Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennesee might be known best as the home of Dollyworld, but it's Gatlinburg's Glenstone Lodge which holds the power in this area where gimmicks and indoor pools reign supreme.

The Smoky Moutains aren't exactly a luxury destination, and you can't expect mints on pillows in a region hotly anticipating the spring "Wildflower Pilgrimmage" and "An Evening with Jimbo Whaley." It's not secret that Gatlinburg's hotel offerings are outdated and still survive on depositing a sheaf of pamphlets in the entryway at the nearest IHOP. ]]> JetSetCD 2008-03-21T09:00:01-05:00 35.704943 -83.517792 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/5/7/124856/6572 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/greatwolf_waterpark.jpg"><p>We were really hoping that the whole Midwest <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Indoor%20Water%20Parks">Indoor Water Park</a> hotel trend would die a fast death but then the <a href="http://www.wsj.com">Wall Street Journal</a> had to go and do a feature on it in the Weekend Journal. And we learned that this trend is not just reserved for Midwest budget chains. Oh no, these places are popping up in Texas, Arizona and North Carolina, along with newer Midwest locations like Nebraska and with a vengeance. <p>They are also not just heavily chlorinated indoor-pools filled with screaming children, giant bear statues and frazzled adults--although that is what you can expect to find most of the time. Some of the newer places are getting "hip amenities" like cabanas with juliana 2007-05-07T12:49:46-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2006/11/22/143111/08

Tomorrow's Thanksgiving and we decided to pack our bikinis and head for Wisconsin where we took a groovy ride down a massive slide in the hotel's indoor water park.

We'll see you again next Monday with more tales of chlorine, wedgies and of course, Turkey.

(You know, we're joking about the indoor water park right? That's not really us in the video. We actually look much better in a bikini than these girls.)

Related Stories:
· Maria and LJ [YouTube]
· Indoor Water Parks [HotelChatter]
]]> juliana 2006-11-22T14:31:11-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2006/9/25/13320/8945 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/radisson_waterpark.jpg"><p>Indoor water parks are no longer for the Midwestern family weekend getaways. Now, a hotel in Albuquerque is getting in on the action. <p>Even though you could probably swim outside in a real pool here, the owner of the <a href="http://www.parkplaza.com/webExtra.do?rmcCode=&amp;hotelBrandCode=PKP&amp;numberChildren=0&amp;selectedBrandCodes=&amp;checkoutDayMonthYear=09%2F26%2F2006&amp;corporateAccountID=&amp;checkinDayMonthYear=09%2F25%2F2006&amp;backUri=%252Freservation%252FhotelSearch.do%253FcountryAndState%253DUS%252BNM%2526country%253D%2526promotionalCode%253D%2526numberChildren%253D0%2526checkoutDayMonthYear%253D09%25252F26%25252F2006%2526checkinDayMonthYear%253D09%25252F25%25252F2006%2526numberAdults%253D1%2526city%253Dalbuquerque%2526crossBrand%253DthisBrandOnly&amp;numberAdults=1&amp;key=&amp;hotelCode=NMABQPK&amp;promotionalCode=&amp;travelAgentID="><b>Park Plaza Hotel &amp; Conference Center</b></a> has decided an indoor water park is just what the town needs.<p>True, the peeps of Albuquerque can't go surfing so the planned Surfrider feature of the water park might be a big draw, despite how much we detest these hotel-waterpark hybrids. Also included in the park rides are: <br> <blockquote><p> a 34-foot-high, 325-foot-long water tube ride; a 275-foot-long water slide; a lazy river feature that turns to rapids at night and a bucket juliana 2006-09-25T13:32:00-05:00 35.107453 -106.60406 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2006/8/22/11553/6774 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/kalahari_dells.jpg"><p>We've given up all hope that indoor water parks are just a passing fad. We are realizing that this phenomenon will continue for at least a few more years. And the hub of all these garish water parks seems to be the Wisconsin Dells, since the upper-Midwest is home to some of the world's largest water parks and thus has built up a growing resort town full of activities.<p> With more than 8,000 hotel rooms, you can bet on a lot of awful inns and lodges here. But since this is also a little playground for Chicago city slickers the place isn't completely void of hotel happiness. <p> The <a href="http://www.nypost.com">New York Post</a> suggests making a last minute jaunt Courtney 2006-08-22T13:18:12-05:00 43.5720357 -89.771082 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/