I stayed at Dollywood's DreamMore Resort and it's the perfect getaway for Dolly Parton superfans
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I stayed at the Dollywood's DreamMore Resort, Dolly Parton's hotel in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
The hotel is full of Dolly Parton memorabilia and family-friendly activities.
With a free shuttle to Dollywood, it's the perfect getaway for Dolly Parton superfans.
On a recent trip to Tennessee, I stayed at Dollywood's DreamMore Resort, Dolly Parton's 20-acre hotel in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
My hotel room with one queen-size bed cost $449 per night, not including taxes and fees. I also added a one-day Dollywood theme park ticket to my reservation for $95.
In total, my two-night stay at Dollywood's DreamMore Resort cost $1,102.31.
One of the biggest advantages of staying at the DreamMore Resort was its shuttle to and from Dollywood.
When I arrived at the DreamMore Resort, the front desk had my Dollywood ticket waiting for me. Since I booked my park admission through the hotel, I also got free access to the hotel's Dollywood shuttle and a complimentary TimeSaver pass to skip long lines.
The shuttle dropped me off right at the park entrance, and the driver provided some helpful tips along the way, like the fact that we could get free ice water at any concession stand.
After the fireworks and drone show that closes out summer nights at Dollywood, the shuttle picked me up in the same convenient spot. I was exhausted after spending all day on my feet, and loved that I didn't have to make the long trek back to the parking lot.
In the lobby, I was greeted with live music as I checked in.
The singer played Dolly Parton songs, but also sang Disney songs like "Let It Go" from "Frozen."
The walls were decorated with framed instruments that Parton has used throughout her career.
In keeping with Parton's iconic style, the instruments were bedazzled with rhinestones and decorated with butterflies.
A sign at the entrance advertised "Camp DW," a series of family-friendly activities like s'mores roasting and bedtime stories.
Also on the agenda: craft kits to-go and complimentary pink lemonade.
At the Starbucks store in the lobby, Dollywood's famous cinnamon bread was available without the long lines at the theme park.
Baked fresh daily, the pull-apart cinnamon loaves are soaked in butter and cinnamon-sugar before baking. Each one comes with dipping sauces of buttercream icing and apple butter.
It's such an iconic treat that Dollywood gift shops even sell t-shirts that read "I'm just here for the cinnamon bread."
At Dollywood, the cinnamon bread is sold at The Grist Mill in the Craftman's Valley area and the Spotlight Bakery on Showstreet, but the wait can be long. The lines at the DreamMore Resort's Starbucks are much shorter.
The lobby's gift shop sold some of the same souvenir items available at Dollywood in another chance to bypass the crowds.
Among the gift shop's offerings were mugs with Parton quotes and t-shirts with her face on them.
Tucked into a corner of the lobby's lower level, an unreleased Dolly Parton song written to be her last was hidden in plain sight.
A chestnut "Dream Box" displayed in a glass case contains a recording of "My Place In History," a song Parton wrote to be released on her 100th birthday in 2046.
Parton wrote "My Place In History" in 2015, the year that she opened the DreamMore Resort. She recorded the song on a CD and included a CD player in the chestnut box as well.
The glass case also features a piece of wood from the front porch of Parton's childhood home in Sevierville, Tennessee, where she grew up singing with her 11 siblings.
Around the corner, a hallway full of Parton's album covers paid tribute to the hotel's founder.
Parton has released almost 90 albums since the beginning of her music career in the 1960s.
As I made my way to my room, Parton's words and images remained present throughout the halls.
The walls outside the elevators featured Parton quotes such as "If you want the rainbow you gotta put up with the rain," "Leave something good in every day," and "My weaknesses have always been food and men, in that order."
In another tribute to Parton, I also noticed butterfly designs in the carpet.
Parton, who wrote a song called "Love is Like a Butterfly," often features butterflies in her outfits and staging.
The butterfly theme continued inside my hotel room.
The lampshades featured the word "Dream," and a butterfly accent blanket on the bed encouraged me to "Put wings on your dreams."
In addition to a small seating area, the room featured a TV, refrigerator, and desk.
I didn't notice the mini fridge right away since it was located in a cabinet of the entertainment center.
A postcard with a photo of Parton sat on the desk, in addition to the room service menu and a notepad and pen.
The desk also came with a small coffee machine.
I could see the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains from my window.
The hotel is located about 12 miles from the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Outside, the pool area provided a welcome break from the Tennessee summer heat.
While the Dollywood theme park doesn't serve alcohol, the DreamMore Resort offers poolside drinks through its on-site restaurant, Song & Hearth: A Southern Eatery.
I happened to be in the right place at the right time to enjoy a complimentary glass of pink lemonade from Camp DW.
I took my pink lemonade out to the hotel's back porch overlooking the pool.
As I sat sipping pink lemonade in a rocking chair on the hotel's porch, I felt like I was living in a Dolly Parton song.
After my charming stay in a Dolly Parton-themed RV the night before, I enjoyed the creature comforts of the DreamMore Resort. Its idyllic mountain scenery, Southern hospitality, and family-friendly entertainment all felt true to Parton's brand, and I loved finding little tributes to her music career all over the hotel. Plus, the convenience of the hotel shuttle and free TimeSaver passes made visiting Dollywood a breeze.
Read the original article on Insider
