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/10/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  arrived early, checked in, in person instructions emails did not provide info.to get ahold of anyone was impossible.arrival told our cabin wasn’t ready, we had been up the mountain and saw the cabin,exterior was filthy clear it hadn’t been tended to for quite from time.told the rep what we observed, no care, told the cabin be ready by checkin, at 4pm email would be sent with the door code.4pm. No email. No code.Called.No assistance “we don’t know why”430pm called back!No assistance,“ I don’t know why they told you it would be ready at 4..we just start to get things ready” “we will call you shortly”5pm called backNo email,no phone call.told “go to town and have dinner we don’t know when it can be ready “ no ETA given.530pm called in, person spoken to didn’t even know we called or had arrived, but couldn’t tell us why we couldn’t get in the cabin, but would call back right away.6pm called back.person didn’t know once againAsked for another cabin, they wanted more money.No apologies.630 pm called back. No answers couldn’t explain why no one has been 655 pm random person from Venture properties says he needed to inspect the cabin….does a five minute walk through and locks the door. Says someone will call We call get the code inside coffee machine - no potDishwasher - broken over flows no TP iNo paper towelNo dish clothsNo oven mittsDirty dishes in the cupboards, food and a greasy filmNo wifi passwordNo coupons as indicated on the websiteBroken cooking utensils cooking suppliesAll that was told to be available was not.Calledperson oblivious said too late tonight but tomorrow someone would come and fix it maybe.Day 2. No call, no coupons, no assistance.Day 3,4,5 nothing last day return to cabin at 930 pmcoffee pot and coupons left.we check out the next morning call Person didn’t know we had called beforeCouldn’t help said a manager would call asap home five days called no help.offered discount to come back declined.offered $75 not even night stay and $ used w/o coupons

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/31/2024

  We at Gatlinburg Falls Resort are very sorry for the delay in response to this complaint as well as the dissatisfaction to the guests. 

  We have attempted to call the guests today but have been unsuccessful in reaching them. We did leave a number to call back as the contact information within this complaint does not match anything within are system for a reservation holder. 

  We will be happy to review this stay as soon as the guests are able to get back in contact with us. We appreciate the guests time in providing this feedback and look forward to speaking with them. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/31/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  While the isolated location and house layout was perfect for what we needed. Stayed 5/24/2024-5/27/2024. The overall experience was horrible. When we checked in there was no "welcome" information. We had to call for the wifi password- if you are familiar with Gatlinburg you know there is a bear issue with trash- no information on that. There was not a singular bath towel in the house. There were no sheets on the pullout couches. One of the "beds" was a couch that had no pullout or reclining ability- not sure how that is even counted as a bed. There was not a singular cooking sheet pan in the house so using the oven was useless. There were no trash bags or paper towels or toilet paper in the house. The toaster was broken, the refrigerator had alarms on saying to not use the water or ice due to filters needing to be replaced. The hot tub was broken, the dishwasher was broken. The facility was run by a management company that has not managed this property. They were not helpful with any repairs. The ceiling had massive accumulated dust by the air vents that we thought it was mold. When towels were provided they only gave us 12...when our reservation was for 18. It rained on our second night and the entire ceiling leaked massive amounts of water, on the third night, the floor leaked from outside water. Both nights guest had clothing and property ruined- the host never sent out repairs nor did they offer refund or solutions for the damages done. VRBO offered no help. DO NOT STAY WITH THIS COMPANY.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/28/2024

  We at Cabins of the Smoky Mountains are very sorry for the impact any unresolved issues had on their stay. We take this feedback seriously and will use it to further improve and make corrections where needed. 

  Since the guests stay we have contacted them and understand the concerns that were had during the visit. We agreed that we have some things to improve upon and offered the guests a partial refund due to the experience. The guest accepted this and we now consider this matter resolved with the guests. 

  We appreciate the guests time and We apologize for any delay in response from our behalf on this matter. It is in our sincerest hope to have the guests return again in the future if they so choose. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/28/2024

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 21784361, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ****** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/22/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This business clearly uses deceptive practices. We booked a cabin and it said pigeon forge general area. When we got the virtual check-in notice the address was an hour north of seviervlle. This is not pigeon forge area. The pictures online didnt say anything about the cabin being next to a trailer park. When I called customer service they basically told me it was all my fault and they had no responsibility for what they put online. The A/C in the bedroom didn’t not work and we had to book a hotel to save our vacation. I would like a refund for the price they charged me and I would hope this bussiness is held accountable for false advertisement.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/25/2024

  We at Cabins of the Smoky Mountains apologize for this dissatisfaction with your stay. We also apologize for any short comings that have impacted you and your family. 

  Since the guests stay, we have been in contact and agreed upon a partial refund. 

