Family reunion lodging checklist: picking a place for 20 to 100 people

Nine checks, in the order that saves the most trouble. Each one comes with a real example from our listings.

1. Get a real headcount, split by age

   • Count adults, teens, children and babies separately. A "sleeps 40" cabin may only fit 40 if a third of them are kids.
   • Some pages say so outright: The Big Moose Lodge says its futons and sofa beds are meant for children.
   • Note who needs a bed of their own, who can share, and who needs a ground-floor room.

2. Decide: one building or a campus

   • One big house keeps everyone together at night. A campus of cabins gives families privacy, and can cost less per person.
   • Summit Ridge Resort rents three houses on one site. Camp Smoky sleeps 150 across two buildings.
   • Our listings say when a capacity spans more than one building.

3. Check bathrooms and beds

   • Divide your headcount by the number of bathrooms. Six or more people per bath means morning lines.
   • Ask for a bed list by room, and count bunks, futons and sofa beds separately from real beds.

4. Plan where everyone eats

   • Ask for the most people who can sit down at one meal. Sleeping 50 does not mean seating 50.
   • Count stoves, ovens and refrigerators. Doubled kitchens are common in the biggest cabins.
   • If nobody wants to cook, look at places that serve meals. Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center has a 200-seat dining room with buffet meals.

5. Make it work for grandparents

   • Ask which bedrooms and bathrooms need no stairs, and whether there is an elevator.
   • Grand LeConte Lodge lists an elevator and two ADA bedrooms with roll-in showers. Excalibur in the Smokies lists an oversized elevator.

6. Check the road and the parking

   • Count the cars your group will bring, and ask if a van, bus or trailer can reach the door.
   • Ask whether the drive is steep, unpaved, or needs four-wheel drive in winter.
   • Big Vista Lodge says its lot fits a full-size tour bus. Majestic Mountain Waters lists parking for just 4 vehicles.

7. Read the house rules early

   • Large cabins often set a minimum age to book, quiet hours, and rules about events and day guests.
   • Moose Hollow Lodge's terms require the main guest to be 25 or older and ban parties or events without written approval.
   • If you want a ceremony, a big dinner with outside guests, or a DJ, get written permission and any event fee before you sign.

8. Get the full price and split it

   • Ask for one total with taxes, cleaning and booking fees for your exact dates.
   • Agree how children count and who pays for the biggest rooms, then collect deposits before you book.

9. Confirm permitted occupancy

   • Ask: "What is your permitted occupancy, and who issued it?" In Tennessee, rentals with 13 or more occupants fall under different rules.

Ready to look? Browse places that name family reunions, Smokies cabins for 30 or more, or the planning timeline for when to book.