Disclaimer: Margaritaville Island Hotel gave me a media rate in exchange for writing about their ADA Accommodations within my room (handicap accessible) and around the property. They also covered valet parking for my whole stay, if I chose to use it!
In all aspects, Margaritaville Island Hotel in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is a little piece of paradise nestled just before The Great Smokey Mountains in Gatlinburg Tennessee, and it blew me away. Not because of its tropical theming (although I loved it!), not because of the fact that all the shops, attractions, and restaurants are just feet away on “The Island”. No, what blew me away was how they go above and beyond for individuals with disabilities. This post will detail the accessibility of my room, as well as the accessibility around the property.
The Room
I stayed in room R298, which was fully accessible and had a view of the little Pigeon River. I have stayed in hundreds of hotels, and several different accessible rooms, and one huge thing I loved about this room was how spacious it was. When I first entered the room, I immediately noticed how spacious the entry way was, and how spacious it was in between the two Queen beds. These spaces were plenty big enough for a manual chair like mine, or a power chair. I could easily roll in between the two Queen beds and transfer with ease without having to worry about whether or not my chair could fit, which was nice and something I very much appreciated as a wheelchair user.
In other hotels that I have visited, the refrigerator and microwave have always been encased in cabinets, even in accessible rooms! However, that wasn’t the case at this hotel. The refrigerator and microwave were in open view, and I could roll up to each and have easy access. As I was taking pictures of the room, that was something I completely forgot to showcase, but I will adding the link to the room tour video at the very end, and it highlights this feature in-depth. I loved that both the microwave and refrigerator were out in the open and not encased in cabinetry because sometimes, it can be very difficult for me to open cabinets, especially if they’re heavy, so that was just one of many accessibility features that I was blown away by, and loved.
The Bathroom
Then..the bathroom! Oh my gosh, I could go on forever about this bathroom. Not only is it stunning, it’s accessible for all, not just wheelchair users. When you first go in, if the lights are off, then there is a white light right above the main light switch that lets people with visual impairments know where the light switch is! Not only am I a wheelchair user, I am also someone with extreme visual impairments (can only see 5ft in front of me, and have no peripheral vision) and often have trouble figuring out where the light switch is, so seeing the little white light made me so happy! There was two grab bars by the toilet, one to the side and one in the back for people who need a little extra help. The roll under vanity was probably my favorite! It is so pretty, yet functional at the same time. I was able to roll under and not hit my knees while I brushed my teeth or washed my hands. No matter what type of wheelchair an individual uses, they should encounter no issues rolling under this vanity. The shower was also amazing. It had a rainforest shower head, and also had a detachable wand. A bath/shower chair was provided, and grab bars were several different places throughout the space which I loved since I cannot stand for long periods of time. But the best part was that when I rolled my wheelchair in, the plastic lisp bent down and essentially disappeared, making the shower curbless until my chair made it inside, then the plastic lisp reappeared to keep the water inside the shower. I loved that as well since I would usually step up or step down to get in and out of showers.
The Closet
Now, one thing that really blew me away was the accessibility of the closet. When I first saw it, I was like “wait, where’s the light switches in order to turn the light on?” I went to open the doors, and the light automatically turned on!! There was no light switches to try and turn on or anything! But, after I thought I had seen everything accessibility wise within the room, there was more!
Out of all the hotels I’ve stayed in, I had never seen two clothes racks in a closet. That changed when I stayed here. There was the regular clothes rack that is in all hotel closets, but there was another one below it for individuals in wheelchairs/anyone who could not reach the one at the top, and I LOVED it. It blew me away. Although I kept my clothes in my suitcase, if I would’ve put my clothes in the closet, it would’ve given me complete independence to roll up to the clothes rack and get my clothes, or to hang them up if I desired. I took a video to look back on, which will be included at the end of this post, but it was my first time seeing something like that, and it’s something all hotels need.
The Balcony
The balcony is a-m-a-z-i-n-g for accessibility purposes, and of course, the view! Once the double doors are opened, a huge, curbless entry way comes into view. There is no lisp or curb to step over — just flat surface to wheel over! It was really nice to be able to roll my wheelchair out on the balcony and enjoy the view without worrying about how I was going to get back inside the room.
The Rooftop
Okay…are you ready for this? The rooftop at this particular hotel has a jacuzzi and huge pool, but they also have a portable lift!!! I couldn’t believe it. A portable lift that can be pushed by an individual’s caretaker/significant other. It was very heavily loved, but I think it is much, much needed, and I loved that they had it, so people with disabilities could enjoy the pool and jacuzzi like everyone else. Usually, there’s only a lift by the pool, and one by the hot tub, if there is one. So, I absolutely loved the fact that this portable lift could go anywhere!
Exploring Other Parts of the Property
Besides the rooftop and room, I also explored the rest of the hotel, and found the lobby to be extremely spacious, with plenty of seating. It had so much space that I could easily roll beside a chair and transfer into it if I wanted, with plenty of “wiggle room” per say. The entire property seemed to be extremely accessible, even the little “bridges” I had to cross over to get the other side were flat surfaced! It was amazing to be able to go around and not have to worry about if a certain area was handicap accessible.
Conclusion
I couldn’t of been more pleased with my stay at Margaritaville Island Hotel in Pigeon Forge. From their hospitality, to our room, and throughout the rest of the property, I just kept discovering more cool things as I explored. They make it a point to make sure that their accessible rooms are accessible to not only wheelchair users, but to everyone, no matter their disability, and that is something that is extremely near and dear to my heart. When you plan your next trip to Pigeon Forge, and have the question: “Where can I stay that has the best ADA accommodations?” Look no further than this fantastic hotel. You won’t be disappointed! To see all the other amazing things they have to offer, keep scrolling!
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