  We again apologize and look forward to improving future service to guests and if the guests so chose, would love to be able to host them again in the future. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/04/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We were recent occupants of the Big Bear Retreat the last week of March for 3 nights. The description and pictures online represented a cabin much different than what we saw upon arrival. Needless to say the pictures MUST be dated and the cabin might have been "luxury," but not now. What we saw was a cabin that had broken doors, a broken ceiling fan, broken closet doors, burned out bulbs, broken cornhole boards, doors that would not close, bedrooms with missing smoke detectors, a BBQ caked in grease, mold in the bathrooms, dirty linens, broken and missing blinds (found those in the laundry room). The driving simulators are not NASCAR simulators but some other dated driving game. Even the pool table, which on the pictures on the website shows a nice green felt, was now a beat up red felted table. The 8 stadium seats shown in the picture on the website are now only 4 with one row missing, and the row that remains has torn seat covers on each seat. Also upon arrival we found boards with nails sticking out of them on one of the decks...most likely left there from a feeble attempt at patching a hole in a door. We called maintenance the day we got in to report the broken items and someone came out. He collected the left over boards, cleaned up the broken cornhole, and got a one of the doors to close. The next day we called maintenance for burned out bulbs and a grill that wouldn't start...someone came out, said she would return and never did. I reported all of this and sent pictures to their "guestcare" email address. First they proposed $112 off with future discounts. I rejected the offer as it was not nearly enough and I do not plan on staying there again. Then they upped their offer to $120. I paid $1700+ for 3 nights! $120 per night, maybe, but total?? Outside of the maintenance person not returning, the staff members I spoke to were attentive and polite, but what you see on their website is definitely not what you get.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/15/2024

  We at Cabins of the Smoky Mountains are very sorry for the guests dissatisfaction on their stay with us. We want all guests to become returning guests with us, and so we take any complaint seriously in order to gain resolution.
  
  
  We were able to make contact with the guest on Monday the 15th of April. We did offer the guest a partial refund and a returning stay discount. The guest declined the amount that was offered as he did not see it sufficient.  While we are not perfect we do everything in our power to make it right with the guests and work to resolve any issues that may come up quickly.
  
  
  We apologize again to the guests for their dissatisfaction. It truly is in our sincerest hopes to have each guest become a returning guest with us and would still be happy to process the refund as well as have them come back at a discounted rate, but we will not be able to process a refund more than what has already been offered due to the guests staying the full duration of the stay and us resolving the issues that we could for them. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/02/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On Saturday March 23, 2024 my family of 12 traveled nearly 12 hours to be greeted with a cabin that had a flooded basement, mold damage all over, and a broken handrail that could cost somewhere their life. We were told around 2pm that the "inspectors" were at the cabin doing a final walk through, and they would text us when we were able to check in. We received the text around 4pm stating that the inspection was complete and our cabin was ready for check in. As soon as we arrived and opened the door, the smell of mold was so overwhelming, that we could not allow our children into the home. We walked through to see if we could find the source, and as soon as you entered the basement, the smell literally burned your throat. There was a huge industrial fan in the basement bedroom, which is proof that this company already knew of the water damage. I am not sure why they would even think it was remotely okay to leave a fan this size taking up 1/3 of the room, but that was the least of our worries. The water in the movie room was definitely old, but left. Nobody even attempted to clean that. The baseboard was ripped off because of the water damage. The hot tub was absolutely disgusting. And the railing outside was so loose, that if a child ran and pushed on it, the entire railing was going down, and the person was falling off of the side of a mountain. I contacted customer service, was placed on hold for over an hour while I waited on a managers approval for a refund, and ultimately had to come out of pocket nearly $8000 to rent another home so last minute. I reached out the next day for an update, and was told that a manager would give me a partial refund. I kindly declined the partial refund and demanded a FULL refund since we could not even stay in the house for more than 10 minutes. A customer service rep called me back and said okay they will give a full refund. I still have not been contacted by management a week later.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/08/2024

  We at Cabins of the Smoky Mountains apologize for the guests dissatisfaction with us. We want all guests to become returning guests with us, and so we take any complaint seriously in order to gain resolution. 
  
  
  We have called and emailed the guest with the transaction details. She was fully refunded on 03/24/2024 and was settled back on her card on 03/25. The Guest had paid with several different cards which we refunded each one of them. We were able to resolve the guest complaint amicably and the guest spoke with a member of management on 4/4/2024 which also confirmed this refund as well. Again we apologize for the inconveniences that were caused by the issue with the property. We appreciate your feedback and will take this as an opportunity to improve our services to our guests.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/08/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Cabin Dates: March 2-5, 2024
  Name of Cabin #1: The Palace at Bear Creek
  Name of Incorrect Cabin: The Gatlinburg Lodge View or The View at Gatlinburg Lodge
  Name of Cabin #2: The Gatlinburg Lodge
  
  There are multiple complaints (see attached) from roaches, to (multiple) cabin malfunctions to a sewer backup. Pls see the attached for a list of the complaint sent.
  
  The Mgmt promised to get back in touch w/ us; they promised resolution and now they are not responding at all.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/20/2024

  We at Cabins of the Smoky Mountains are very sorry for the guests dissatisfaction on their stay with us. We want all guests to become returning guests with us, and so we take any complaint seriously in order to gain resolution. 
  
  
  We have been in contact with the guests during their stay and afterwards. We were able to offer the guests a partial refund upon checkout to which the guest accepted. We appreciate the guests feedback and will take this as an opportunity to improve our services to our future guests.