We stayed at the Cold Creek Resort for an entire week. This was our family’s first trip to the area. So we based our stay on what another family recommended. We knew that we were not staying at a five star resort. So we were willing to overlook some of the reviews.
Here is what I saw and felt. You make the call.

Positives:

-Location to the Dollywood parks is great. Ten minutes tops to the parking lot.
-Walking distance too many places to eat.
-Gas station next store was a great place to get quick provisions and a breakfast sandwich if you wanted.
-Pools were a hit for my children. They seemed clean and free of anything that I might have been concerned with.
-Parking lots are well lit.
-In room kitchenette was very usable.
-We stayed in an inside room. There were never any issues with noise. This was even with the pool right outside the door.
-Fresh towels by the pools every day.
-Good value

Negatives:

-Rarely ran the sweeper in the room (took three days)
-Under the bed had not been swept in months.
-Witnessed the sheets not being changed on the pull out sofa sleeper after someone had checked out.
-Pillows needed replaced. Some stained and clearly in need of simply being thrown out.
-Electrical outlet was ripped from the wall. Potential fire hazard or issue with someone with young children.
-Wireless Internet was very slow and rarely worked in many parts of the hotel.
-Many light bulbs burned out.
-Pass on their breakfast. We did better getting our own stuff for our room. There are signs all over the place asking you to not remove food from their dining area. So you aren’t allowed to enjoy a nice outdoor breakfast with their stuff. (Waffles, donuts, old biscuits and gravy and assorted cereal)
-Looked like a used car lot with all of the cars sitting out front for sale
-Fitness center was an absolute joke. Literally a box of weights and a bike that did not work.

Like I said, we knew that this was not a five star hotel. But if the management would maybe spend just a little more time on the little details, we might have given the property a “recommend”. But with all of the competition on the strip now, I think we will try somewhere else next time.

Well... a positive. It appeared to be american owned and the staff was super nice.

Negative....the room just gave me the feeling of be careful what I touch. It looked clean but didn't feel clean. You know when you check into a room and you just want to flop right across the bed ???....well this place isn't on of them.

We were there during spring and the rates were really cheap, so I think it was well worth the money, then. If I could get a newer at hotel for not much more I would probably take. Just stay away from the Indian owned hotels there, they will screw you over.

Not too clean, noisy, old, very dated. One room the air conditioning was draining into the room causing a very very soggy carpet.
Worst of all my daughter got a nasty cut on her foot in the indoor pool and the clerk's comment was "she isn't the first person to cut her foot in that pool".

The only positive I am willing to give it, is that they were friendly and courteous at the front desk.
Now for the negatives:
-Phone broken.
-bed on wheels.
-ants in the bathroom.
-remote for television broken - now they did bring me a new remote, but I had to program it myself.
-toilet clogged - They brought me a plunger, and I had to clear it myself.
-dresser was missing handles to open the drawers.
-very noisy - no real sound proof to the room.
-the bathroom smelled like mildew. very uncomfortable to stay in.
-One of the amenities is the work out room - what work out room? all the equipment is broken...
-Continental breakfast - not exactly - the biscuits were stale, and obviously recycled from day to day.
Over all my experience was negative. I would recomend traveling to the beach. If you must go to Pigeon Forge, avoid cold creek resort.