Poolin Around

222 Poolin Around is a five-bedroom lodge at Maranatha Resort in Cosby, built for the size of group that usually has to book two houses. Sixteen beds and four and a half bathrooms, sleeping up to 30.

The indoor pool is private to the lodge and heated. A great place for large groups who want to be able to swim year-round, come rain or shine.

Sleeping is spread across five rooms. Three of them have king beds, two of those with their own bathroom. The fourth room is the one the kids will claim: three sets of queen-over-queen bunks plus a twin-over-twin. The fifth is a queen.

There is a theater room with proper seating and an 86-inch screen, and a separate game room with a pro pool table, an arcade cabinet and foosball. Between those and the pool, a rained-out day is full of things to do.

The hot tub sits on the back deck looking out over national forest, which is the part guests tend to mention. Below it there's a fire pit and a swing. The front porch is deep enough to sit on while the kids run around in front of you.

The kitchen is set up to cook for a crowd, with a table long enough to actually seat everyone. Feeding thirty people in restaurants three times a day adds up quickly, and this one is built so you don't have to. There's a washer and dryer in the lodge, and the roads in are easy with no steep grades.

Dogs are welcome.

Drive times

• Gatlinburg strip: 19 miles
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park: 20 miles
• Dollywood: 27 miles
• Asheville: 68 miles

Worth knowing before you book

• Cosby is the quiet end of the area, so the Parkway attractions are a drive rather than a walk. For a group planning to spend most of its time at a lodge with a pool and a theater, that's the right trade.
• The lodge is non-smoking. All guests review and sign a rental agreement before check-in, and we recommend travel insurance.
• Hot tubs are drained, sanitized and refilled between stays, so yours may still be warming on your first night.

Magnolia Vacation Rentals is not liable for any disruptions, damages, or cancellations caused by acts of God or weather-related events. In accordance with health and safety regulations, all hot tubs are drained, sanitized, and refilled between guest stays. As a result, the hot tub may require additional time to reach optimal temperature and may not be fully heated the first night of your stay. All guests are required to review and sign a renter’s agreement prior to check-in. We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your reservation against unexpected changes or emergencies.