How much does a large group cabin cost per person?
Big cabins look expensive until you divide. Here's what the published rates in our Smokies list come to per person, and what they leave out.
The short answer
Across 31 Smokies rental homes that sleep 15 or more and publish a nightly range, the median works out to about $17 per person per night at the cheap end of each range and about $63 at the top end, with every bed filled.
Camps and retreat centers often price per person instead. In our list, Camp BaYoCa near Sevierville lists retreats from August through May at $23 per person per night if your group cooks for itself. BridgeMont lists a sample two-night package with five meals at $165 to $185 per person, depending on group size.
The math, with a real cabin
Legacy Lodge in Pigeon Forge lists $759 to $2,639 per night and sleeps 48. Here's how the per-person cost changes with your headcount.
| People | Cheapest listed night | Most expensive listed night |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | $38 each | $132 each |
| 30 | $25 each | $88 each |
| 40 | $19 each | $66 each |
| 48 | $16 each | $55 each |
A three-night weekend at those rates is $2,277 to $7,917 for the house before taxes and fees. That's $47 to $165 each with every bed filled, or $76 to $264 each for 30 people.
The lesson: an empty bed costs the same as a full one. A cabin that's cheap per person at 48 can be pricey at 20. Pick a size close to your real headcount.
What the nightly rate leaves out
- Taxes. State and local taxes are added to the rate. Ask for the full total for your dates.
- Cleaning and booking fees. Moose Hollow Lodge's terms list cleaning fees, damage protection and pet fees as extras. Tellico River Retreat charges a $450 cleaning fee.
- Group rules with a price. One large Smokies manager says it may send a security patrol at $150 per night if it's needed, charged to the group.
- Food. A cabin's kitchen lets you cook, which is often where a group saves the most. A camp's package price may already include meals.
Cabin or camp?
A cabin gives you private bedrooms, a theater, often a pool, and your own schedule. A camp or retreat center usually costs less per person and may cook for you, but expect bunks and shared bathhouses. Some, like Tremont, only house groups that sign up for their own programs.
- Camp BaYoCa: Retreats August through May: $23 per person per night (self-catering); rustic camping $14 per person per night
- BridgeMont Camp: Sample retreat package (2 nights, 5 meals, 2 late-night snacks): $185 per person for groups of 20 to 39, $165 per person for 40 or more
- Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont (school and group residential programs): School programs start at $300 per student; aid, scholarships and discounts available
See more priced camps across the Southeast on the retreat centers and camps page.
Splitting the bill fairly
- Split by bed, not by head, if some people get a king suite and others a bunk.
- Decide early how children count. Camp Smoky, for example, says kids 5 and under stay free.
- Collect deposits before you book. Camp Smoky, for one, asks for half the expected total when you reserve, and you shouldn't be the one covering it.
Your shortlist splits the cost per person for the places you save. For the biggest homes, see Smokies cabins that sleep 30 or more.