Mountain Laurel Chalets

What Mountain Laurel Chalets does

Mountain Laurel Chalets is a family-owned vacation rental and property management company headquartered in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, founded in 1972 by Ralph and Dot Egli. The company manages a curated portfolio of 95+ cabins, chalets, and condos in the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge markets at the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with leadership transitioned to second-generation CEO Tom Goodwin in 2012.

The core business operates two intertwined revenue streams: (1) direct-to-consumer vacation rental bookings via mtnlaurelchalets.com, phone, and SMS, with properties ranging from one-bedroom chalets starting at $99/night to twelve-bedroom lodges accommodating 50+ guests, and (2) property management services for third-party cabin owners, where MLC provides marketing, housekeeping, 24/7 guest support, and financial reporting in exchange for a commission on rental income. The technology backbone is the Guesty property management platform for booking engine, listings, and reservations, supplemented by integrations with Xplorie (complimentary Dollywood/attraction tickets) and standard card networks. MLC markets a differentiated luxury tier called The 100 Collection™, a loyalty program (Family First) for repeat guests, and a Peace of Mind cancellation protection plan. Distribution emphasizes direct booking to avoid OTA fees, supported by content marketing (blog, podcasts, social), neighborhood-level property clustering for large groups, and partnerships with Ober Mountain Resort and Great Smoky Mountains National Park attractions.

Name

Mountain Laurel Chalets

Legal name

Mountain Laurel Chalets

Website

https://mtnlaurelchalets.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mountain Laurel Chalets is a family-owned, second-generation vacation rental and property management company that manages 95+ cabins and chalets in the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee markets at the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, serving leisure travelers, families, and cabin property owners since 1972.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vacation Cabin Rentals

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Snow & Mountain Unique Stays (Chalets, Ski Cabins) (THAMADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vacation & Short-Term Rental Management (BPAJAFAI), Luxury Chalets & Ski-In/Ski-Out Homes (THAMAEAD)

Keywords

• Vacation cabin rentals
• Smoky Mountain lodging
• Cabin property management
• Gatlinburg cabin rentals
• Pigeon Forge chalets

Headquarters

HQ city

Gatlinburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Vacation Rental Bookings: Primary revenue stream from renting out 95+ cabin and chalet properties in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge to vacation guests. Pricing varies by season, property type, and duration. Direct bookings through the company website or phone are encouraged to avoid OTA fees.
2. Property Management Services: Comprehensive property management services offered to cabin owners, including marketing, maintenance, guest support, and financial reporting. The company earns a commission on rental income generated for property owners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Mountain Laurel Chalets manages and rents 95+ vacation cabins and chalets in the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area of the Smoky Mountains. Founded in 1972, the company provides short-term rental stays to leisure travelers and also offers full-service property management to cabin owners, including marketing, reservations, housekeeping, and maintenance.

Product overview

Mountain Laurel Chalets operates a portfolio of 95+ vacation rental properties in the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge areas of the Smoky Mountains. The core offering consists of cabin rentals across multiple categories: Gatlinburg Cabin Rentals, Pigeon Forge Cabin Rentals, and Gatlinburg Condo Rentals. Premium offerings include The 100 Collection™ luxury properties meeting the highest hospitality standards, New Cabins recently added to the portfolio, Dog-Friendly Cabins for pet owners, and Large Group Cabins for corporate retreats and family reunions. The Neighborhoods feature allows groups to rent multiple cabins within walking distance. Supporting services include Free Attraction Tickets through Xplorie and Year-Round Specials/Deals including Military Discounts and a Loyalty Program. The company also offers Property Management Services for cabin owners seeking professional management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The 100 Collection: A luxury property collection meeting the highest hospitality standards, part of a collaborative peer-to-peer collective of leading industry owners and managers
• Family First Loyalty Program
• Luxury Linen Program
• Peace of Mind Plan
• Smoky Mountain Vacation Rental Forum
• For the Love of Gatlinburg

