Classic Rocky Waters Motor Inn Gets a Luxury Refresh
Credit: Rocky Waters Motor Inn
A piece of classic Gatlinburg is getting a modern-day glow up.
Renovations at the Rocky Waters Motor Inn — the motel right on river and steps away from Gatlinburg’s city core — are underway and it is scheduled to re-open sometime this winter.
If you don’t know Rocky Waters, you’ll probably know its neighbor. The motel is right across the street from the Tennessee-famous Hillbilly Golf miniature golf course. Rocky Waters is right on Parkway and backs up to the Little Pigeon River.
Brothers Mahavir and Dev Patel inherited the hotel from their parents. They say Rocky Waters “has undergone a comprehensive transformation to become a fully renovated luxury retreat” all while ”preserving its 1934 roadside motel legacy.”
Credit: Rocky Waters Motor Inn
“My brother, Dev, and I literally grew up on the grounds of Rocky Waters Motor Inn, and we quickly recognized the diversity and wide-ranging interests of the guests,” Mahavir Patel said. “With this in mind, we embarked on elevating the standard motel makeover into a new realm.
Credit: Rocky Waters Motor Inn
“We are integrating the founding principles that made motels popular — ease, comfort, accessibility — into an unobtrusive sense of care that we proudly call ‘Appalachian Hospitality.’ This evolution calls for a layer of service and exclusivity — a quiet luxury — that has been absent from the motel scene. We can’t wait to unveil all we’ve achieved and welcome guests to this special place.”
Credit: Rocky Waters Motor Inn
The new Rocky Waters will have 36 cabin-inspired guest rooms, each equipped with a fireplace and offer ”riverside tranquility.”
The renovated motel will also offer a new upscale dining venue called The Heirloom Room.
If you never visited the classic Rocky Waters Motor Inn, have a look around in this great video from A Yankee in the South:
