Park Vista Hotel Project, Gatlinburg, TN

Submission by Morello & Associates, Landscape Architects & Planners
by Staff

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Located near the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg has welcomed weary travelers for many generations. Beginning in the 1800s, the Town of Gatlinburg has accommodated guests with simple establishments that served weary travelers, traders, and settlers. For those arriving by railroad later in the 19th century, humble inns and quaint lodges gave way to the construction of large, more stylish hotels. With the establishment of the National Park in 1934, these and other newly-built accommodations instantly became unique landmarks within the town's social fabric and long-range development plans.

Today, one such hotel offering travelers comfort, respite, and Southern Hospitality is the Park Vista, a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. This iconic hilltop hotel has been prominent in the Gatlinburg skyline since its opening on June 8, 1976. The circular-shaped hotel sits 1,000' above Gatlinburg, providing an awesome 360-degree unparalled panorama of the city and the Smoky Mountains. Guests of the hotel are treated to a sweeping view of beautiful Mt. LeConte as it rises up to an elevation of 6,593 feet.

The building was designed by the architectural firm of Morton-Sweetser & Associates, and cost $13 million dollars at the time of its construction. The hotel first operated as a Sheraton for a
short time and then was rebranded as the Park Vista Hotel. Architecturally, the building is quite unique for the East Tennessee Area, primarily due to its elegant multi-story atrium and its futuristic-looking elevators that traverse its core. Nestled within the natural beauty and greenery of the surrounding mountains, the Park Vista Hotel serves as a symbol of Gatlinburg's dynamic growth and its ability to blend the region's rich culture, history, and natural beauty with modern conveniences ... serving as a beacon of mountain hospitality and charm.

Accessing the hotel via scenic Cherokee Orchard Road, motorists soon come upon the Park Vista's Overhead Entrance Feature (Archway) which spans the roadway. This massive timber and stone entry feature, located at the base of the hill serves to welcome travelers to the hotel grounds. Ascending to the hilltop, guests and visitors enjoy distant vistas and scenic woodland views before arriving at the hotel's main entrance and parking areas. The Park Vista Hotel offers impressive amenities and venues, including a full-service Convention Center and Special Event
Facilities, such as the Multiuse Pavilion. This timber and stone open building serves as the locale for weddings, reunions, exhibits, and other special occasions within the hotel's park-like setting.
The emerald green lawn and beautiful spacious gardens of the Park Vista accommodate open-air parties and various organized gatherings. The gardens provide relaxing and comfortable sensory experiences with their aesthetically-pleasing plantings of ornamental shrubs, seasonal flowers and groundcovers.

Adjacent to the Multiuse Pavilion is the Mountain View Terrace, a cozy sitting area consisting of a large stone fireplace, beautiful stone retaining walls, concrete pavers, and Adirondack Chairs
for comfortable seating and scenic viewing. The terrace's ambient lighting enables night-time access for star-gazing and quiet conversation while sitting in front of a glowing, crackling fire after having enjoyed a delicious Southern-Style dinner at the hotel's restaurant.

All who visit the Park Vista Hotel are treated with genuine hospitality. The General Manager, Jackelyn Schafer and her entire staff create an environment that is nurturing, warm, and
friendly, always exceeding the needs and desires of guests and strangers alike. Upon arrival, guests are welcomed with warm chocolate chip cookies and warm smiling faces. Hotel
associates courteously maintain the building in a squeaky-clean manner and the grounds and garden areas are always kept neat and freshly planted with lovely flowers and ornamental shrubs.

The management of Park Vista, a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel commissioned the Knoxville firm of Morello & Associates, Landscape Architects to provide master planning, landscape architectural design, and site engineering services for the construction and installation of site features, activity and event amenities, and use areas located on hotel grounds. During the hotel's extensive site improvements and new construction, Morello & Associates provided professional services, including site planning for vehicular circulation, parking reconfiguration, pedestrian access modifications, landscape enhancements, and hardscape improvements. The firm produced design drawings, grading and drainage plans, construction documents and specifications for new site features, including the Multiuse Pavilion, Overhead Entrance Feature
(Archway), Mountain View Terrace, and master plans for the hotel's lawn and garden areas, parking, signage, walkways, and other guest amenities.

The Park Vista Hotel is pure contentment and comfort ... like a warm blanket on a cold winter day or a refreshing glass of ice-cold lemonade during the scorching heat of summer. The hotel's accommodations, amenities, and hospitality exceed the expectations of guests, visitors, and the local residents who frequent the local landmark. Decade after decade, the Park Vista has served as the premier venue in Gatlinburg for hosting memorable events, special occasions, and business conferences... creating wonderful experiences and memories that last a lifetime.

Morello & Associates, Landscape Architects and Planners was privileged to closely work with the management, staff, and other consultants of the Park Vista Hotel. Starting with the initial
project meetings, the firm worked to clearly identify client needs, goals, and scope of work for new site features and land use projects, and then prepared detailed design criteria, conceptual and design development drawings, and construction documents for the various components of the Park Vista Hotel Project.


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