Products and services

• Gatlinburg Cabin Rentals Short-term rental of 95+ privately owned cabins and chalets in the Gatlinburg, Tennessee area of the Smoky Mountains for families, groups, and leisure travelers.
• Pigeon Forge Cabin Rentals Vacation cabin rental properties located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee near Dollywood and the Smoky Mountains.
• Gatlinburg Condo Rentals Condominium rentals in Gatlinburg, Tennessee offered alongside the company's cabin and chalet rental portfolio.
• The 100 Collection A curated lineup of the company's 100 most popular and best-performing vacation rental properties in the Smoky Mountains.
• Dog-Friendly Cabins A selection of pet-friendly cabin rentals allowing guests to bring dogs on their Smoky Mountains vacation.
• Large Group Cabins Big-group-sized cabin rentals designed for family reunions, retreats, and multi-family gatherings in the Smoky Mountains.
• Cabin Property Management Services Full-service vacation rental management program for cabin owners, handling marketing, reservations, housekeeping, maintenance, guest services, and 24/7 support.
• New Cabins A showcase of newly added cabins and chalets in the company's rental portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free attraction tickets save guests money on local activities during their stay
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• XploriecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerXplorie provides Mountain Laurel Chalets guests with complimentary attraction tickets for Dollywood and other local attractions for each day of their stay. This partnership enhances the guest experience by adding value beyond accommodation and drives tourism to local partners.
• The 100 CollectionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 100 Collection is a collaborative effort setting gold standards for vacation rentals. MLC properties in this collection must pass quality, safety, and cleanliness inspections. The collective is issued by doyens (leading industry owners and managers), providing MLC with industry credibility and peer recognition.
• DollywoodcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDollywood provides complimentary tickets with every reservation. This partnership offers significant value to guests and drives bookings by including entertainment as part of the vacation package.
• Ober Mountain ResortminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMany MLC properties are located near Ober Mountain (formerly Ober Gatlinburg), Tennessee's only ski resort. Proximity to this attraction is highlighted in property listings as a key selling point.
• Great Smoky Mountains National ParkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMLC properties are strategically located at the entrance to America's most-visited national park. The partnership is geographic and experiential, as proximity to the park is a primary draw for guests.
• Chalet Village / Cobbly Knob / Chalet Community AssociationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMLC guests have access to community clubhouses with outdoor pools, tennis courts, and recreation areas through property memberships in Chalet Village and Cobbly Knob communities.
• GuestycoreTechnology or IntegrationMountain Laurel Chalets uses Guesty property management software for their booking engine, website integration, and reservation management systems.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Airbnb: Airbnb is the dominant global OTA for vacation rentals, competing directly with MLC's direct-booking channel and hosting many Smoky Mountain listings. It is a channel and competitive incumbent, not a direct operator peer.
• VRBO: VRBO (an Expedia brand) is a major OTA for whole-home vacation rentals, including Smoky Mountain cabins. It competes for MLC's bookings and is a key distribution alternative to direct booking.
• Marriott Homes & Villas: Marriott's Homes & Villas program offers professionally managed vacation rentals under a major hospitality brand, competing with MLC's 100 Collection for premium-segment travelers seeking upscale mountain stays.
• Sonder: Sonder operates a tech-enabled portfolio of short-stay apartments and vacation-style accommodations with a hospitality-grade service model — a broader, urban-leaning comparable to MLC's professionally managed, service-oriented short-term rental business.

Direct peers

• Evolve Vacation Rental: Evolve is a vacation rental manager that partners with property owners to handle marketing, booking, and guest support, similar to MLC's property-management arm. Comparable business model focused on full-service short-term rental management.
• Vacasa: Vacasa is a national vacation rental management company that combines local operations with centralized technology — directly comparable to Mountain Laurel Chalets in business model (full-service management + bookings), though at vastly greater scale.
• Cabins for You: Cabins for You is a Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg-focused cabin rental company managing a portfolio of Smoky Mountain cabins with similar direct-booking and local-service positioning to Mountain Laurel Chalets.
• Auntie Belham's Cabin Rentals: A family-run Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge cabin rental company offering a curated portfolio of Smoky Mountain cabins with on-site local support — a same-market direct competitor to Mountain Laurel Chalets.
• RedAwning: RedAwning distributes and manages vacation rentals across multiple OTAs and direct channels, similar to MLC's multi-channel strategy, including property management and distribution for independent vacation rentals.
• Colonial Properties Cabin and Condo Rentals: A Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge vacation rental company offering cabins and condos with local management and direct booking — competes head-to-head with MLC for both guests and property-owner management contracts in the same micro-market.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MountainLaurelChalet
• Facebookfacebook.com/MountainLaurelChalets
• Instagraminstagram.com/mlc.gatlinburg
• Pinterestpinterest.com/MtnLaurelChalets
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mountain-laurel-chalets

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mountain Laurel Chalets