• The Gatlinburg Aquarium has more than 10,000 sea species.aquarium fish 8 image by cherie from Fotolia.com
  
  Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is first and foremost known for its location within the surrounding Great Smoky Mountains. The local aquarium, however, officially called Ripley's Aquarium, is an attraction in itself, and with a location in the center of town, is less than a mile from several local hotels where visitors to the aquarium can find lodging.
  
  

Park Vista

• The Park Vista, which is part of the Doubletree chain of luxury hotels, is less than a mile from the aquarium in Gatlinburg. Because of its elevated location, the Park Vista offers views not only of the city, but of the surrounding Great Smoky Mountains as well. The hotel, which in 2010 completed $11 million in renovations, contains 300 rooms, all with dark wood furniture, large windows and flat-screen televisions. The Park Vista is a family-oriented lodging with a private water park on the complex that mimics the natural cavern surroundings and includes a water slide. The hotel also provides guests with access to its restaurant and grill with outdoor patio seating.
  
  Park Vista
  
  705 Cherokee Orchard Road
  
  Gatlinburg, TN 37738
  
  877-814-9408
  
  parkvista.com‎
  
  

Glenstone Lodge

• The motto of the Glenstone Lodge is "the great indoors in the heart of the great outdoors." With a location at the base of the Smokies and only a mile from the aquarium in Gatlinburg, the Glenstone Lodge makes the most of its idyllic setting with three pools and a waterfall. Inside, the rooms include all the standard amenities, such as king-sized beds, televisions and private bathrooms, but can also include fireplaces and even full-sized living rooms for those traveling in groups. The hotel also contains a 12,000-square-foot conference center, which makes it a popular destination for large business groups.
  
  Glenstone Lodge
  
  504 Historic Nature Trail
  
  Gatlinburg, TN 37738
  
  865-436-9361
  
  glenstonelodge.com‎
  
  

The Bearskin Lodge

• The Bearskin Lodge blends right in with the surrounding wooded mountains with its log cabin style architecture and is only a two-minute drive from the Gatlinburg aquarium. While all the rooms at the Bearskin Lodge supply king-sized beds, televisions and private bathrooms, the deluxe rooms include everything from two-person whirlpools to private balconies that look out on the nearby mountain stream. The hotel also provides guests with a complimentary breakfast and access to the outdoor heated pool and "lazy river," where guests can relax and float down the man-made on-site waterway.
  
  The Bearskin Lodge
  
  840 River Road
  
  Gatlinburg, TN 37738
  
  865-430-4330
  
  thebearskinlodge.com‎