I’m so glad I took the time to plan Murphy’s Smoky Mountain getaway. We were pretty much prepared for what to expect while traveling with a dog in the Smoky Mountains, but we also lucked out a little too. Everywhere we took him held surprises!
Our Accommodations: The Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort
I decided to book us into the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort instead of renting a cabin. For one thing the price was more affordable, but also we didn’t have to worry about driving back and forth from a cabin into town. We could walk to Gatlinburg’s main thoroughfare from our hotel room.
Plus, I liked their very pet friendly attitude. Not that they encouraged dogs to be left alone in the room, but when necessity called for it they had little yellow door tags to let the staff know our pup was home alone. They also had designated dog walking areas with poop bags provided. (We always travel with our own, but it was still a nice touch.)
However, we also lucked out. Our room overlooked one of Murph’s favorite things: a creek! But it got even better –we stayed in the last building on the property and noticed the parking lot continued on around the corner. Curious (and a bit nosy), we followed it and discovered it led directly into a park! Talk about luck!
Murph claimed the cozy chair for himself…and slept there every night! Murphy in Mynatt Park –in the woods and of course the creek.
Doggywood
Murph has stayed in both Universal Orlando’s kennel as well as Disney World’s. Both are very nice and provide more than adequate accommodations for pets. Doggywood puts them to shame, however.
It’s much smaller (there are a total of 12 runs and four “cottages”) than the kennels at Universal or Disney World (I’m not sure the exact number of spots, but it’s a good deal more than a total of 16), but what it lacks in space it makes up for in style. The cottages provide luxurious beds (at doggie level), but the kennels provide cots with cushions. (They even launder the cushion after each visitor leaves.) Last time we were at the other two places you had to bring your own snuggly sleeping spot.
The staff at these types of places are usually animal lovers who love their jobs, and Doggywood was no exception. They gave star treatment to every pet and person who came in regardless if they paid for a run or a cottage. (The cottages were pricey –$30!– compared to the less expensive $12 runs.)
The trouble was we didn’t make a reservation for a run. Reservations are highly recommended on the website, but we didn’t pay heed. So when we first arrived the place was booked up. They had a large crate available though, so we stashed Murph in there…much to his chagrin.
However, the check in deadline for runs was 11 a.m. They told us people sometimes didn’t show and to check back after that. If any were unclaimed, they could move Murph. Lady Luck shined on us again. At 11:20 we headed back to find 5 unclaimed reservations!
Not that Murph was any happier still being left behind in a run, but he’d never spent any time in a crate and he threw a whining fit when we first left him. There was no caterwauling when we left him the second time.
Wayne and Murph in front of the entrance to Doggywood. Doggywood’s gift shop. Murphy behind bars –but smiling because he was happy to be let out of the crate.
This was only the first part of Murph’s vacation adventure. There’s more to come in Part II…
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