At Big Bear Lodge you can enjoy a Smoky Mountain getaway with two dozen of your nearest and dearest—and a few pets as well. The three-story, 3,840-square-foot log home can sleep up to twenty-six people in exceptional comfort and magnificent style.

Set on nearly two acres of woodlands with stellar views of the Great Smoky Mountains, Big Bear Lodge is wonderfully secluded; it even has a private gated drive. Whether you’re walking among the old-growth trees during the day, sitting around the fire pit under a canopy of stars at night, or kicking back on a deck rocker to admire the sunrise or the sunset, you’ll relish being surrounded by nature’s grandeur. Perhaps the best way to savor the beauty around you is from the lower deck’s hot tub, which is large enough to accommodate up to seven lucky soakers at a time.

You can admire the foliage from inside the home as well, via the multitude of large windows. The wooded view from the great room on the main floor is especially breathtaking, thanks to the massive windows on the double-height wall. As you sprawl out on the oversize sectional or nestle in one of the chairs, you’ll feel as if you’re actually outdoors, even as you’re watching a movie on the flat-panel TV or using the free WiFi to surf the web.

The great room is just one of the spaces within Big Bear Lodge where the whole group can congregate. Another is the downstairs game room. Just as spacious as the great room, it offers diversions for just about everyone: a full-size billiards table, foosball, air hockey, and an arcade, as well as a leather sofa, another flat-screen TV with DVD player, and a fireplace to keep things toasty in winter. There’s a kitchenette just off the game room too, outfitted with a refrigerator and a microwave, so that you don’t have to risk breaking a winning streak by running to the kitchen upstairs.

Speaking of the kitchen, its open layout makes it easy for cooking to be a group activity. There’s room for three to sit at the breakfast bar and help with the slicing and dicing (or simply keep the cook company). The kitchen itself is equipped with sparkling stainless-steel appliances, cookware, and tableware so that you can prepare a multi-course family meal—while the dishwasher will help make cleanup a breeze.

All five of Big Bear Lodge’s bedrooms have their own private bathroom and a TV with a DVD player. Both of the bedrooms on the top floor have a king-size bed and an armchair perfectly positioned alongside a large picture window that lets you wake up to a view of the treetops and the seemingly endless sky. These bedrooms flank a sitting room featuring a sofa bed that can sleep another two people.

As luxe as those bedrooms is, they’re outshone by the primary bedroom on the main floor. Complementing the king-size bed and the reading nook is a jetted tub in the en-suite bathroom—talk about luxurious! What’s more, the bedroom opens directly onto the main deck, so you can head out for some late-night stargazing without disturbing the others.

The remaining two bedrooms, on the lower level, each have two sets of queen-sized bunk beds. These rooms are perfect for families with kids, or you can let all the kids' bunk together. Every night will be a slumber party!

There are still more amenities we haven’t gotten to: the huge main-level deck that provides panoramic views, the washer and dryer (no need to overpack), the gas grill (perfect incentive to go fishing at one of the nearby streams), the gorgeous furnishings, the proximity to the restaurants and attractions of downtown Gatlinburg (just a fifteen-minute drive away)…

Finding a beautiful, comfortable, and conveniently located mountain getaway to accommodate up to twenty-six people (and a few dogs too!) can be a difficult task. But we just made it easy for you. So stop your search, and book your stay at Big Bear Lodge today!