Cambria Hotels awards 2 Tennessee franchises

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Rockville-based Choice Hotels International Inc. Tuesday awarded franchise agreements to Victor Patel of VRL Hotels to develop new Cambria Hotels in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

These agreements further the upscale brand’s traction in Tennessee, which includes the already open Cambria Hotel Nashville Downtown as well as soon-to-open Cambria Hotel Nashville Airport and a future property in Nashville’s West End neighborhood. These proposed hotels will join other Cambria locations in top vacation destinations such as Ocean City; Anaheim, California; Madeira Beach, Florida; Charleston, South Carolina; and Sonoma, California.

The 140-room in Gatlinburg-area hotel is expected to open in 2022 and will feature a rooftop bar and restaurant. Known as the “Gateway to the Smokies,” the proposed hotel will be situated in downtown Gatlinburg in the heart of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is the most visited national park in the United States and is part of the Appalachian Trail, offering more than 850 miles of trails, camping, fishing, biking and horseback riding.

The proposed 140-room hotel in Pigeon Forge is expected to open in 2024. In addition to its mountain town atmosphere, the area near the future hotel is well known for being home to Dollywood, named after country singer Dolly Parton and one of the biggest tourist attractions in Tennessee, and features an Appalachian-themed park consisting of rides, an adjoining water park, a museum of her costumes and memorabilia, as well as the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame and Museum.